Healthcare

Hundreds of National Association of Health Underwriters members attending the organization's 81st annual convention June 26-29 were treated to a round of "Don't Stop Believing" by Journey as the convention kicked off in San Antonio - setting the stage for the positive outlook promoted by NAHU throughout the event.

McKinsey & Co. caused quite a stir not only around the insurance world, when it recently revealed that 30% of employers will “definitely or probably” drop their coverage when PPACA takes effect in 2014. While the exact percentage of employers keeping or dropping their coverage in three years remains to be seen, voluntary programs will be valuable to employers and employees alike in either situation.

Due to the economic recession and the potential for increased health insurance costs brought about by health care reform, many employers are beginning to view self-funded health care plans as a more attractive option than fully insured plans.

Rural Americans are more likely to suffer from chronic health conditions such as diabetes, heart problems and cancer, and face greater difficulty getting quality health care than their urban counterparts, according to a report released Wednesday.

A U.S. health official overseeing the new insurance exchanges program said he expects recently released regulatory guidelines to spur activity in the states this summer.

Liz Rowell, a senior consultant at Benz Communications, offers benefits pros tips for using health care reform’s focus on preventive care to their strategic advantage and force employees to get serious about screenings.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is nearly ready to issue a proposed rule requiring health insurers to develop standardized, consumer-friendly summaries of benefits and coverage under their health plan packages.

According to a new survey from Symantc Corp., the negative consequences from a social media misstep cost a typical employer $4 million per year. For a 140-character message on Twitter, that’s more than $28,000 per character — an eye-popping sum that will make HR/benefits professionals want to literally watch employees’ Ps and Qs on social media sites.

Louisiana Sen. Mary L. Landrieu urges Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to remove agent compensation from the medical loss ratio rule.

A new bill introduced in the Senate last week could help consumers keep their employer-sponsored flexible spending account funds at the end of the year.