Banco Popular de Puerto Rico

The U.S. had a $968 billion shortfall in 2013 — up $54 billion from the prior year — between the pension benefits that were promised to employees and what was actually saved to make those payments, according to a recent report by Pew Charitable Trusts. Here are the states with the best-funded pension programs.

From wrongly issued subsidies to the Cadillac tax to the DOL fiduciary hearings, it’s been a busy week for the insurance industry. Here’s what EBA readers had to say about these topics.

After four days, nearly 40 hours of testimony and more than 70 speakers, the Labor Department has wrapped up the latest phase in its effort to craft and implement a new fiduciary rule governing retirement advice in America. Here are the sharpest critiques and key takeaways from the hearings.

Brokers played a key role in helping individuals enroll in health care coverage on the marketplaces under the ACA — 60% of brokers helped up to 50 consumers during the 2015 open enrollment period, and 20% helped more than 100, according to the 2015 Kaiser Foundation Survey of Health Insurance Marketplace Assister Programs and Brokers. However, brokers reported that selling individual policies is more time consuming and less profitable since the ACA was implemented. Here are some other broker-related findings from the survey.

The IRS has issued a new glimpse at compliance with the ACA’s Cadillac tax and a well-discussed EBA article asked advisers to ponder which of three broker models will survive? Here’s what EBA readers had to say.

The DOL has reiterated its intent to actively seek out health and welfare plans across the country for audit. Employers and their benefit advisers should review plans for compliance, paying close attention to these areas flagged recently by the DOL as points of interest.

Benefit marketplaces continue to gain popularity, and brokers need to understand and embrace how technology-enabled shopping and enrollment platforms can fit into their current and future business strategies. Here are five reasons a benefits marketplace can enhance brokers’ business, according to technology solutions provider hCentive.

Advisers and their employer clients have a false sense of calm about the Affordable Care Act in 2015, because nobody has been penalized yet under the employer shared responsibility rule, says Kaya Bromley, an attorney with Your Obamacare Advisors. Next year could change that, she adds. Here are 10 of her top ACA predictions for 2016.

Excluding health insurance premium, these ancillary benefit carriers are the top companies experiencing positive year over year growth with more than $500 million in large-group revenue. EBA, in partnership with business intelligence data analytics firm miEdge, reveals in ascending order these fastest-growing companies. The listing is based on Form 5500 Schedule A reporting data on revenues coming from premiums as of June 30, 2015.

This week, a new coalition dedicated to repealing the ACA’s excise tax on high-cost group plans was formed. Here’s what EBA readers had to say about the tax set to take effect in 2018.