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Almost all employers are experiencing rising costs and pressure to move to higher deductible health plans. Wanting another route, Envision Healthcare undertook an eight-month process to decide which private benefit exchange was right for them. Don King, Envision’s VP of compliance and benefits, shared questions all employers should consider when deciding to move to an exchange at EBA’s Workplace Benefits Summit in Orlando.

While private exchanges are no longer new, they are still in their infancy, and have not seen the adoption rate that many predicted. One reason for the low implementation rate may be the many questions that remain unanswered, says Dan Gowen, senior vice president and an employee benefits national practice leader for Wells Fargo Insurance Services USA, Inc. Here are the top five questions employers are asking:

Merger and acquisition activity in the health insurance industry threatens to further erode market competition, which many benefit insiders feel is already dismal. Recent research from the American Medical Association identified the top 10 states that have experienced the biggest drop in competition levels between 2010 and 2013.

Zenefits was back in the news this week with the announcement of its free ACA compliance tool. EBA readers comment on the impact this will have on brokers, as well as the impending Cadillac tax.

Whether earned through fighting for adviser rights on Capitol Hill, making sure agents are up to date on Affordable Care Act compliance or growing a fledgling brokerage into a powerful business, these second annual awards recognize women making a difference in the field. EBA asked the influential women to share: What motivates you most about your job?

Benefit advisers, employers and other industry insiders fear merger and acquisition activity in the health insurance industry is eroding market competition, a trend that could lead to increased premiums for employers and individuals. Recent research from the American Medical Association identified the top 10 states with the least competitive HMO markets.

This week’s news included reports that found Healthcare.gov botched $600 million worth of contracts and more than 2 million public exchange enrollees eligible for cost-sharing reductions are not receiving the subsides because they selected a non-qualifying plan. Here’s what EBA readers had to say.

Back to school means hitting the books for students — and advisers hoping to grow their book of business or improve their professional outlook. Financial advisers, industry executives and others share some favorite titles authored by advisers. These 10 books cover a range of topics from succession planning and practice management, to investment advice and tips on smart retirement planning.

Increasing merger and acquisition activity in the health insurance industry continues to decrease market competition and benefit experts fear it will lead to increased premiums for employers and individuals. Recent research from the American Medical Association identified the 10 states with the least competitive health insurance markets.

As employers prepare their health benefit packages for 2016, they must be up-to-date with current ACA and other developments that impact health plans. Here are the top 10 compliance-related issues employers should address during their planning, according to Mercer.