Engagement levels tied to benefits understanding
Employees say nothing in their total rewards package stands out, and this perceived lack of differentiation could be damaging employers attraction and retention efforts.
Benefit plan design
Where does a plan sponsors responsibility end?
Even when using a TPA, plan sponsors must retain documentation for loans and hardship withdrawals, IRS says.
Maryland shows even strongest states keep kicking pension can
Top- rated states and localities have shortchanged payments to retirement plans as rallying stocks ease the funding pressure while services such as schools and crumbling infrastructure scream for resources.
DB plan liabilities continue to outpace assets
Modestly higher equity markets in the first quarter of 2015 were not enough to offset the effects of lower interest rates, resulting in lower pension funding ratios among U.S. defined benefit plans.
Nearly 9 in 10 would buy DI if employer contributed
Employees of all ages want disability coverage, but rising health care costs, stagnant wages and cost-shifting keep participation rates low.
Benefits Think Selling voluntary benefits with extras: Extending the disability sale
Commentary: Additional benefits or coverages that adapt to an employers needs can create a niche offering that often can help employers think holistically about their employees financial future, says The Standards Breanna Scott.
Breanna Scott
The Standard
Cadillac tax likely to become 2016 election issue
Avoiding the Affordable Care Act's excise tax, set to take effect in 2018, is front-of-mind for many benefits decision-makers.
Can employers email plan documents to employees?
Commentary: Yes, employers can distribute plan documents electronically, but they must follow the rules, and dont assume intranet posting is enough because it is not.
DOL delays new SBC template
The federal government has delayed implementing proposed changes to the Affordable Care Acts Summary of Benefits and Coverage until January 2016.
9 hot trends in DC plans for 2015
Defined contribution plans have become one of the fastest-growing segments of the retirement industry, representing $7 trillion of the $24 trillion in retirement system assets in 2014, and while private companies have been at the forefront of the change, but government entities are following suit, which means DC plans will become even more important in the years ahead.
Benefits Think How to maximize an ERISA 403(b) plan with participant-controlled assets
Commentary: Three reasons Individual contracts are incompatible with ERISA plans and how to handle it, according to The Principals Aaron Friedman.
Aaron Friedman
Principal Financial Group
Benefits Think 3 solutions to meeting ACAs 6055 and 6056 reporting requirements
Commentary: In response to confusion over the IRSs role in verifying employers are meeting minimum essential coverage and employer shared responsibility requirements, dozens of ACA reporting have entered the market in the last two years. EmployeeTechs Michael Weiskirch shares how to find the right tracking solution for your clients.
Michael Weiskirch
Employee Tech
Benefits Think ACOs: What are they, how do they work and are they right for you?
The push for accountable care organizations is driven in large part by the Affordable Care Act and its emphasis on quality care and downward pressure on overall health costs. But how viable are they, and should your organization consider using one?
Travis Turner
Corporate Synergies
Benefits Think Stop-loss from the small- and large-group perspectives
Commentary: Critical considerations that make a stop-loss plan successful for clients of all sizes, according to Sun Lifes Brad Nieland.
Does your plan reflect the new definition of spouse?
Commentary: Employers who start revising their FMLA policies to address this change should also use it as an opportunity to review their benefit plan language to make sure it accurately reflects the updated definition.
Retirees could lose their ‘guaranteed’ health-care benefits
California's struggling to pay for health care for retired state employees, with an estimated $72 billion in medical costs coming in the next 30 years. Gov. Jerry Brown's solution: Make workers start contributing money to pay for the health care they'll need after retiring.
Can mid-season enrollment increase voluntary benefit participation?
Mid-year enrollment of voluntary benefits is gaining popularity, but benefit experts caution the strategy is not right for everyone.
EAP and wellness trends to watch in 2015
Increased utilization of EAP and wellness services, the emergence of fatigue management programs and more demand for mobile health applications are a few of the predictions for this year, according to Chestnut Global Partners.
By
Phil Albinus
Biosimilars: What employers need to know
Novartis Zarxio is the first biosimilar product approved in the United States, ushering in a new era for the drug industry, consumers and third parties who manage medical and drug benefits.
Sears employees discover value in private exchange
As many as 90,000 Sears employees are finding it easier to shop for health care, are savvier about their coverage choices and finally understand the meaning of value since the 129-year-old retailer switched to a private health insurance exchange three years ago.
