Benefit plan design

The Supreme Court of the United States Friday agreed to hear another challenge to the ACA's birth control mandate. It’s the fourth time the Affordable Care Act will be considered by the Supreme Court and follows the controversial ruling in last year’s closely watched Hobby Lobby case.

Commentary: It may ultimately be a greater risk to remain fully insured and continue treating annual health care spend as an expense rather than an investment.

To date, adoption of private benefit exchanges by employers has been modest, but Holley Maher, partner at St. Louis-area brokerage MRCT, sees them as a highly relevant solution. And, despite issues Healthcare.gov has caused for brokers and consumers alike, the site is changing the health care landscape, says Maher, whose company operates its Smart Benefits Marketplace using bswift technology.

Commentary: If plan fees are a potential liability, the logic is sound that the least amount of fees paid reduces that liability. But, EBA retirement columnist John Ludwig asks, does it really?

As employers face growing challenges trying to balance employees’ well-being with containing benefits-related company costs, many are seeking guidance on how to manage the administrative and compliance requirements of the Affordable Care Act.

The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, passed Wednesday by the House of Representatives, is causing concern in retirement circles after a pension provision was added that raises the amount of money employers must pay to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. for pension insurance.

Several retirement industry experts met on Capitol Hill Wednesday in a continued push to encourage better access to retirement plans for small businesses, championing bipartisan reforms to multiple-employer plans.

ADP has agreed to drop its defamation lawsuit against Zenefits after a months-long dispute fought in the public eye. What does the Zenefits win mean for established industry stakeholders and the benefit startups that threaten their way of business?

Employers can play an influential role in shaping their benefit design so that it encourages employees to look at high-value providers and use tools that help make the health care decision-making process more transparent.

The technology company launches a new service for employers, Castlight Action, designed to help steer employees to the right health care at the right time.

The potential cost increases due to offering transgender health benefits is minimal because the population is small, says Human Rights Campaign.

Commentary: Many employers don't know what their PBMs are doing today to actually manage their specialty drug programs, says Lockton's Sarah Martin. It's up to advisers to shine a light on PBM practices.

The merging of health benefits and retirement planning on an exchange platform is a trend worth taking note of.

Five ways to tell if your employees are getting the service they deserve from your benefits company.

Employers more than ever are seeking innovative solutions for health care cost containment from their benefit advisers, and one industry expert says emerging strategies to help brokers thrive in the coming decade should include voluntary benefit sales and plan integration.

Increased regulatory requirements and rising health care costs have spurred more employers to consider defined contribution health care plans, a trend industry experts at EBA’s Workplace Benefits Summit say is a result of a more transformative approach to health care benefit strategy.

Despite thousands of dollars spent on marketing, one key item is missing for critical illness insurance sales. What is it and how can four simple questions help improve sales?

Questions over program effectiveness, legality and data storage have employers hesitating to implement such plans.

Commentary: Although in their infancy, private exchanges have not yet met predicted adoption rates. Wells Fargo’s Dan Gowen shares why this may be the case.

Commentary: The “teachable moment” remains one of the most important potential benefits of a health assessment. Well-designed assessment tools provide a catalyst for lifestyle change by creating receptivity to health-related information and recommendations.