Benefit plan design

The IRS has issued guidance on how the IRS and the Treasury Department will administer the definition of a “covered entity” for purposes of the health insurance fee under the Affordable Care Act.

Employers say in 2015 they will continue to shift toward offering CDHPs, but many need adviser help to engage employees in better health care decisions and understand the benefits of a private exchange.

In an effort to raise money for Colorado’s state health insurance exchange, the board responsible for securing its financing has levied a new fee on all insurance policies issued in Colorado, including those sold off of the exchange.

Many consumers find health care websites tough to navigate and are not satisfied overall, indicating a need to improve the enrollment experience.

Amidst further rollout of the ACA’s provisions, researchers expect more employees to enroll in their employer-sponsored health plan for 2015 — a surge benefit advisers should be preparing employers to manage.

Retiring baby boomers and health care reform law contribute to increased mergers and acquisitions activity.

Brokers and assisters will need to work closer together to help consumers during the 2015 ACA open enrollment, but most agree that will involve overcoming some underlying issues.

Vermont has cut ties with the vendor of their health insurance exchange, CGI, after continued complaints and errors with the online portal — a 'debacle' further exacerbated by the fact benefit brokers and advisers have mostly been left out of the loop.

The IRS’ new draft forms for employer reporting on health care coverage unveils a glimpse of the administrative onus in store for benefit advisers and their employer clients working to comply with the Affordable Care Act.

Benefit advisers working with small to mid-size employers to boost benefit participation can focus on cost-saving measures and enrollment and education activities that larger companies are more inclined or able to invest in.

Benefit advisers hoping to stay ahead of the trend of employers transferring some of the burden of increased health care costs to their employees, should be prepared to discuss a variety of new and old cost-sharing strategies, as well as additional cost-saving tools.

As the part-time workforce in America expands, a growing number of employers are considering voluntary benefit packages as a recruitment and retention tool not only for full-time staff, but their variable hour employees, as well.

The Affordable Care Act’s medical loss ratio rule continues to force health insurers to pay refunds to consumers enrolled in individual and employer-sponsored health care coverage.

Two federal appeals courts have issued conflicting decisions about the legality of subsidies on the federal exchanges — a split that may have some significant impact on employer planning for ACA compliance.

Employees are increasingly dissatisfied with their benefits, and therefore dissatisfied with their employers, but new research shows better benefits education can help.

In another blow to President Barack Obama’s signature legislation, a three-judge panel on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled in favor of the plaintiff, declaring the law’s premium subsidies are invalid in more than two dozen states due to the law’s specific language.

Commentary: Blogger Cyndy Nayer discusses how to ensure the efficacy of true patient-centered care and what’s needed for value-based decisions to succeed.

The DOL says employers reacting to the Supreme Court’s Hobby Lobby ruling by canceling contraceptive coverage will be required to notify their employees of the change, an important administrative note for benefit advisers working with employers electing to do so.

Founded by his father on the principle of specialty servicing in 1956, Mike Lewer’s business model is set to distinguish his brokerage team with post-ACA success for years to come.

With health care costs continuing to rise, it’s no surprise to benefit advisers that their employer clients continue to seek benefit solutions that shift some of the cost burden to their employees — and new data reveals that trend shows no signs of stopping.