Benefit management

New rules take effect next month, and health advisers need to consider how the directives affect matters of plan design and operation.

Thoughtful use of incentives and creating a strong network of supporters are ways to encourage participation, says UnitedHealthcare CMO Sam Ho.

Videos and quizzes may help workers retain health and wellness knowledge better than other forms of communication, according to Limeade.

Employees who expect to work longer are less healthy, more stressed and more likely to feel stuck in their jobs than those who expect to retire earlier, finds new data from Willis Towers Watson.

Thoughtful use of incentives and creating a strong network of supporters are ways employers can encourage participation, says Dr. Sam Ho of UnitedHealthcare.

To deliver real value for groups under 100 lives brokers must have more than a salesperson’s mindset, says Sutter Health Plus’s Monica Majors.

As plan sponsors try to reduce the costs associated with healthcare claims, many are turning to spousal surcharges or eliminating spousal coverage altogether, according to recent research from actuarial firm Conrad Siegel.

The robo-adviser announced this week a partnership with the state of Nevada and Ascensus to offer its own 529 plan.

Many of the ACA's nondiscrimination regulations will start to take effect this July, and employers that sponsor group health plans will need to consider the new rules and how they affect matters of design and operation.

Industry organizations , including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, allege that the DOL encroached on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s territory and overstepped boundaries for regulating broker-dealers that were established by Congress.

With the majority of employees owning a smartphone, employers must make mobile devices a key part of their messaging strategies, according to Gene Raymondi, CEO and founder of eni.

Gerard Bridi, CEO of NutriSavings, details how the wellness initiative can help both employers and their workers.

The ACA’s waivers for small businesses are ending in 2017, so it’s time for companies to look more closely at their benefit programs, according to adviser Sue Wakamoto-Lee.

Plan sponsors must stay ahead of emerging trends or risk exposing themselves to additional costs, says Hodges-Mace’s Eric Helman.

With the majority of employees owning a smartphone, employers must make mobile devices a key part of their messaging strategies, according to Gene Raymondi, CEO and founder of eni.

Plan sponsors should spend as much time developing education policy statements as they do an investment policy statement, says Jeffrey Hemker.

Large employers unsure of the cost savings they’d see by moving employees to an online marketplace, but health sites are still evolving, according to Pacific Resources.

Gerard Bridi, CEO of NutriSavings, details how the wellness initiative can help both employers and their workers.

The ACA’s waivers for small businesses are ending in 2017, so it’s time for companies to look more closely at their benefit programs, according to adviser Sue Wakamoto-Lee.

Self-funding is the first step to reducing health plan costs without sacrificing quality, but plan sponsors can go even further by unbundling services, according to AdminaHealth’s Arthur Jonokuchi.