The recently announced mergers of four of the nation’s largest health insurance companies threatens to decrease competition in multiple markets, a threat the American Medical Association says will exceed federal antitrust guidelines and warrants regulatory review. Experts agree brokers will need to work with employer clients to find creative solutions to work with limited plan choices and keep premium costs down.

Sun Life Financial Inc., Canada’s third-largest life insurer, has agreed to buy the employee-benefits business of Assurant Inc. to further expand its presence in the U.S.

Commentary: Complacency can be a dangerous strategy when it comes to defined benefit plans, says The Principal’s Mike Clark.

Employees are gaining confidence in their short-term finances but the majority is still not saving enough for retirement.

Insurers are projecting significant jumps in pharmacy expenses this year, driven primarily by specialty drugs.

Despite the regulatory uncertainty about how the Affordable Care Act’s excise tax will apply to employer-sponsored care offered through onsite clinics, employers appear committed to the concept.

About 9.9 million people got health insurance coverage through the marketplaces set up by the ACA as of June 30, a decline from earlier in the year though still higher than the White House administration’s target.

The retirement system continues to change, with close to half of all corporate DB plans now closed to new entrants.

This year’s co-located Benefits Forum Expo and Workplace Benefits Summit in Orlando, Fla., Sept. 30-Oct. 2, aims to lend a helping hand to employers and brokers working in this challenging benefits environment.

The DOL’s comment period on its proposed new rules governing overtime exemptions closed Sept. 4. Here’s what employers need to know.

Many individuals think coverage is too expensive or unnecessary in certain stages of life — that’s why advisers need to emphasize the true cost of a policy and help clients think about their future when discussing life insurance.

Stock market swings reiterate need for ongoing retirement plan communication.

Commentary: A broker whose perception of wellness is limited to seasonal flu shots and employee assistance policies is at a competitive disadvantage compared to a broker who understands the power of connecting health risk assessment and biometric data with claims data.

Commentary: Many brokers underestimate the impact a comprehensive disability management philosophy can have on the total cost of an employee benefits program.

At Dawn Food Products, J. Brian Coleman, VP of total rewards and HR shared services, cooks up a sweet company culture.

As “boomerang” employees become more prevalent, nearly half of HR professionals claim their organization previously had a policy against rehiring former employees but are warming up to the trend.

Target-date fund participants are more confident they’ll reach their retirement goals and have higher contribution rates than non-TDF user, survey finds.

Commentary: This time of year, employers will see an increase in requests for time off, and they need to be mindful of the legal protection for employees who seek leave to attend to their children’s school-related activities.

Reducing cash-outs and stranded 401(k) accounts increases average account balances, a key industry metric for measuring retirement plan success.

Ron Shaw, retirement program manager for Paychex, focuses on the retirement readiness of the company’s young workforce.