Take a look around the benefits discussion table at many employers these days and you’ll see a wide variety of faces. With clients increasingly tying their benefits strategy to the other departments at their businesses, it’s no surprise that top brokers in the U.S. are taking a closer look at their own company structures in the process.

Commentary: With so much happening at year’s end and again at the beginning of the New Year, columnist John Ludwig shares what plan sponsors be working on.

Low cost, no minimum investment and daily trading are reasons for their increased use over the past 10 years.

Just call 2014 the year of compliance. The first full year many of the Affordable Care Act’s provisions went into effect, EBA’s top 10 most popular stories and legal alerts nearly all surround ACA implementation.

With so much emphasis on job qualifications, it’s easy to give little thought to certain personal qualities that, when combined with outstanding competencies, result in extraordinary performance. But it’s the star performers that are missing today, says sales expert John Graham, who shares seven signs that you've got one in your midst.

Commentary: Zenefits is definitely more open about what they are giving away, but industry technology adviser Joe Markland guarantees they aren’t the only benefit firm that may in some way be breaking the Utah rebating laws.

Wellness programs are gaining popularity and the Cadillac tax is still a mystery for many employers, but no major changes to benefits are expected next year, study says.

Despite pressure from clients to provide an immediate solution for rising health care costs – brokers need to proceed slowly and cautiously when discussing solutions such as private exchanges, according to a speaker at Employee Benefit News’ Private Healthcare Exchanges conference.

Sam’s Club, the big-box members-only warehouse, decided to offer health insurance to its customers through a private health care exchange because those small business owner-members were asking for it. In October, the retail chain said it was partnering with Aetna to offer health insurance to members through a private exchange to small businesses.

The Jan. 1, 2015 ACA compliance deadline for large employers is quickly approaching and your employer clients may have unanswered questions. Here are some of the most common employer concerns still looming and the answers you can provide them.

As if employee benefit brokers and advisers in California haven’t had enough uphill battles trying to preserve their standing along the changing HIX landscape, some of them also now have to worry about being paid for helping enroll more than 500,000 residents in the state-run public exchange. But at least one industry insider believes it’s much ado about nothing. …

From the top Affordable Care Act concerns to brokers finding a new way of doing business, the best places to work to controversial legislation, take a look at the top 10 social media posts from this year to see what piqued the interest of advisers and employers enough to garner a click, a like, or a share.

Increased competition in the HIX marketplace is expected to pave the way for branded health options with strategic tiers or regional provider partnerships that offer a leg up on narrow networks, especially with 25 million Americans projected to sign up for exchange plans over the coming decade.

Commentary: 5 tips that will enhance your guaranteed issue IDI strategy from The Standard’s Doug Waters.

Employers racing to keep up with changing regulations and stay ahead in the talent war are increasingly turning to their benefit advisers for help. In EBA’s ongoing series, executives at some of the top brokerages share challenges the industry is facing, as well as tips for firms of all sizes on how to tackle those challenges head-on.

Anyone who thinks private exchanges are a new fad should speak with Choice Administrators, the organization that runs CaliforniaChoice. It’s been around close to 20 years, since 1996. President and CEO Ron Goldstein talks with EBA about the business model and how grandmothered plans under the Affordable Care Act could make a big impact in the new year.

The IRS has issued new guidance amending the safe harbor explanations for notices that plans must provide to recipients of eligible rollover distributions, offering benefit advisers and their employer clients some clarifying guidance on how to proceed with communications.

The Internal Revenue Service needs to improve the security of the health care information submitted by health insurance providers and pharmaceutical makers and importers on information returns, according to a new government report.

While it’s on the DOL agenda for January, many in the industry anticipate additional postponements before the new rule is released.

Comparing prescription drug benefits offered on the Covered California state-run exchange is expected to be easier during the 2015 open enrollment.