The MLR regulations under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act are misguided, according to AHIP attendees. An engaged crowd at Wednesday’s America’s Health Insurance Plans conference in Washington listened to a panel dissect this issue from what the speakers said were unfounded claims of carrier profitability by the government, to the restrictions placed on innovation as a result of high ratio requirements.

Air Canada stock gained the most in a week after the carrier reached an agreement with the Canadian federal government to extend a cap on pension funding by seven years, vividly demonstrating the impact of pension obligations and the price of publicly traded sponsor’s common stock shares.

A new nationwide public opinion research report produced by the National Institute on Retirement Security (NIRS) finds overwhelming support for Congressional action to provide all Americans with access to a new type of privately run pension plan.

Last week the Dow Jones Industrial Average reached record highs. Many expect the Standard & Poor's 500, a broader market index, to follow the Dow's lead soon. Is this a time to consider committing significantly to U.S. equities, or a time to take profits?

Plan fiduciaries are more vulnerable than ever on a lot of legal and regulatory fronts, including the financial statements included with their 5500 filings. In an era when 5500 forms and their attachments quickly enter the public domain online via E-fast 2, available to anyone -- including an enlarged army of DOL inspectors hunting for anomalies, “fiduciaries need to be on the top of their game,” warns Dave Dacey, CPA, a partner with the WithumSmith+Brown and leader of the firm’s Employee Benefit & Pension Plans Group.

New Jersey’s public pension deficit swelled 13% to $47.2 billion in fiscal 2012 as the state continued to make partial contributions to its retirement plans.

The number of employers offering a sponsored retirement plan slightly increased in 2012 from four years prior, while matches and employer contributions remained near constant, according to a survey released today by WorldatWork and the American Benefits Institute.

Older U.S. adults may get too many colonoscopies, costing Medicare an estimated $500 million a year and putting patients at an increased risk of side effects such as bleeding, researchers found.

The new Roth in-plan conversions are getting a lot of press. Here’s what you will need to be ready for the questions heading your way.

The insurance industry is not very prepared for climate change, according to “Insurer Climate Risk Disclosure Survey: 2012 Findings & recommendations,” from the Ceres Coalition.

Illinois became the second state to settle with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission over charges it misled investors about a growing shortfall in its employee pension funds as it sold $2.2 billion in bonds.

The Principal Financials’ Aaron Friedman says we are seeing 403(b) plan sponsors interested in reviewing their plan designs as they look to further clean up initial steps that were taken just a few years ago. This additional work is based on their own experience with compliance under the final regulations, as well as the administrative lessons they’ve learned.

Defined contribution plan sponsors who have yet to get on board with auto-enrollment -- a trend that began more than a decade ago -- are now in the minority. One study published last week in Science magazine found that 56% auto-enroll participants -- up sharply from 19% back in 2005. The study by behavioral economists Shlomo Benartzi and Richard Thayler also found that a slim majority (51%) of sponsors has embraced auto-escalation of deferral amounts.

MassMutual’s fourth quarter data show that the average 401(k) deferral rate for female participants was 5.38%, an increase of 1.6% for the quarter. In comparison, male participants are saving at 5.81% on average, an increase of 1.2% from the previous quarter.

We’re starting your week with three important facts, developments or conversations from recent and upcoming events. This week, we’ll look at why uninsured Americans’ hospital bills are so high, more official steps forward by HHS on public exchanges and HHS goals for tech improvements in 2013.

Nearly half of all health plan members in the group and individual markets nationwide say they are interested in using a state exchange to purchase health insurance, according to a new survey by J.D. Power and Associates.

It’s getting a lot of press. “It” is the provision in the recently passed American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 that now allows participants in 401(k) plans to convert existing traditional 401(k) balances to Roth 401(k) balances.

Participant guidance, advisor relationships and regulatory environment drive success in the below $50M market

Insurer Boasts 2% Average Fees on Annuity Assets.

What do plan participants say they need to make better use of their retirement? Some answers, from a recent State Street Global Advisors survey, offer insights that can help advisers work with their clients on member education efforts.