Employee benefits

It’s a myth that older workers cost significantly more than younger workers, says AARP. And while such a conclusion might be expected from an advocacy group whose members fall into that demographic, it’s based on an empirical review of a variety of metrics for employee productivity and cost, including employee benefits.

Although an important aspect of retirement, Social Security is just the backbone on which defined benefit and defined contribution plans should build upon.

Commentary: It is a lot of fun to be able to help employers make sound decisions through benchmarking. Oftentimes, that’s the start of a prosperous relationship, says Zywave’s Dave O’Brien.

A new FAQ from the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services and Treasury offers quite prescriptive guidance on the types of contraceptives plans must offer and pay for, and to whom they must be offered.

Employer-sponsored defined contribution plans have become the go-to retirement vehicle for the majority of workers in the U.S. but more needs to be done to get employees to not only save but to save more.

Employers may need to redouble their efforts to help employees understand the opportunity presented by a high deductible health plan with an accompanying health savings account.

It is “silly” for Republicans to put together a response to the Supreme Court’s expected June ruling on the legality of subsides in the federal health care exchange, the health policy director at the CATO Institute, which helped launch the lawsuit, said Monday.

The DOL’s proposed fiduciary rule could have dire consequences for the business of benefit advisers, according to NAIFA. The association is taking its concerns straight to The White House and lawmakers in Washington, D.C.

Commentary: As the EEOC’s proposed regulations for wellness programs remain under review for public comment until mid-June, employers should not feel paralyzed in designing new wellness programs nor compelled to throw out existing ones.

Commentary: Do loans and hardships really help solve what the plan was designed to do? Columnist John Ludwig doesn’t think so. In the end, they are a detriment to most participants’ retirement dreams, he says.

Most employers have still not determined how they will comply with complex ACA reporting requirements that began Jan. 1. Benefit brokers and consultants should be discussing the requirements and the solutions with their employer clients, experts say.

Finding ways to deter painkiller abuse has been a high priority for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in recent years. And with opioid abuse costing U.S. businesses close to $26 billion a year, health plan sponsors should take note as well.

When looking to attract and retain employees – and when benefit programs are mostly comprised of standard health plans and standard 401(k) programs – employers should consider workplace culture as a key differentiator.

The benchmark for demonstrating return on investment of population health management programs has been medical cost savings. But that's notion is changing as employers are discovering that several other measures of program success are also in their grasp.

April was a better month for the 100 largest U.S. corporate pension plans, with their funded status rising to 82.6% from 80.9%.

Commentary: By reframing and renaming these benefits, you can avoid any knee-jerk reaction to or bias against “voluntary benefits,” says columnist Nelson Griswold.

The proposed regulations provide guidance on the extent to which employers may use incentives to encourage employee participation in wellness programs that include disability-related questions and/or medical examinations.

Commentary: Having watched the physicians obtain 17 legislative delays on SGR, adviser Craig Hasday is less than optimistic that the federal government will be successful in their laudable efforts at payment reform.

Commentary: Small employers that reimburse employees or pay directly for all or part of their health coverage have a short window to cease this practice, or they will be subject to an expensive excise tax.

When saving for the future, many people opt focus on their children’s opportunities rather than their own. The College Savings Plan Network encourages employers to offer benefits options, such as a 529 college investment plan, to help their employees save for their children’s college educations.