Employee benefits

Smaller companies and non-profits are among the organizations that are contemplating a switch in how they manage employee benefits.

Younger workers have begun to recognize that working well into their traditional retirement age will likely be the new normal, as Social Security and even workplace savings plans may not support their lifestyles.

It's important for employees -- even those who've been with the same company for years -- to reevaluate their needs and make sure they’re getting the most out of the benefits you're offering.

As target-date fund assets continue to skyrocket and as more 401(k) plans adopt auto-enrollment, plan sponsors are taking a taking a more measured approach to choosing the TDFs for their plans.

Explosive growth in the individual market is forcing brokers who work with very small groups to change their business models —and often receive less commission in the process.

Pregnancy and cancer were the most-often cited uses of DI in 2014, according to Unum, which had 380,000 new disability claims last year.

Discussion about the ACA has moved from understanding it to implementing it, but employers and their advisers continue to meet challenges in doing so.

Forty percent of Americans aren’t receiving regular dental care – and it’s costing employers.

A 9-million person market is a powerful one to tap. Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, which represents Blues plans across the country, is the latest to launch a retiree private HIX, coming this summer.

Employee engagement is the challenge of many wellness programs, but several companies have improved employee participation with gaming and, yes, zombies.

Commentary: Benefits professionals may understand concepts like self-insurance and network discounts, but how effectively are they communicating them to health plan participants?

For employers, retention is now the main objective of providing benefits, according to MetLife’s annual employee benefit trends study, which found that employees want more choice and education about the coverage that’s offered.

As technology and health care become more intertwined, a visit to the doctor can be as easy as a touch of an app. UnitedHealthcare Thursday announced an expansion of telehealth coverage options for virtual physician visits.

Prescription drug prices continue to rise in 2015, compelling employers and their advisers to take action through innovative plan designs.

More employers are moving to a holistic benefits education approach that addresses health care and retirement savings at the same time.

Generic pharmaceuticals have maintained their “laggard” status compared to branded and specialty drugs with respect to rising prices.

Commentary: To better serve millennials, the financial services community and 401(k) plan sponsors need to better understand the motivations of the typical member of this generation.

Democrats and Republicans support repealing the tax, which will affect a disproportionate number of Americans, and is likely to miss its revenue projections, experts say.

It seems that everyone has a smart phone or a tablet and I can’t think of anyone I know who does not have internet access at home. Consequently, plan sponsors ask all the time if they can just e-mail plan documents to employees to satisfy the notice requirements, or maybe just post new plan documents on the company intranet. Recent legal actions serve as a reminder that the short answer to the question is no.

A California-based startup is offering employers a new benefit program that enables workers to access low-cost credit and one-on-one financial coaching.