Employee benefits

As health consumerism continues to infiltrate employer-sponsored benefits, benefit advisers say that voluntary options have helped to limit out-of-pocket costs for employees and curtail overall costs for their employers.

Employers are becoming more familiar with the players in the private exchange marketplace but still feel they lack sufficient information about fees and how the exchanges are paid.

For much of the country, Monday was the last day to enroll in health insurance coverage through the federal Health Insurance Marketplace, Healthcare.gov, to have a Jan. 1, 2015 effective date. Overall enrollment ends Feb. 15, 2015. Unlike last year’s open enrollment, the system has hit few, if any, snags and is on track to hit or exceed its enrollment estimates.

When it comes to robust retirement systems around the globe, the U.S. is ranked 19 of 150 different countries, and American business – from lawmakers to employers and plan sponsors – can learn from some of those international success stories.

From the first open enrollment period under the Affordable Care Act to the unveiling of Apple’s HealthWatch, the health care industry has seen some big advancements and major changes in 2014, making it a year of constant adjustment for benefit advisers.

With 2015 fast approaching, employee benefit decision makers are scrambling to ensure that they stay ahead of the curve – particularly as the Affordable Care Act’s employer mandate kicks in next month.

An eight-year-old lawsuit against aerospace giant Lockheed Martin Corp., launched by employees who claim the company's retirement plan overcharged them and critically underperformed, hit the Illinois courtroom Dec. 15.

A plan needs to be established for replacing business owners and/or C-suite executives to ensure a smooth transition and to keep the company sustainable and thriving.

The year in wellness: Wearable devices, outcomes-based incentives and social media have helped shape wellness in the workplace in 2014.

Whether it’s the increased need of tracking employee hours due to the Affordable Care Act or just the sheer ease of accessing information on the cloud, investments in HR technology have continued to grow across all employers segments and industries.

A bipartisan, yet controversial, effort to help stabilize the retirement futures for Americans through a substantial reform of the multiemployer pension plan system passed through the House this week.

With a still-recovering economy, weakened retirement plan offerings and the uncertainly of supplemental income in retirement, many workers are opting to stay put, adding unforeseen burdens to employers.

More employers are offering products like roadside assistance and telemedicine to their employees, as well as new voluntary offerings not seen before.

Delaying health plan renewals appears to be the new normal under the Affordable Care Act, especially for small businesses.

The employer mandate will be in effect for many employers in a matter of weeks. And one thing is certain; the most detrimental compliance strategy is to deny the need to comply. Here’s how to help your clients avoid some of the more common ACA compliance mistakes.

The Supreme Court is slated to hear the Tibble v. Edison case in 2015, which promises to be a landmark ruling for the corporate retirement space.

Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in United States v. Windsor, and subsequent guidance from the federal government, legal advisers recommend that employers sift through their benefit plans and employee policies to ensure compliance for 2015.

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.

Voluntary benefits have experienced significant growth in recent years, a trend that brokers and carriers are hoping continues in the coming year.

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.