Employee benefits

Benefits administration technology will never replace human interactions, such as the one-on-one new hire orientation, or open enrollment meetings, but the right kind of platform can be an effective tool to reinforce benefits messaging, help employees make smarter decisions, and communicate the overall value of your benefit programs.

Retiree health coverage options have been a declining benefit for many larger employers. But today, as only one in five employees work at organizations that offer these benefits, the pre-65 population has new options thanks to the Affordable Care Act

Brian Klepper joined the National Business Coalition on Health last month as the organization’s new CEO. He chats with EBN about his goals, his concerns about private health care exchanges and why the cost of health care is a threat to the competitiveness of U.S. businesses.

As more large brokerages seem to be opening their own platforms, one company wants to provide a means for the smaller independent agent to have a branded, customized private exchange, too.

The number of American adults with health insurance coverage from September 2013 to mid-March 2014 increased by 9.3 million – shaving the uninsured rolls to 15.8% from 20.5%, according to a new RAND survey. At least one skeptic, however, says the numbers are skewed and defy conventional wisdom.

Commentary: Columnist Mel Schlesinger contends that most brokers aren't actually selling the non-medical insurance products that could help clients and their employees. Simply including them in a proposal is not enough, he says.

The change in leadership at the Department of Health and Human Services will have little effect on employers and the continued rollout of the Affordable Care Act, say benefit industry experts. Some expressed surprise at Kathleen Sebelius's resignation while others did not.

The IRS last week issued Notice 2014-19, which sets forth the rules for recognition of same-sex spouses in retirement plan administration. Here's what employers need to know.

Legal analysis: Are employees hired through a staffing firm or professional employer organization considered full-time employees under the ACA? Answering this question wrong could cost your clients a great deal.

Commentary: Required minimum distributions can be tricky. Columnist John Ludwig has tips for advising employees on this topic.

A new PwC survey suggests millennial employees are feeling the pinch more strongly than other workers, and notes that ongoing financial stress can be a tremendous drain on worker productivity and performance – and will be until remuneration begins to match the rapidly increasing cost of living.

Engaging and empowering employees to make better health and health care decisions, evaluating health exchanges and dealing with the lack of health care price transparency are three of the biggest challenges for Texas employers, finds a recent survey by the Texas Business Group on Health.

While all eyes had been on HIX enrollment numbers during the ACA’s first open-enrollment period, millions of Americans also chose health insurance options off the exchange. What does this mean for adverse selection and future premium pricing?

In a first look at pharmacy trends in public health insurance exchange plans, use of specialty medications was greater among exchange enrollees versus patients enrolled in a commercial health plan, according to new research released by Express Scripts.

Employees enrolled in a zero copay program for their diabetes and high cholesterol drugs had better adherence to those medications than employees not enrolled in the program, according to a recent retrospective case comparison study from Walgreens.

MetLife has launched a new voluntary life insurance product aimed at baby boomers nearing retirement.

The ability for staff to incorporate innovative new ideas that bring changes to dilapidated processes can only be fostered in a workplace that allows for an open communicative culture across organizational lines.

Wondering whether your plan design is still market competitive? Leading-edge 401(k) and 403(b) plans have the following plan design features in common.

Commentary: Research shows that the financial services industry remains the least trusted business, according to blogger Jerry Kalish. However, people trust business overall to innovate and change, more than the government. Here’s how you can start to build trust back.

Commentary: While voluntary sales continue to rise, billing for these products is turning into a mess, says blogger Tinker Kelly. The concept of self-billing, explained here, can fix this.