Employee benefits

“Make an Impact,” the theme for the 2013 NAPA/ASPPA 401(k) summit that began yesterday in Las Vegas, may have sounded more like an exhortation to the nearly 1,400 pension professionals attending the event -- but an appeal that many appear to have every intention of acting upon. Threats to the 401(k) from Washington were chronicled in the opening session by ASPPA CEO Brian Graff and others.

Odds are strong that many of your clients’ 401(k) plans could have significantly greater assets even without spectacular investment performance or a dramatic increase in salary deferral rates.

2013 is seen as a year of growth in voluntary long-term care, LTC, Prudential, Unum.

Overcoming employee inertia in retirement savings with effective plan design by Unified Trust’s Lee Topley.

How agents can help highly compensated executives save and remain competitive with safe harbor 401(k) by John Ludwig

The $64,000 question on state and federally managed health exchanges will be "what is the broker compensation?" Reliance on state and/or federal government to control your compensation is an uncontrollable factor that could lead to the demise of many brokers whose sole business is groups under 50 lives.

Transitions Optical survey reveals only 16% of employees say they receive education from their employer about eye health.

Women and younger workers are particularly likely to favor customizable voluntary benefits, according to a TNS Omnibus survey.

Critical illness insurance covers more diseases than in the past and is increasingly marketed as a financial protection product.

LIMRA reports that 47% of employers with 2-99 employees offer benefits, the lowest level in 20 years.

Ignorance will not be bliss come October when state and federal exchanges begin enrolling individuals and small-employer groups.

Opioid abuse and physician dispensing of repackaged drugs top the list of concerns for PBMs that handle workers’ compensation claims.

Two new FDA-approved weight loss drugs help patients lose weight but only in conjunction with diet and exercise.

Some 29 states have so-called lifestyle laws that protect smokers’ rights.

Most pharmacy benefit managers don’t use warning systems to flag high use or potential abuse of narcotics. But you can, with a good eye and simple calculator.

Enlist your broker as a partner toe help you stay on top of health care reform rules and regulations, writes Contributing Editor Laurie Miller.

Behavioral psychology plays a key role in crafting meaningful and effective employee recognition programs.

A recent study finds wide variety between the lowest and highest charges for 10 common conditions, highlighting the unpredictability of health care costs.

Only 6% of those surveyed by Aon Hewitt plan to exit employer-sponsored health care entirely, but around 28% are eyeing the next three to five years for a move to a private health care exchange.

A glass-half-full crowd of benefits brokers and agents – that could be the theme of this year’s National Association of Health Underwriters Capitol Conference. The organization concluded its three day lobbying stint Wednesday with a morning of discussion panels on health reform, remarks from a Republican congresswoman, a talk with a representative from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid and an address from NAHU’s president.