Employee benefits

More than three-quarters of plan participants (78%) know it is important to determine how much to save for a secure retirement but only a third claim to have the knowledge to determine that amount, according to a survey released Wednesday by State Street Global Advisors.

Pennsylvania is joining a growing movement across U.S. states to overhaul public pensions, but even while the state’s governor says the need for reform is urgent, he advocates action only after great deliberation.

Several leading health care advocacy groups are helping advance the use of outcomes-based incentives in worksite wellness or health management programs that are encouraged by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Alaska will not set up a program allowing residents to buy health insurance across state lines as envisioned under the Obama administration's new health care law, leaving that task to the U.S. government, Gov. Sean Parnell announced Tuesday.

Voluntary accidental death and dismemberment coverage received the highest rating (43%) from leading carriers selecting it as a ‘very profitable’ product line, according to The Frontline Report, Worksite/Voluntary Product Trends 2012.

Today, this one market is estimated to be a $40 billion industry in the United States, says EBA contributor Sam Fleet. He shares in today’s BeAdvised why approaching this market with a broader view can provide an opportunity for brokers to adapt their business models and thrive, especially as the new health care landscape takes shape.

Employers are more likely to implement value-based health care strategies now that the U.S. Supreme Court has upheld the Affordable Care Act, suggests a new survey by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans. To help multiemployer and public employer health plans implement VBHC strategies in the workplace, the foundation has released a white paper on the topic. It identifies existing VBHC practices used by multiemployer and public employee health plans and provides a framework for building cultures of health.

Long-term care liability loss rates and claim severity are now at an eight-year high and could grow steadily into next year, according to Aon Global Risk Consulting’s “2012 Long-term care General Liability and Professional Liability Actuarial Analysis,” which was created in partnership with the American Health Care Association.

Access to employer-provided benefits was greater in medium and large private industry establishments than in small establishments in March 2012, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Think most employees can truly stay away from the office while on summer vacation?

Insurance is labeled an early adopter of social media in a new report from the International Data Corporation (IDC), titled “2012 U.S. Social Media Trends by Vertical.” The banking industry was cited as being a late adopter.

The aggregate deficit in pension plans sponsored by S&P 1500 companies grew $59 billion in the first half of 2012 to $543 billion, according to new figures from Mercer Investment Consulting, Inc. This deficit corresponds to an aggregate funded ratio of 74% as of June 30, 2012 compared to a funded ratio of 75% as of December 31, 2011, at which point the aggregate deficit was $484 billion.

Medical records that patients can access online may encourage more people to get recommended screening tests and immunizations, a new study suggests.

A “selected list” of pending and resolved lawsuits involving racial harassment allegations offers a teachable moment about the need for sensitivity training, as well as what’s offensive, harassing and illegal.

While insurers have a couple more years to prepare for the individual mandate and health exchanges, according to a new Gallup poll, effects of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act on 18- to-25-year-olds can already be seen.

According to a recent LIMRA survey, 61% of consumers who worked with an adviser contributed to a retirement plan or an IRA and are saving at a higher rate compared to only 38% of consumers who weren't working with an adviser.

The health care trust affiliated with the United Auto Workers named a former Stanford University official and Hewlett-Packard Co executive to manage its $54 billion in assets earmarked for retiree medical benefits.

Life insurance coverage calculators earned low marks in a recent analysis by the Customer Respect Group, which suggests that more can be done to help consumers determine adequate coverage levels.

Recognizing an employee for a job well done can be a big morale booster and doesn’t have to cost a lot.

Education and health care retirement plans are using more target date funds and Roth features in their plans, according to the latest 403(b) plan sponsor survey from the Plan Sponsor Council of America (PSCA).