Health and wellness

Commentary: The reality is that the CO-OPs could not overcome the most vital aspect of our insurance infrastructure: maintaining adequate reserves, says adviser David C. Smith.

Dental plans are innovating with new technologies, and boosting participation in the process.From mobile apps to virtual ID cards to gamification and even Bluetooth smart brushes, it’s not your father’s dental plan anymore. Brokers seeking innovative plan designs for employers should take note. The future is here.

Commentary: Executives are starting to acknowledge that engagement alone won’t drive long-term results.

Commentary: Employers say that stress is the No. 1 workforce risk issue. And now employers have more reason to be concerned: A recent study found that people who report stress in the workplace lose three years of their life.

The Supreme Court of the United States Friday agreed to hear another challenge to the ACA's birth control mandate. It’s the fourth time the Affordable Care Act will be considered by the Supreme Court and follows the controversial ruling in last year’s closely watched Hobby Lobby case.

Commentary: Risk adjustment programs were intended to be self-supporting and clearly this has not been the case, says adviser Craig Hasday.

It is possible to break down the wall between engagement and wellness with a technology platform that addresses the whole employee. Just make sure to ask these nine questions before you select a partner.

Commentary: Employee wellness programs are popular and help employers keep their health insurance costs down, but paying keen attention to this changing area of the law will keep employers out of the weeds and help create a healthier workforce.

Employers using health apps as part of their wellness programs may want to pay attention to what is being called the most in-depth analysis to date of health-related app use in the United States.

As private exchanges continue to evolve, industry insiders say the integration of accountable care organizations could be the ‘next big thing' in the exchange world; one that could be a big win for employers.

The U.S. is “drowning” in over-diagnosis and over-treatment and workplace wellness programs are partly to blame, said a wellness industry expert during a debate at the Population Health Alliance conference in Washington, D.C.

Bolstered by the Affordable Care Act, 79% of employer groups now have some type of wellness program, according to a survey by the National Business Group on Health. Along with the opportunities, however, come some regulatory pitfalls.

The Equal Opportunity Employment Commission is issuing a proposed rule today, aiming to clarify how wellness incentives apply to the health information of a spouse participating in an employer-sponsored wellness program.

Return on investment is no longer the main measuring stick, with employers instead focusing on overall value, new research finds.

The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 will repeal the Affordable Care Act’s provision requiring employers with more than 200 employees to automatically enroll full-time workers in a health plan if coverage isn't voluntarily chosen or declined by the employee.

Commentary: Employers who move most effectively to address stress and improve their employees' resiliency will find themselves at a competitive advantage in employee recruitment, retention and market performance.

Premiums for the second-lowest-cost silver plans are going up by an average of 7.5% next year in the 37 states that use a U.S.-run website, HHS says.

Effective behavior change programs are likely to be based on theory and evidence and built on years of scientific research – not on employer demands, personal preferences or bells-and-whistles technology.

The ACA’s 2018 Cadillac tax looms large in the minds of employers and benefit experts have already begun to see trends in the plan design options and benefit offering changes employers have made to avoid the hefty excise tax.

Brokers and agents are meeting with senators in an effort to garner support for the Equalizing the Playing Field for Agents and Brokers Act, which aims to offer advisers the same access to marketplace enrollment information as is available to navigators and certified assisters.