Health and wellness

Oregon officials are pledging to avoid 2014’s enrollment nightmare, which prevented the state-run HIX from fully launching online and led to the departure of six top officials connected to the exchange.

Engaging employees in wellness programs is challenging at the best of times, but for employers in industries where the majority of workers are not in an office setting – construction or retail, for example – it can be even more difficult.

U.S. policymakers have implemented major changes to the health insurance industry with the goal of improving the experiences and outcomes of patients. Yet there are still many health care consumers who express deep dissatisfaction with their plans

Commentary: Out-of-pocket health care costs are higher than ever. What solutions can benefit advisers offer their employer clients?

Early next year, the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments in a case that labor law and health care benefit advisers say could affect the Affordable Care Act’s strict employer mandate penalties.

Early next year, the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments in a case that labor law and health care benefit advisers say could affect the Affordable Care Act’s strict employer mandate penalties.

Noting how insurers have few incentives to invest in wellness and disease management programs that could take up to three years to pay off, two researchers have suggested multi-year HIX options to promote healthier living and a more efficient health care system in the face of “unintended consequences” from the Affordable Care Act.

The Obama administration says it will investigate benefit plan designs for discrimination and suspect practices that discourage people with costly medical conditions from enrolling in a plan.

Commentary: Why understanding the impact of health plan costs, employer contribution and employee demographics is vital to sponsoring benefits in 2015.

Commentary: Why understanding the impact of health plan costs, employer contribution and employee demographics is vital to sponsoring benefits in 2015.

Most folks would agree that if something isn’t broken, then there’s no need to fix it, but few believe that argument applies to the Affordable Care Act. A flurry of recent research suggests that Americans think the polarizing law deserves public patience, while other findings note that it’s still unpopular.

In light of recent EEOC actions, what should employers with wellness programs that ask disability-related questions or require medical examinations do to minimize the risk of a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act?

The Obama administration says it will propose to let employers offer wraparound coverage to certain low-wage employees purchasing individual health insurance on and off the exchanges.

Reducing health care costs is still the No. 1 reason U.S. employers implement wellness programs.

The obituary for traditional wellness programs has been widely published, though perhaps not universally acknowledged. What, indeed, went wrong?

To really dig deep into private exchanges, it would behoove employers to understand some of the characteristics different exchanges offer.

It’s been a year of massive growth for private exchanges, with estimates of more than three million people receiving employer health benefits through them by mid-2014, according to business management consultancy Accenture. Yet, 2015 is expected to see even more growth and acquisitions.

More than 1 million people used the U.S. Healthcare.gov system to sign up for Affordable Care Act plans in the seven days ending Dec. 12, the best week yet for enrollment in the program’s second year.

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.