Health and wellness

This article is the third in EBN's year-long BeneFIT Success series, which chronicles employers and employees in their individual and organizational wellness triumphs. The first installment, "Uphill battle, downhill momentum," was featured in the March EBN and the second, "Popular wellness program proving to be common link for diverse employee population," appeared in EBN April 15. Both articles are available at ebn.benefitnews.com, keywords "benefit success series." Learn more about how to submit your company as a candidate for the series at the end of this article.

In February, the Health and Human Services Department issued proposed regulations addressing the impact of health care reform on student health insurance coverage. The proposed regulations classify student health insurance coverage as a type of "individual health insurance coverage."

Have you ever wondered, "Can we really measure the improvement in health that comes from wellness programs?" Most companies are using biometric screenings as their key tool for measuring health, on the assumption that it accurately measures the kind of health that matters most. Think again.

Lately, it seems as though a week doesn't go by without a survey inquiry from a neighboring city or county about how Palm Beach County is encouraging or mandating employees to quit smoking.

As employers start to conduct cost-benefit analysis on providing health insurance under the health law, they should also study some proposals by the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform.

The Obama administration’s already tortured logic regarding the Constitution’s Commerce Clause and PPACA’s individual mandate has been dealt several body blows so far.

What would you say if you had the opportunity to benefit from a full-blown wellness program, including a health coach — for free? Here’s your chance — we’re in the process of launching the 2011 EBA Wellness Challenge, starting with recruiting a benefit broker or adviser to participate in it.

More than 80% of the nation’s businesses with 50 or more employees have some form of health promotion program, according to the Wellness Council of America, and this trend is growing.

Experience with the health insurance exchanges in Massachusetts and Utah suggest these reform mechanisms will retain a strong need for brokers to provide buyers with market education and guidance.

The Employers Council on Flexible Compensation (ECFC) is fighting to repeal parts of the health care reform law that establish annual caps for flexible spending arrangements and require a prescription for over-the-counter medications to be reimbursed under FSAs. It also is pushing for a change to allow for a cash-out at the end of the year in place of the use-it-or-lose-it system that dates back to the 1980s.

The U.S. Supreme Court took no action Monday on a request to speed up a ruling on President Barack Obama's health care overhaul law.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will develop the Health Insurance Assistance Database, a new system of records, as part of a program to oversee states' development and operation of health insurance exchanges.

President Obama signed legislation Thursday, April 14 repealing the expanded 1099 reporting requirements in the health care reform law and Small Business Jobs Act.

In the voluntary benefits business for more than a decade, Nashville's Karen Quigley knows a tidal change when she sees one. With carriers increasingly entering the core voluntary market, and health care reform looming large, Quigley knew it was time to adapt.

This article is the second in EBN's year-long BeneFIT Success series, which will chronicle employers and employees in their individual and organizational wellness triumphs. The first installment, "Uphill battle, downhill momentum," was featured in the March EBN and is available at ebn.benefitnews.com. Learn more about how to submit your company as a candidate for the series at the end of this article.

In today's digitized and mobile culture, most people rarely leave home without their cellphone, and "crackberry" is a commonplace term in the national lexicon. Indeed, with more than 300 million smartphone units sold in the last two years alone and accompanying mobile applications surging in use, it's no surprise benefits providers are getting in on the action, creating smartphone apps to help employers encourage healthy behaviors and sound savings techniques among their workers.

Big bucks are at stake in a new wellness program for employers.

Today, it's not uncommon for an employer to offer more than 10 independent employee benefit packages. The problem is that engagement in ancillary benefits tends to be low. Employees may not know how to access them or even that they exist, due to the complexity and inconvenience of having to access each benefit separately.

The clinical evidence is clear: While medical imaging can be an effective diagnostic tool, millions of Americans annually receive X-rays that are not medically necessary and can potentially harm their health.

The American Academy of Actuaries has recommended a number of policy options to strengthen and improve the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate clause, regardless of whether the landmark law’s controversial centerpiece is legally removed over time.