Healthcare benefits

Few programs can provide hard data that they solidly increase health outcomes for employees or decrease costs for employer clients.

The U.S. health system is making strides toward value-based care but much of it is still focused on volume, which is detrimental for plan sponsors and employees.

The Northeast Business Group on Health says digital tools can make a difference in controlling chronic conditions among employees.

Despite early successes, many large employers are reluctant to move employees to an online benefits marketplace.

Few programs can provide hard data or credible testimonials showing that they solidly improve health outcomes for employees or cost for benefit plan sponsors.

Despite early successes, many large employers still reluctant to move employees to an online benefits market.

The Northeast Business Group on Health says digital tools can make a difference in controlling chronic conditions among employees.

Affordable Care Act’s loopholes and inefficiencies are creating losses among carriers and they, in turn, are pressing advisers, says Sally Pipes, president and CEO of the Pacific Research Institute.

The key issue for benefit plan sponsors in Zubik v. Burwell is whether the Affordable Care Act’s contraceptive-coverage mandate requirements and its accommodation violate the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

Employers can take immediate steps to help hospitals ensure that employees, dependents — and all patients — are in better shape after they leave the hospital than when they went in.

Employers and advisers expect the importance of supplemental benefits to grow, fueled in part by the changing demands of employees.

The looming Cadillac tax is causing clients to be cautious when it comes to contributing to workers’ health savings accounts.

Plan sponsors can take immediate steps to help hospitals ensure that employees, dependents -- and all patients –are in better shape after they leave the hospital than when they went in.

UnitedHealth Group Inc.’s OptumRx unit struck an agreement to ease customers’ access to drugs through Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc.’s drugstores, a move to help the business compete with rival pharmacy benefit managers.

The international environmental consulting team offers employees access to mental health therapy 24/7 through its online Learn to Live system.

How advisers and employers can fine-tune communications to better educate workers about plans and perks.

How the concept of paying employees to encourage certain behaviors is making its way into other areas of benefits that advisers need to know about.

Hospital market power, not technologies or regulation, is behind escalating prices, says benefits expert Joseph Jenkins, M.D.

The majority of employers expect the importance of non-traditional benefits to grow over the next three to five years, fueled in part by the changing demands of employees.

How advisers and employers can fine-tune communications to better educate workers about plans and perks.