Healthcare benefits

The use of telemedicine is growing, with almost two thirds of organizations offering or planning to offer such a service by 2018.

But don’t expect any of the presidential candidates to advocate these changes. More knowledgeable stakeholders like advisers are going to have to take a run at this.

As onsite clinics become more popular, here are six core measures employers can use to determine their effectiveness.

Investing in community, dependent health leads to a more productive workforce, says advocacy group HWHC.

Advisers should prepare to work with companies who say they are considering major plan shifts this year to stay ACA compliant while still attracting and retaining talent.

Reviewing a plan provider’s SOC 1 report helps employers determine that the service organization has the necessary controls in place to track the benefit plan’s investments and transactions.

Employer-sponsored health improvement programs must strive to include sleep as a key element of good health. Here are three strategies benefit managers can use to encourage better sleep habits among workers.

Employers are planning on making big changes to their benefits plans this year as they look to stay ACA compliant while still attracting and retaining talent.

Has the benefits industry made compliance more complicated than necessary?

Investing in community health leads to better workforce health, says Healthy Workplace Healthy Communities, a group launched to provide employers resources and tools to engage local leaders.

When employees come back to work after major health events like heart surgery, employers need to be aware of comorbid conditions such as depression or anxiety.

The usage of telemedicine is growing, with almost two thirds of organizations offering or planning to offer such a service by 2018.

Excessive and expensive treatment is at the core of the healthcare cost crisis, says Brian Klepper.

Offering a plan that meets the minimum value standard and the federal poverty line safe harbor to everyone working 30 hours or more would eliminate the headaches associated with the employer mandate. So why aren’t more employers doing it?

Other countries and some innovative firms here consistently deliver equal or better quality care at dramatically lower cost, betraying the idea that conventional U.S. healthcare is superior or even appropriate.

How advisers can assist their clients with the implementation of the required preventative service.

An initial consultation with a registered dietitian can cost as much as $200. Multiply this by the growing number of overweight and at-risk Americans, and employers could face a considerable cost increase.

Price comparison tools available to the public don’t make it easy enough for workers to make informed decisions.

The number of employers offering a healthy living/incentive program grew in 2015, and is one of several trends to watch as the year 2016 unfolds, analysts say.

Workers with serious mental and emotional health concerns are an increasing concern for advisers’ employer clients, new research shows.