Healthcare benefits

Employers more than ever are seeking innovative solutions for health care cost containment from their benefit advisers, and one industry expert says emerging strategies to help brokers thrive in the coming decade should include voluntary benefit sales and plan integration.

High-profile merger and acquisition activity in the health insurance market has some employers squeamish about decreased competition and carrier responsiveness, but some industry experts say employers have methods for recourse.

Devices and applications are impacting health care, but it’s crucial not to overlook the human aspect of technology, says Healthways’ Chris Dancy.

Communicating health care and other benefits to employees is no simple task, but it is increasingly vital for companies to do it and to do it well.

Benefits professionals have been on a never-ending regulatory road trip since the Affordable Care Act was passed in 2010 and employers everywhere are asking “are we there yet?”

Increased regulatory requirements and rising health care costs have spurred more employers to consider defined contribution health care plans, a trend industry experts at EBA’s Workplace Benefits Summit say is a result of a more transformative approach to health care benefit strategy.

Enrollment season is upon us, making it prime time for benefits carriers to unveil new and different ways to engage employees and help them make their benefits decisions.

Adviser help is sorely needed to lessen employer/employee disconnect during open enrollment. Recent research from Aflac shows tools and resources that employees find useful are not always made available by their employers, further complicating an already confusing process.

The House has agreed to pass legislation that makes possible a repeal of the ACA’s controversial expansion of the definition of a small employer — a bill hailed by the benefits industry for protecting the small and mid-size businesses they feel the expansion threatens to harm.

Offering a supplemental plan for retired military employees can save employers from potential claims — and it also helps brokers add value to their clients and increase their book of business.

Health Republic Insurance of New York, the Affordable Care Act insurer that got $265 million in U.S. loans, will stop selling policies and eventually cease operations under orders from New York and federal regulators.

EY, formerly Ernst & Young, takes an integrated approach with its comprehensive employee assistance program, EY Assist.

Commentary: Continue to provide value-added personal service to your clients with these practical tips for marketing benefit programs, says ThinkHR's Laura Kerekes.

Can business leaders be coaxed into focusing on the serious economic threat posed by unbridled health care excesses?

When it comes to benefits management, the most important number for any small to mid-sized business to know is how many full-time employees plus full-time equivalent employees it averaged in calendar year 2014.

Questions over program effectiveness, legality and data storage have employers hesitating to implement such plans.

Asking questions is a vital first step for helping an employee with a medical condition at work, but how do you start that conversation and stay in compliance with ADA regulations?

The IRS has posted a webpage, dubbed the ACA Information Center for Applicable Large Employers, which features information and resources for employers on how the health care law may affect them.

New workplace programs are helping companies reduce the stigma associated with mental health.

Commentary: A well-executed and outcomes-based HRA keeps a wellness program running smoothly and effectively because all other elements depend upon its accurate assessment and ongoing data.