Healthcare benefits

Several factors, including the economy and technological advances, are contributing to a slowdown in the health care cost growth rate in the U.S., studies show.

CVS Caremark Corp. halted sales of tobacco products almost a month ahead of schedule, started a smoking-cessation campaign, and changed its name to position itself as an advocate of better health.

Providers of prescription drug discount cards are increasing their efforts to reach out to employers, even as the Affordable Care Act is expected to decrease the ranks of those most likely to use the cards – those without health insurance.

There are few smiles as the ACA’s effect on dental coverage begins to be better understood. Coupling dental benefits with health care coverage may have unintended consequences — and complicate access for employees.

A nearly 7% spike in health care costs in 2015 can be attributed to a revitalized economy, the modernization of health care technology and the drastic increase in specialty drug use.

How the ACA has drawn attention to vision care coverage and prompted employers to ask advisers about this voluntary benefit.

The accessibility of specialty prescription drugs may be as elusive on the Affordable Care Act’s health care exchanges as it typically has been off of the exchanges, and trusted advisers need to be able to navigate both discussions with clients.

Auditing fees may not be inconsequential, but the fact is that an accurate audit including both pharmacy and medical claims has the potential to pay back the investment many times over.

With the impact of health care reform still evolving, employers are taking a fresh look at their strategies for keeping employees healthy and productive.

With specialty drugs expected to reach as much as half of total drug expenditures within the next few years, pharmacy benefit manager CVS Caremark has launched a new program designed to make the process of filling specialty medication prescriptions easier for plan members.

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry is sounding the alarm that many children aren’t getting the dental care they need — even though the ACA includes pediatric dental care on its essential health benefits roster for small-group plans.

Individuals could pay more than twice as much for prescription drugs with certain exchange plans, as employers that provide health coverage gain another asset to leverage.

Offering dental coverage and encouraging employees to stick to yearly care regimens can boost employee well-being and overall productivity.

Eliminating drug plan copays for specific, targeted groups of patients is an easy administrative fix employers can implement to help reduce disparities in care, says the co-author of a study on reducing ethnic disparities in cardiovascular care.

Unbeknownst to your clients, prescription drugs are likely costing them a great deal. As their trusted adviser, here’s how you can help.

In a first look at pharmacy trends in public health insurance exchange plans, use of specialty medications was greater among exchange enrollees versus patients enrolled in a commercial health plan, according to new research released by Express Scripts.

Employees enrolled in a zero copay program for their diabetes and high cholesterol drugs had better adherence to those medications than employees not enrolled in the program, according to a recent retrospective case comparison study from Walgreens.

Pharmacy benefits are typically the most utilized benefit by plan members and one of the fastest-growing in terms of cost. Consequently, selecting the right pharmacy benefit manager is a critical decision in managing a plan and determining member satisfaction with that plan.

The number of Americans using medication to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder rose 36% in five years, totaling more than 4.8 million privately insured individuals in 2012, according to a recent report from pharmacy benefit manager Express Scripts.

A panel of voluntary carriers shares tricks of the trade at EBA’s Workplace Benefits Renaissance in Atlantic City, N.J.