Healthcare costs

Employers will be relying on brokers to know the ins and outs of each benefit account as they take a larger role in their employees’ health benefit plans.

Amazon.com, Berkshire Hathaway and JPMorgan Chase say they plan to collaborate on a way to offer healthcare services to their U.S. employees more transparently and at a lower cost.

The insurer says it will continue updating its supplemental health employee benefit suite in 2018.

The Recognize, Assist, Include, Support and Engage Family Caregivers Act aims to create a strategy for employers and employees who support loved ones.

Brokers must move away from typical carrier negotiations and bring real cost-saving strategies to clients.

Insurance expenses have become the country’s No.1 financial concern, providing an urgent need for transparent coverage information.

The insurer says it will continue updating its supplemental health employee benefit suite in 2018.

President James Klein spoke with EBN about the organization’s agenda, now that Cadillac tax implementation is delayed another two years.

Collecting cost data and offering consumer-oriented tools to employees can help firms expose the widespread problem of variation in medical price and quality.

The problem can result in financial burdens and lost productivity for employees, but companies can provide support services and tools, including an advocacy service through the benefits plan.