Healthcare plans

Association health plan option will create new avenues of coverage, but comes with risks advisers should address with clients.

Some GOP proposals, such as emphasis on HSAs and association health plans, could help put the industry on a more stable footing.

The Affordable Care Act removed a key constraint by making cost-effective healthcare available outside of full-time employment, which gave people many more options around retirement and work.

Senate Republicans’ revised proposal to replace Obamacare would provide an added $70 billion to stabilize insurance exchanges over a decade compared with an earlier version.

Most hope key elements of the healthcare law, including coverage of pre-existing conditions and preventive care services, will remain intact.

Some GOP proposals, such as emphasis on HSAs and association health plans, could help put the industry on a more stable footing.

The Affordable Care Act removed a key constraint by making cost-effective healthcare available outside of full-time employment, which gave people many more options around retirement and work.

With high medical prices causing many workers to contribute less to their 401(k)s, plan sponsors should encourage employees to consolidate savings in their current-employer plan to help them in their post-work years.

Senate Republican leaders plan to unveil a revised version of their healthcare bill later this week after making little progress on winning over party holdouts.

If ACA repeal efforts result in the provision’s elimination, most large organizations will continue to offer rich coverage, but smaller ones aren’t so sure.

With high medical prices causing many workers to contribute less to their 401(k)s, plan sponsors should encourage employees to consolidate savings in their current-employer plan to help them in their post-work years.

Companies would welcome the elimination of 'costly and time consuming' provisions including the employer mandate, the Cadillac tax and reporting requirements.

As more sectors of the workforce adopt high-deductible plans, employers should ensure employees are aware of income-protecting voluntary benefit choices.

With nearly half of retirees saying medical costs is their biggest concern, employers are beefing up voluntary benefits and promoting HSAs to help employees prepare for their post-work years.

Healthcare continues to vex Republicans, with the demands of conservatives, moderates, the Senate parliamentarian and the public at large seemingly incapable of being reconciled.

As more sectors of the workforce adopt high-deductible plans, advisers should ensure employees are aware of income-protecting voluntary benefit choices.

With nearly half of retirees saying medical costs is their biggest concern, employers are beefing up voluntary benefits and promoting HSAs to help employees prepare for their post-work years.

Employers can adopt health reimbursement accounts to start building a self-insurance plan.

The importance of increasing plan member payment contributions is cited as a driving factor in stemming rising costs by benefit insurance brokerage and consulting firm EPIC.

Morningstar recently evaluated 10 of the largest health savings account providers in the country to see how they stacked up in helping employees pay for current and future medical expenses.