Healthcare plans

Open enrollment season is designed to not only allow employees to make changes to their plans, but also to educate them. Likewise, employers and advisers should use the fourth quarter as an opportunity to stay abreast of the latest changes in health care plans. Here are six trends to watch for during the 2014-2015 open enrollment season.

As a result of the Republican sweep of the Senate, employers are likely to face two more years of confusion and uncertainty surrounding the ACA. Here's a five-item checklist benefits managers can use to help steer clear of the penalties and taxes on the horizon.

The IRS said Tuesday it plans to close a major loophole in the ACA by banning employers who offer medical plans without hospitalization coverage from qualifying as minimum value plans under the health reform law.

A little-known special enrollment period under the Affordable Care Act allows for small employers to pick up group health care coverage regardless of whether they meet minimum participation or contribution requirements.

Aetna’s planned acquisition of private exchange operator bswift may signal the start of more insurers acquiring private exchanges, experts in the industry say.

Commentary: The average working American is part of a financially fragile workforce and many are reacting to higher health insurance contributions that could spell long-term trouble, says voluntary specialist Tinker Kelly.

Commentary: There is more to Aetna’s announcement that it will acquire exchange provider bswift than meets the eye, says health technology consultant Joe Markland. In fact, it’s another signal that brokers need to recognize the benefits world is changing around them, he says.

Aetna announced Monday that it has entered into an agreement to acquire private health insurance exchange operator bswift for $400 million.

An onslaught of Dec. 1 renewal dates means premium rates remain steady for now, but advisers need to prepare for heavy 4th quarter workloads.

In a new series, EBA goes one-on-one with the heads of private exchanges. What makes one exchange different from the rest, and how do brokers fit in the mix? First up: Don Garlitz, bswift's executive director of exchange solutions.

In a $600 million cash transaction, Optum, the IT and business services unit of UnitedHealth Group, is buying health management vendor Alere Health, which provides services to more than 200 regional and local health plans, 89 Fortune 500 employers and 29 states, covering about 22 million people in the U.S.

After multiple delays, early access to the federally-facilitated Small Business Health Options Program launched Monday in five states.

A controversial ballot measure in California is getting national attention from the benefits industry. Here’s what it is and why it matters.

Commentary: The industry is scrambling to keep pace with technology-fueled demands for speedy claims turnover. Aflac’s Laree Daniel explains how customer expectations are molding the industry response.

Although open enrollment for 2015 Obamacare plans opens in just over three weeks, the uninsured remain unclear about the dates and possible financial assistance available.

Employer clients acting as the fiduciary of a benefit plan may often seek the advice of their trusted adviser. ERISA recognizes that need but also disallows the misuse of an expert. So what qualifies as misuse?

Commentary: The migration of employers from defined benefit to defined contribution programs has been the subject of a lot of conversation in the employee benefits industry for the past seven or eight years. The Affordable Care Act has galvanized the industry’s move forward, and the availability of highly advanced technology is likely to accelerate this transition.

With more than one-third of U.S. adults being obese, employer-sponsored weight management programs can play an important role in the effort to get Americans to adopt healthier lifestyles.

The Validation Institute certifies individuals as competent to review, analyze, and produce health program measures. Given the high stakes – millions of dollars in savings – it’s comforting that not just any 11-year-old could pass.

One of the nation’s premier business groups whose mission is employee health promotion is embroiled in a controversy involving $184 million in contracts awarded by Covered California without competitive bidding.