Healthcare plans

When gauging whether employers need health management programs, the focus should be less on medical cost savings and more on the benefits for increased productivity and risk reduction, says new research from Optum.

Premiums for health plans on new state exchanges under the Affordable Care Act are comparable to – and in some cases lower than – those being offered by employers with similar levels of coverage, according to a study released Thursday by PricewaterhouseCooper’s Health Research Institute.

One in four U.S. families struggled to pay medical bills in 2012, and one in 10 said they had costs they couldn’t pay at all, according to a government survey.

New business unit consolidates recently acquired Extend Health, Liazon and others to help employers deliver health benefits to employees, company says.

The ACA has been roundly criticized for its lack of cost-containment provisions But one Princeton University academic maintains that cost-containment cannot be implemented simultaneously with universal-coverage measures.

Crediting uncertainty surrounding ACA’s implementation, Moody’s Investor Services slashed the outlook for U.S. health insurers to negative.

As a result of the continued uncertainty of Affordable Care Act’s impact, Moody’s changed the outlook for U.S. health insurers to negative from stable.

The latest guidance from DOL addresses questions on coverage of preventive services and limitation on cost-sharing requirements under the ACA. The FAQs also provide guidance on expatriate plans, wellness programs, fixed indemnity insurance and the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008.

Medical expenses remain out of control in the U.S., where Americans have an “unsustainable attitude” that ignores the increasing cost of health care, the chief executive officer of insurer Aetna Inc. said.

Target Corp. said it will end health insurance for part-time employees, joining Trader Joe’s Co., Home Depot Inc. and other retailers that have scaled back benefits in response to changes from Obamacare.

Employers and human resource professionals looking to get ahead of the benefits and health care reform game should take a note of a new free survey in the works by McGraw Wentworth.

The back-end payment system of Healthcare.gov is still being built, a senior Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services official said Thursday in testimony on Capitol Hill.

Why are employers still offering health care benefits and increasing worksite wellness activities? It’s not rocket science. Employers don’t offer benefits because they are altruistic. They do so primarily to recruit and retain talent and to ensure workers have the mental and physical capacity to perform their best on the job.

Combining wellness and HSAs is a long-term strategy. However, there can be some immediate benefit for the employer, which typically begins by going from a traditional fully insured plan to a high-deductible plan with a HSA, thereby saving the employer some money right out of the gate.

The U.S. government has awarded Accenture’s Federal Services unit a one-year contract, with an initial payment of $45 million, the Dublin-based company said in a statement Accenture will succeed Montreal-based CGI Group, which drew criticism for the website’s early stumbles.

Whether your business is self-insured or purchases a health plan, it’s time to bend the cost curve in your favor. Using a combination of robust data analytic tools and care management, population health management offers benefit managers a proactive approach to improve the health and well-being for members whose chronic conditions can account for 75% or more of your healthcare expenses.

Colorado’s state government – itself one of the biggest employers in the Centennial State – has achieved milestones in Gov. John Hickenlooper’s goal to make Colorado the healthiest state in America. Already more than 10,000 state employees (30% of the qualified population) have begun participating in a range of health activities since the launch of a health incentive program in July 2013.

The committee released its findings ahead of a Friday House vote on Republican-sponsored H.R. 3811, the Health Exchange Security and Transparency Act, which would require that the Department of Health and Human Services notify individuals within two days of a known security breach of the Healthcare.gov website.

Before they leave the work force, boomers should plan for their post-retirement health care coverage along with other costs, according to Allsup, a nationwide provider of Medicare plan selection services.

Keeping employees satisfied is ‘about to get significantly more difficult’ for your employer clients. Here’s how to make it easier for them.