Healthcare plans

The Supreme Court’s decision striking down the federal Defense of Marriage Act is being hailed as a huge victory for same-sex couples, but the ruling makes benefits administration for employers even more complicated than before.

A new report suggests young and low-wage workers will face the greatest challenges in terms of health care eligibility and cost. Among employees under age 30, only half participated in their employer’s health benefits program in 2013, compared to 70% of employees age 40 and older, according to the 2013 ADP Annual Health Benefits Report.

Enrollment in private health insurance exchanges will likely match the public exchanges by 2017, when about 18% of Americans are expected to purchase their plans through the HIX model, according to Accenture research.

The rising cost of health care is a top concern among employees, with 80% of those surveyed by Bank of America Merrill Lynch saying they’ve experienced an increase in health care costs during the last two years and, among those, 56% are saving less for retirement as a result.

Nearly half of employers are considering making changes to their total rewards program as a result of the Affordable Care Act, yet most do not anticipate making changes that could negatively affect employees.

In wellness programs, disincentives may have a place but experts caution to tread carefully when using this tactic.

On the surface, the Affordable Care Act makes the concept of self-funding very attractive. Self-funding offers employers the ability to develop a systemic process to managing health risks and the opportunity to control costs surrounding their members. There are, however, five areas typically overlooked by plan sponsors when they're considering self-funding.

The nation’s largest pension fund and health insurer WellPoint Inc. cut medical costs 19% by capping the price of some surgeries, in the latest sign payers are taking a tougher line against rising hospital claims.

New service from Pinnacle offers decision and treatment support to employees at the time of a serious illness diagnosis.

Many employers are considering making changes to their total rewards programs as a result of the Affordable Care Act, yet most do not anticipate making changes that could negatively affect employees, such as discontinuing health coverage, asking full-time workers to switch to part-time work or increasing the use of contract workers, according to a survey released last Thursday.

Forty-nine percent of organizations feel that new grads lack basic skills and knowledge of writing in English, 18% worry about math proficiency and 13% believe graduates lack English speaking skills.

In a new Mercer survey of nearly 900 employers, 9% of respondents say ACA will have little or no cost impact on their bottom line (adding less than 1%), down significantly from the 25% who thought so in 2011.

Previous Truven research reported that $125 billion to $175 billion in annual spending in the publicly and privately insured population could be classified as abuse and fraud of the system.

Association health insurance has always been challenging, one expert says, and some groups may try to set up their own private exchanges, or possibly turn to self-insurance.

A new study confirms that a majority of large and mid-size U.S. employers are planning to change provider payment models to become more cost effective.

Since its passage in 2008, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act has largely just affected HIPAA notice requirements and wellness plans. But this month the EEOC settled its first case under the law and should serve as a reminder to employers about what it really means.

Direct primary care in health care can help save money in a complicated year for benefit brokers.

Small employers cite ACA’s effects on premiums and hiring as chief concerns with health care reform, according to a survey.

Just one in-nine employees nearing retirement are confident in their ability to pay health care expenses.

Federal agencies release a slew of health care reform FAQs.