Healthcare plans

Employers and employees alike have found a more affordable health care option in health savings accounts, according to two national surveys released last week.

Millennials are by far the most confident about their ability to make the right benefit decisions, with 96% feeling “highly confident” versus 66% of Gen Xers and 64% of baby boomers, according to a recent survey conducted by The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America. However, nearly 80% of employees spend less than two hours evaluating their group medical, dental, life and disability insurance options and those same Millennials are in danger of being uninsured, according to the survey.

More than 30% of respondents say overweight or obese individuals should have to fork out more for health insurance, according to the most recent Thomas Reuters-NPR Health Poll.

Why do these plans offer tremendous value to both employers and employees? In today’s BeAdvised Samuel Fleet explains why these plans can also act as a strong recruitment tool for top executives.

Advisers take note: It’s not a company’s size but rather the demographic makeup of its workforce that influences whether or not it sponsors a retirement plan.

Some of the federal health care law's requirements related to insurance exchanges threaten the autonomy of U.S. states, which need more support in establishing the marketplaces, state governors said in a letter released last week.

I love how quickly technology propels us all forward. Ten years ago, talk of the cloud was confined to weather reports, or when you played that game where you point at clouds and name what objects they look like. Now, cloud technology is helping us with everything from increased data security to managing and delivering benefits. …

Open enrollment for benefits ends today at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and Jason Rothstein, 40, has just finished all the needed paperwork. Once again, his health insurance premiums will go up - about 5 to 6% in 2012. And, as an employee with earnings in the $61,000 to $76,000 range, he'll pay more for his insurance than colleagues at a lower salary level.

The long term care market continues to be in turmoil for group benefits and voluntary producers. You probably noticed the federal government couldn’t figure it out and has punted as of a recent announcement by HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. “Health officials said that after 19 months of analysis, they could not come up with a model for the so-called CLASS Act that keeps it voluntary and budget-neutral.” …

Nationwide Better Health, part of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, closed its doors Sept. 1 after five years in the wellness and productivity business. The company announced on May 25 that Nationwide would sell its productivity services to Sedgwick Claims Management Services Inc. and wind down disease management and wellness programs.

Like a lot of companies, Veridian Credit Union wants its employees to be healthier. In January, the Waterloo, Iowa-company rolled out a wellness program and voluntary screenings.

With responsibility comes opportunity . . . when we take on more responsibility for the way we live our lives and the health care choices we make, we earn opportunities for a better life. How? Choose to live a healthy lifestyle. Eat righ, check out Dr. Gundry on Google for some good advice. Get enough sleep, always easier said than done, but so worth the effort. Workout, find a cardio routine that you enjoy and do…

The culmination of years of consolidation among health insurers is restricting competition in four out of five metropolitan areas in the United States, new analysis from the American Medical Association finds.

Budget woes are hitting public sector employers hard — and the effects are going to be felt in their employee benefits programs, reveal recent survey results from Colonial Life & Accident Insurance Company. Eighty percent of HR managers responding to the survey say their organization is looking at ways to reduce the cost of employee benefits plans. In fact, more than half (58%) report controlling costs is the benefits program’s top priority. The ability to retain…

Budget woes are hitting public sector employers hard — and the effects are going to be felt in their employee benefits programs. That's according to a new survey conducted by Colonial Life & Accident Insurance Company with members of the International Public Management Association for Human Resources last month.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc will no longer offer health insurance to new part-time U.S. employees who work fewer than 24 hours a week and will charge workers who use tobacco more for coverage as health care costs rise, the company said on Friday.

As the cost for health insurance continues to rise, the relationship between a benefit professional and a customer looking for affordable health care benefits can become strained. Despite the tough times, Read in today's BeAdvised why a broker who can provide a silver lining will stand out from the competition as a credible, valuable consultant.

WageWorks Inc. is sponsoring a consumer education campaign which provides resources and tips on the advantages and proper uses of pre-tax benefits. Save Smart, Spend Healthy’s focus expands this year to include information on pre-tax dependent care and commuter benefits, in addition to health care flexible spending accounts.

The American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance announced last week that it will publish its third consumer-focused advertorial section, entitled “Fresh Perspectives on Long-Term Care Planning" in the December issue of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine.

Wells Fargo & Co plans to cut costs by moving its workers into insurance plans that encourage them to spend less on health care.