Practice management

Eastbridge Consulting research finds brokers are the dominant distribution channel, but they must use their position wisely to curb dropping participation rates.

The many tradeoffs that health insurers had to make from both a regulatory and plan-design standpoint in order to adapt under the Affordable Care Act appear to be paying off as the landmark legislation approaches its five-year mark.

Legislators urge brokers to contact Congress to help shape future policies.

Embracing private exchange solutions is, some say, imperative for brokers who want to survive in the industry, yet many remain confused about just how to do so.

More tools are needed to support brokers as they help consumers navigate the complex health care law, Healthcare.gov CEO Kevin Counihan says.

The IRS and Dept. of Treasury are seeking comments on several issues related to the Cadillac tax, including what constitutes employer-sponsored coverage and different approaches for determining the cost of applicable coverage.

Employees are sitting too long, not using all their vacation, survey finds.

Assurant Health says it will no longer pay commissions on new business in certain markets, a move the carrier calls a sales approach, but some industry experts say is part of a trend that’s pushing agents out of business.

With the support of the White House, the DOL today submitted to OMB its revised fiduciary rule proposal for retirement brokers, a move industry stakeholders are calling an ‘attack’ on retirement advisers.

The plan would require brokers to act in a customer’s best interest, a change that could limit the earnings of financial advisers.

Having more choices is a priority, but most workers are confident in their employer’s selection, study finds.

Agentreview.net launches this month, aiming to give consumers one location to find and critique local insurance agents.

Five years down the road, the insurance broker’s role in health insurance may be diminished, largely due to exchanges, consultants say. The role of the broker will change greatly in the process, they say, but in the near term it is a mixed story.

How high-cost specialty drugs are altering the duties of the benefit adviser and pharmacy benefit manager

Having a goal, understanding the workforce and communicating in a variety of ways helps increase participation.

Commentary: Want to grow your business? Then never ask a client for a referral, says columnist Nelson Griswold. Referral marketing is one of the most effective marketing strategies, but it must be done the right way, he adds.

Commentary: Collective information is the new frontier when it comes to big data in the health care realm, says Lockton’s Kayla O’Neal

Commentary: Given the shifts in the industry, advisers also need to help plan sponsor clients think about retirement benefit programs from a different perspective, says T. Rowe Price’s Francisco Negron.

The cyber attack might affect group health plans, and plan sponsors need to identify if and/or how they are affected and what they need to do in response.

Benefit experts and thought leaders will discuss some of the most important and possibly industry-changing trends for the coming year at this year’s Workplace Benefits Renaissance in Atlantic City, Feb. 24-26.