Practice management

Sometimes the Service is explicit about its enforcement priorities. Other times officials drop hints in public speeches. And sometimes they just keep quiet in hopes plan sponsors will not let their guard down thinking they are out of the danger zone.

According to the soon-to-be-released UBA Ancillary Benefits Survey, of the 8,557 employers answering questions about employee assistance programs, only 21.8% of employers offer EAPS. That percentage drops to 9.4% among small (fewer than 50 employees) businesses and 19.2% among midsize companies (fewer than 500 employees). As advisers, we shouldn’t forget to incorporate these programs into our clients’ benefits plans. Though sometimes stigmatized, these programs are important, not only to help employees with personal crises such as divorce, substance abuse and financial or legal troubles, but also when an organization is reeling from an employee death, hurricane recovery or even tragedies like the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

Early bird gets the worm. That’s an applicable motto for the National Association of Health Underwriters Capitol Conference attendees, who packed into a hotel on Capitol Hill early Tuesday morning for an overflowing session of speakers, from a senator to a president of a health insurance enrollment non-profit to Mercer and Wellpoint representatives.

This new feature will start your week with three important facts, developments or conversations from recent and upcoming events. This week, we look at NAHU’s Capitol Conference, new details on Mercer’s private exchange and what’s up for sequester as the Friday deadline looms.

The labor market is healing faster for immigrants than for U.S.-born workers as the growing economy favors those at the low and high ends of the pay scale.

President Barack Obama’s administration released a state-by-state report on how $85 billion in automatic spending cuts will degrade programs from defense to education to public health as White House officials say they don’t expect to avert reductions to start March 1.

Mercer is one of the latest companies to enter the private exchange game, and the consulting giant gave employers an opportunity to check out the service during a conference call Thursday. Company executives revealed some of those specifics during the call, especially during the Q&A period for the audience.

The National Association of Health Underwriters hosts its annual Capitol Conference on Capitol Hill this week, bringing business leaders and bipartisan legislators together to discuss the changing marketplace and pending health reform regulations. Employee Benefit Adviser will be on site at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill to bring you coverage from this summit.

Most of us are aware of the 5500 filing requirements for companies with 100 or more employees covered on their health and welfare plans. Might there be service differentiator and prospecting opportunities available if we have a thorough understanding of the mechanics of the 5500 process?

Are you scared of Twitter? Are you on Twitter personally, but having a hard time selling it to your organization as useful for the larger brand? Consider this a resource to help you make the business case for Twitter.

More than half of employers have not calculated the costs of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, but of those that have, 61% say PPACA has increased their expenses.

Jim Dario, a managing director of product and strategy at TD Ameritrade Institutional, says clients expect 24/7 attention from their vendors, and advisers need to find the right technology tools to streamline their process while still managing to enjoy their own life, home, hobbies and family.

A panel Tuesday at the Workplace Benefits Renaissance conference in Atlantic City, N.J. offered brokers tips and insights from successful small business owners who care for their employees like family.

Go see a lot of people every day, be nice to them and ask them to buy. This is the simple mantra that speaker Brian Hicks, a former insurance agent with Aflac turned career coach, preached at Tuesday’s opening session of the Workplace Benefits Renaissance in Atlantic City, N.J.

The Workplace Benefits Renaissance continues today in Atlantic City. Follow inBrief and eba.benefitnews.com this week for news and updates on the latest strategies from voluntary benefit sale and distribution opportunities to the ins and outs of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to evolve your business and make the most of today’s environment.

The role of brokers in the new world of health care in 2014 is changing, and while it’s tough, there are five key marching orders for making the most of it. This sentiment opened the Workplace Benefits Renaissance in Atlantic City, N.J. on Monday with a keynote from Andrew Webber, the president and CEO of the National Business Coalition on Health based in Washington, D.C.

The Workplace Benefits Renaissance kicks off today in Atlantic City. Follow inBrief and eba.benefitnews.com this week for news and updates on the latest strategies from voluntary benefit sale and distribution opportunities to the ins and outs of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to evolve your business and make the most of today’s environment.

Cigna Corp., the third biggest health insurer by market value, raised its forecast for 2013 profit and said fourth-quarter earnings rose 49%, boosted by rising enrollment in its Medicare plans for seniors.

Are advisers getting it wrong on recruiting and hiring? A new report out from Pershing finds a gap between what advisers say they ought to be doing and what they're actually getting right.

Kristen Luke, the founder of Wealth Management Marketing, gave helpful tips on how advisers can stay engaged on social media at TD Ameritrade’s National Conference last week.