Practice management

With more than 8.1 million Americans protected by long-term care insurance coverage, there is no doubt it’s a product that appeals to baby boomers who don’t want to end up in a nursing home or be dependent on others. However, it’s not a fit for everyone. For example, most young married men would be better off focusing on building a nest egg and buying life insurance protection. …

Now, two years since OneAmerica first answered Edward Jones’ request for proposal, the two companies have partnered to offer a new set of retirement solutions for their Edward Jones’ employer clients.

Forty-seven million women will now have access to eight new prevention-related health care services under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced on Wednesday.

Health Savings Accounts are estimated to have grown to more than $14.1 billion in assets through June 30, representing 7.1 million accounts, according to a survey and research report by Devenir, a broker-dealer and registered investment adviser based in Minneapolis.

Immediately after the Supreme Court's health reform decision brokers shared their reaction with EBA. View the full slideshow at eba.benefitnews.com/slide_show.

When Boston benefits firm Longfellow Benefits decided to elevate their technology system by converting to a cloud computing model they knew there'd be a little turbulence as they made the switch.

By August 1, health insurance companies had to issue rebate checks based on their medical loss ratio formulas. The MLR provision of PPACA requires 15% or 20% of expenses be spent on plan administrative costs. Big "I" CEO Robert Rusbuldt shares several points about the law.

The National Association of Health Underwriters held its annual convention in late June amid a mood of apprehension, as the attendees expected a Supreme Court ruling on health care reform during the convention.

There is no question that the Supreme Court upholding the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in a 5-4 ruling has solidified, for now, the change in the country's health care market that took form when President Barack Obama signed the legislation into law in March 2010.

In a profession on the brink of radical change, advisers need deeper insight, more analysis, and broader perspectives. They need actionable, timely information in the formats in which they can best absorb it. And they need it now.

7:00 a.m. The morning begins with checking my smartphone and going through LinkedIn and Twitter. I then check emails and respond accordingly.

For decades, health care consumers have been told once you have a problem, then you should go to the doctor. But now, as high-deductible health plans become ever more prevalent, employers are encouraging employees to go to the doctor first - before they get sick - and in turn the employer will often cover the visit at 100%.

Are you pessimistic or are you optimistic about the Supreme Court's June decision to basically uphold all of PPACA? What is your plan in this sea of personal and corporate uncertainty?

In the movie armageddon, Earth faces destruction from a giant asteroid on a collision course with our planet before it is saved by the heroic sacrifice of the character played by Bruce Willis. As 2014 hurtles toward us, brokers across the country helplessly search for a savior from the cataclysmic PPACA disaster. "Help us, Supreme Court!" No? Then, "Help us, Republicans!" Maybe. Maybe not.

So we now know the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling on the most bitterly disputed provisions of PPACA. Regardless of your political persuasion, you may not have found that ruling to be favorable. In fact, I'd be stunned if you were prepared to embrace the overall commentary of the ruling. Many of you were absolutely convinced that the entire piece of legislation would be found to be unconstitutional. Others thought that surely certain provisions would be overturned. Even we thought that some portions of the legislation would be thrown out.

After the June 28 Supreme Court ruling that found the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to be constitutional, many group medical producers felt that their business was over. I want to begin by saying that there has never been more opportunity than there is right now and that there will be for the foreseeable future.

Under health reform, state health care exchanges are slated to operate in 2014 - not much time to figure out the role a broker will play in the system. As we await more definitive information on what exactly constitutes a "navigator," one can look toward California, which is further along in setting up its exchange, as a potential model, says Neil Crosby, director of sales at Westlake Village, Calif.-based Warner Pacific Insurance Services.

As health care costs continue their upward trajectory, employers everywhere are left searching for ways to manage their benefit costs, and many are looking to wellness programs as the solution. In fact, a recent Express Scripts study reveals that 81% of employers surveyed intend to offer a wellness plan in the next two years.

With health reform there's a real opportunity for brokers and consultants to truly add value to their client services. It allows them to go above and beyond just the tactical nature of health plans and step up the strategic level of advice and guidance.

For all employers' focus on curbing obesity statistics through healthy eating and exercise programs, it can be easy to forget that smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. One employer, Nelnet, is remaining vigilant about stamping out smoking among its employee population.