Wellness

U.S. health care spending is expected to reach close to 19% of America’s gross domestic product by next year, and private sector leaders are taking the opportunity to unite and create a healthier employee base.

Last week Apple unveiled its Apple Watch and Apple HealthKit app to much fanfare. But how these new technologies will fit into or transform the health care landscape remains to be seen. Catch up on EBA’s coverage and analysis of the event to see how these new technologies could impact the benefits business.

A panel of U.S. companies representing more than 1 million active employees and another 50 million retirees across the globe convened Tuesday in Washington, D.C. to unveil a campaign aimed at reducing the nation’s health care costs.

As interest increases in employers offering voluntary benefits, a particularly large number of employers are beginning to add a more robust range of voluntary benefits to improve morale of existing employees and attract new talent.

The impending post-retirement health costs of America’s baby boomers may still seem remote, but benefits managers would do well to help their older workers by working together to consider those potentially explosive concerns – and include them in a comprehensive employee health plan.

A majority of employers, large and small, are embracing wellness programs as a means to improve employee health and, hopefully, cut rising health care costs.

EBN’s annual i-COMM Awards recognize the best in internal communication of benefits. In this four-part series, we highlight this year’s winners, including the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board, winner of Best Use of Social Media.

Heather Vertrees tunes up benefits at Fender Musical Instruments Corp. Her active role in a specialized wellness program for the company’s factory workers has earned her the Benefits Professional of the Year honor.

EBN's annual i-COMM Awards recognize the best in internal communication of benefits. In this four-part series, we highlight this year’s winners, including Robins & Morton, winner of Best Intranet/Employee Portal.

With the release of its new Apple Watch and Apple HealthKit app, the tech giant is literally putting health care in the hands of the consumer. What does this mean for employer-based health care management?

EBN's annual i-COMM Awards recognize the best in internal communication of benefits. In this four-part series, we highlight this year’s winners, including Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., winner of Best Print or Online Newsletter.

Wellness vendors are excited about Apple’s potential foray into smartwatches. Today, the Cupertino, Calif.-based technology company is expected to announce its next generation of the iPhone. But for those in the employer health care market, their sights are set on the reported “iWatch” because of its potential use as a wearable fitness and health tracking device.

Apple's announcement of wearable wellness features in its new Apple Watch, plus health monitoring software, could revolutionize the health care market.

EBN’s annual i-COMM Awards recognize the best in internal communication of benefits, and are awarded in four categories: Best Overall Communications Campaign, Best Print or Online Employee Newsletter, Best Employee Intranet or Portal and Best Use of Social Media. In this four-part series, we highlight this year’s winners, starting with AECOM, i-COMM winner for Best Overall Communications Campaign.

Most Americans value life insurance as a means to financial wellbeing. Life insurance month reminds brokers to make that connection.

The case, EEOC v. Orion Energy Systems, serves as a reminder for advisers and their employer clients, when putting together a wellness plan, to pay careful attention to how the EEOC defines liability.

In what could serve as a caution to employers using health and fitness apps to engage workers in their wellness programs, researchers at Brigham Young University are warning over the trend of developers basing their platforms' rewards on gamification.

Many benefit managers – especially those at smaller companies – have never had to help an employee with an accommodation at work or help chart their path back to work after a disability leave.

In this series, EBN profiles three companies with winning wellness programs. The University of Michigan shares how its network of 400 wellness champions is key to the program’s success.

While use of electronic cigarettes is growing in popularity, employers are starting to take a look at adopting policies on use of the device at work, and how to protect workers from coming into contact with second-hand vapors.