No Surprises Act Is Failing and Driving Health Plan Costs
A coalition of more than 60 employer groups, insurers, patient advocacy organizations and labor groups is urging the federal government to crack down on what they say is widespread abuse of the arbitration process created under the No Surprises Act. In
Are Your Benefits Enough to See Employees Through a Crisis?
Middle-class families — those with incomes of between roughly $50,000 and $180,000 per year (depending on where they live) — are becoming increasingly reliant on workplace benefits to ensure their financial well-being in case of a disability or critical illness. Simple
More Employers Offer Caregiver Leave as Need Mounts
A new survey found that many employers plan to add or expand caregiver leave as they contend with workforce burnout, changing family dynamics and competition for talent. According to WTW's "2025 Absence, Disability and Medical Leave Survey," caregiver leave is expected to
The Importance of Reconciling Your Employee Benefits
Employee benefits are one of the largest and most complex expenses many employers manage — and they also include strict fiduciary obligations. Yet many organizations assume that once open enrollment ends and payroll deductions are set, everything will continue to run
How Health Insurers Are Trying to Rein in Costs Without Cutting Value
Employers are grappling with another year of steep increases in group health plan premiums due to medical cost inflation, higher utilization and rising drug prices. At the same time, health insurers can no longer shift additional costs to employers and employees
Voluntary Benefits Lawsuits Add Fiduciary Concerns for Employers
Plaintiff's lawyers are breaking new ground by suing employers for allegedly failing in their fiduciary duties to manage their voluntary benefit plans, including dental, vision, accident insurance, critical illness, cancer and hospital indemnity benefits. These class action lawsuits typically allege that
Employers Experiment with Direct-to-Consumer Access for GLP-1s
Employers grappling with the cost and complexity of GLP-1 drugs are increasingly testing a workaround: steering certain employees to direct-to-consumer (DTC) arrangements that operate outside the company's health plan. The shift reflects a growing tension for benefits executives: how to manage
Model Law Could Spur States to Rein in Prior Authorization
A new model law adopted by the executive committee of the National Council of Insurance Legislators (NCOIL) could spur more states to adopt legislation to regulate health insurers' use of prior authorization. While prior authorization remains an important tool for managing
‘Stealth’ Health Plan Cost Drivers Employers Can’t Ignore
As employers face rapidly rising health insurance costs for their employees, industry pundits are increasingly urging benefit leaders to confront "stealth" cost drivers that quietly inflate spending year after year. While headline issues like premium increases draw the most attention, some
Seven Tips for Avoiding High Medical Bills
When people sign up for a new health insurance plan, be that an employer-sponsored plan or one purchased on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) exchange, they can often be confused about when coverage starts, what is covered and whether they