Chronic Conditions Driving Health Care Costs
A new report has found that the top driver of health care costs in the U.S. is chronic conditions, emphasizing the role that employers can assume in helping their employees better maintain these ailments. Chronic diseases are a major strain on
Open Enrollment: Help Younger Workers Understand Their Coverage
A new study's findings that many workers have a poor understanding of their employer-sponsored health insurance benefits, presents an opportunity for businesses to extend targeted support to staff during open enrollment.The "2023 Optavise Healthcare Literacy Survey" found that 32% of employees are
Retaliation Accounts for 35% of All EEOC Complaints
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is seeing a wave of retaliation complaints by employees. Retaliation charges accounted for more than 35% of all charges filed with the commission in fiscal year 2022. Retaliation means any adverse action that you or someone
How to Handle Spousal Coverage for Your Staff
While the Affordable Care Act requires employers to offer coverage for employees’ adult children until the age of 26, it does not require them to offer coverage to their workers’ spouses. As employers try to balance the costs of offering health
Diabetes Wellness Programs Can Boost Productivity, Reduce Costs
Physicians and employee health experts are increasingly recommending that employers include diabetes screening, prevention and management in their company-sponsored wellness programs.Diabetes — known as the "silent killer" — afflicts more than 29 million Americans, or 9% of the population.Type 2
More Providers Charge for Telemedicine, Phone Visits and Doctor E-Mails
More hospitals and insurers have started charging patients for virtual care services as they have grown in usage and providers are spending more time meeting patients in telehealth appointments and responding to their e-mails. Many hospital systems have started billing patients
Identify Your Workers’ Needs, Consider Costs before Open Enrollment
It's almost time for group health insurance open enrollment and your top priority should be to drive participation by helping your employees make informed decisions about their options. You'll want to help your staff understand all of their options so they
More Insurers Scale Back on Prior Authorizations
Some of the nation's largest insurers have announced plans to roll back their prior authorization requirements for medical services, and some are doing this in their Medicare Advantage plans as well. The moves come as states and the Centers for Medicare
EEOC Posts New Guidance on Visual Disabilities under the ADA
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has issued new guidance for employers to provide reasonable accommodations for visually impaired workers who request it. About 18.4% of all American adults have at least some difficulty with their vision, even when wearing corrective lenses,
Group Health Plan Affordability Level Cut Significantly for 2024
The IRS has significantly reduced the group plan affordability threshold — which is used to determine if an employer's lowest-premium health plan meets the Affordable Care Act rules — for 2024. The threshold for next year has been set at 8.39%