Medicare Changes Could Affect Your Group Health Plan
New Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services rules that take effect Jan. 1, 2025 will significantly affect employees' decisions on whether to continue staying with your group health plan while eligible for Medicare. Under changes in Medicare Part D drug plan
The Importance of Tracking Health Plan Metrics
As health insurance costs are rising at their fastest level in nearly 20 years, it's important to have a clear idea of which metrics to track to ensure you're seeing a good return on investment and that your employees are
What Workers Need to Know About Group Life Insurance
Voluntary group life insurance is offered to employees as an optional benefit, and often employers will pay the small premium as an employee retention tool and to provide workers some peace of mind for their families. Types of group life
Health Plans Covering Fewer Drugs, Imposing More Restrictions
As prescription drug costs continue growing and pricey new pharmaceuticals add to health plans' cost burdens, some carriers are starting to reduce the number of medications they'll cover and are imposing new barriers to accessing the most expensive ones. According to
Study Predicts 8% Group Health Plan Cost Increase for 2025
A new study predicts that group health insurance costs will jump 8% in 2025, on par with what American employers have experienced this year and in 2023. The higher rates reflect the costs borne by health insurers, which are seeing more
Addictions Are Rising Among Workers; What Employers Can Do
According to a study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 10% of America's workers are dependent on one substance or another. The nation is still battling the biggest drug scourge: opioid and fentanyl. Provisional data from CDC's
Helping Your Employees Get the Most out of Their Health Plans
Every year employees across the country choose the wrong group health plan from their employer because they don't understand the coverage and what type of plan is best for their circumstances. This ends up costing them hundreds if not thousands of
Voluntary Benefits Demand Surges as Employees Seek to Defray Costs
Sales of voluntary group benefits grew at a record pace in 2023 as more employers expand their offerings and demand continues booming as employees seek out benefits that can defray costs, according to new research. Premiums collected for employer-sponsored voluntary benefits
New Fiduciary Rule Affects Employers That Offer HSAs
The Department of Labor's new fiduciary rule, which mainly applies to 401(k) plans, will also affect employers who offer their staff health savings accounts. The new rule, which takes effect September 2024, bars employers from providing advice to their workers
Gen Z Workers Go for HDHPs, but Don’t Forget Your Other Employees
While the number of U.S. workers choosing high-deductible health plans has leveled off during the last two years, uptake has been growing rapidly among one segment of the working population: Gen Z employees. The 2024 "State of Employee Benefits Report" by