Employers Expect Higher Premiums, Little to No Cost-Shifting
Employers who were surveyed for a new report expected that group health insurance premiums would increase 5.4% this year and at a faster clip in 2024 as inflation hits medical costs. Employers said they are looking to manage growing group benefit
New Anti-Obesity Drugs Put Employers in a Quandary
A surge in demand for pricey, new and highly effective anti-obesity medications could put a financial strain on employers who sponsor their employees' health plans. Employers have long offered coverage for certain weight loss tools, such as bariatric surgery if employees
Insurers Make Changes to Prior Approvals Ahead of Rulemaking
After the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services proposed new rules aimed at streamlining the prior approval process for most health plans in the U.S., a number of the country's largest insurers announced their own steps to improve the process. UnitedHealthcare
Bill Would Pave Way for Stand-Alone Telehealth Coverage
A bipartisan group of House legislators in February reintroduced legislation from 2022 that would pave the way for employer-sponsored, stand-alone telehealth benefits plans. The bill is important as the current law allowing health insurers to cover telehealth benefits sunsets at the
Centers of Excellence Save Money, but Have More Benefits Too
As health insurance and health care costs continue rising, more employers and health plans are turning to centers of excellence to manage patients with chronic conditions. Centers of excellence are unique operations that focus on containing costs and delivering quality and
As Health Care Costs Bite, Here’s How You Can Help Your Workers
Recent studies have highlighted an alarming trend in American health care: More and more people are struggling with medical bills and many are delaying care due to high costs. The most recent poll by Gallup found that 38% of those surveyed
Most Workers Make Bad Health Insurance Decisions
Even though the majority of workers receive health insurance coverage on the job, a new survey has found that many of them understand surprisingly little about their health plans and are leaving money on the table. The "Health Insurance Literacy Survey"
Employers Mull Higher Health Plan Cost-Sharing for Unvaccinated Staff
Some employers are considering a new incentive for their workers to get vaccinated against COVID-19: Charging them higher health insurance premiums if they don't. A recent brief from consulting firm Mercer reported that employers are looking at surcharging the health insurance
Pandemic Brings Voluntary Benefits to Fore
One major repercussion of the COVID-19 pandemic is that employees are embracing the voluntary benefits their employers are offering them, but they'd like to see more choices and issues such as mental health and voluntary benefits have risen to the