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
‘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
Get ACA Reporting Right and Avoid Fines
Applicable large employers face a familiar but unforgiving task each winter: reporting their group health coverage details to the IRS. With key ACA Affordable Care Act filing deadlines falling in early 2026, employers with 50 or more full-time equivalent employees
Health Benefit Trends to Watch in 2026
Employers are heading into what may be one of the most challenging years for managing group health costs. The new "Trends to Watch in 2026" report by Business Group on Health (BGH) outlines developments that will shape next year's benefits environment. Rising medical