News

Change is not the order of the day for health savings account (HSA) limits in 2017. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued its new guidelines for contributions and out-of-pocket expenses for HSAs that are tied to a high-deductible plan this week. Maximum Out-of-Pockets or individual and family accounts won’t budge next year, and contributions will remain intact for family […]

With developmental disabilities such as autism afflicting one in six children in the U.S., employers must find ways to help the millions of employees struggling to care for a child with special needs. As Dr. David Kaplan, senior partner and leader of Mercer’s Health Innovation LABS, notes, “The problems surrounding support for our clients and […]

As individuals assume a larger share of healthcare costs and responsibility, a new national Harris poll commissioned by healthcare concierge company Accolade reveals that employees are more comfortable buying a home or a car than managing health benefits and care. Nearly one-third (32%) of insured survey participants reported that they are uncomfortable with their personal […]

Business owners want to provide the best working experience for their employees, and benefits can be a significant part of a competitive compensation package and sustainable recruitment and retention strategy. Great benefits can help keep your employees happy, productive, and healthy, which can only be a boon to your business. However, even given the significant […]

Telemedicine has the potential to dramatically lower health care costs for U.S. employers, in fact, by as much as $6 billion annually, according to a Willis Towers Watson internal analysis from a year ago. But employees have been slow to adopt telemedicine. It’s new and different and they don’t yet know which medical issues are […]

A resolution to block the Department of Labor from implementing its finalized fiduciary rule passed out of the House Education and the Workforce Committee on a party-line vote. Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Virginia, ranking member of the Committee and one of the 14 Democrats to vote no on the resolution, said the markup session to pass the […]

Though retirement plans were in the spotlight during the annual NAPA 401(k) Summit in Nashville, another workplace perk got some attention as a key way to attract and retain talent. Harry Conaway, the newly appointed chief executive officer of the Employee Benefit Research Institute, underscored the growing popularity of workplace flexibility this week during a […]

(Bloomberg) — UnitedHealth Group Inc., the biggest U.S. health insurer, said it will drop out of all but a “handful” of state exchanges where it sells individual Obamacare plans, acting on concerns it raised last year that the government program that has brought coverage to millions isn’t profitable enough. Chief Executive Officer Stephen Hemsley said […]

Student debt is not only affecting millennials who are stressed about their finances and distracted by money issues when they are at work. Outstanding student loans are also affecting baby boomers who may be helping their kids to pay down balances owing instead of saving enough money to fund their own retirement. A new study […]

A new study of public opinion on the Patient Protection and Affordable Act (PPACA) suggests the landmark health law is more popular than is generally assumed. The analysis that was published in Health Affairs is based on polling data from the first four years after the PPACA was adopted by Congress in 2010, so the […]