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The clock is ticking for various state legislatures that are pondering a change in the way their residents enroll in public health insurance exchanges ahead of the widely anticipated June ruling in King v. Burwell on whether federal subsidies will be scrapped in 34 states that rely on Healthcare.gov for signups. One such example is a joint […]

Companies with onsite or near-site health centers must like them, because many have plans to expand them. Towers Watson surveyed representatives of 120 large corporations that already have such centers, and found that 38 percent plan to add capacity to those centers over the next two years. Among their plans: onsite pharmacy services, expanded wellness programming […]

Individuals who buy health insurance through Healthcare.gov could see big increases in their premiums next year. Requests are varied — Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Mexico is proposing hikes between 49% and 65% — but several insurers are seeking double-digit increases, according to a list of proposed rate increases of 10% or more that the […]

The Internal Revenue Service, Department of Labor and Department of Health and Human Services have each issued frequently asked questions stating that employer payment plans (sometimes referred to as premium reimbursement plans) for individual health insurance coverage fail to comply with the Affordable Care Act. Employers that violate this rule are subject to an excise […]

(Bloomberg View) — Two years in, there’s a lot we still don’t know about Obamacare. How many people will it end up insuring? What will the premiums look like? How much will the program cost? Some of these questions won’t be answered satisfactorily for a while, if ever. Even the most basic data point, on […]

On April 16, 2015, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued a long-awaited proposed regulation with respect to employer-sponsored wellness programs and the Americans with Disabilities Act. While not yet final, the proposed regulation provides important guidance on the extent to which employers may use incentives to encourage employees to participate in wellness programs that include […]

Commentary: The benefits of good dental hygiene are obvious to most people: whiter smiles, better breath and greater self confidence. Unfortunately, nearly half of Americans don’t have dental insurance, preventing them from getting the dental care they need.1 But did you realize that poor dental care among your employees may be hurting their overall health […]

Benefits exist because they appeal to employees in a different way than do hard dollars. But how rich should a benefits menu be at a company that’s determined to hang on to top performers and build a team by making great hires? And are the companies that offer solid plans communicating the value properly? The […]

As technology and health care become more intertwined, a visit to the doctor can be as easy as a touch of an app. UnitedHealthcare Thursday announced an expansion of telehealth coverage options for virtual physician visits, giving enrollees in self-funded employer health plans secure, online access to a physician via mobile phone, tablet or computer, […]

It’s well-known that small businesses suffer from a crushing burden of employment-related, safety-related, and environmental-related rules and regulations from various government agencies. It is also understood that small businesses are expected to meet certain relevant requirements from their large private business customers, such as certain product quality standards, pricing guidelines, delivery schedules, etc. However, there […]