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Insurance

Consumer-directed health plans rein in costs

11/11/2013
Consumer-directed health plans (CDHPs) are now the second-most prevalent kind of employer-provided health insurance, according to new research by the Aon Hewitt HR consulting firm. CDHPs could surpass PPOs in the next five years, the researchers predict. What’s driving the CDHP surge?

No unemployment after rejecting lower-paying job

10/31/2013
Consider this scenario: A former em­­ployee is collecting unemployment. You have an opening that matches his skills and abilities, but which pays less than the previous position. If you make an offer and the former employee rejects it, he may lose his unemployment compensation benefits.

Must we offer benefits to same-sex partners?

10/29/2013
Q. One of our employees claims she has a marriage certificate for herself and her female partner and now wants to put that partner on her insurance plan. Do we have to do that?

Worker fired for lack of wheels is eligible for unemployment

10/29/2013
A former employee of Bell Sociali­­zation Services in York has won unemployment compensation benefits after she was fired for not having “reliable transportation.”

With ACA Web woes mounting, will SHOPs be delayed again?

10/29/2013
With Obama administration officials now stating that Healthcare.gov “will work smoothly for the vast majority of users by the end of November,” it seems reasonable to wonder when employers will be able to use the site to buy coverage for their employees under the Small Business Health Option Program (SHOP).

Put your ACA expertise to use during open enrollment

10/25/2013
This open enrollment season may prove to be the most challenging in years, thanks primarily to two converging forces: the Affordable Care Act and the fact that employees barely understand their health benefits anyway. You can burnish your reputation in the company by having answers to employees’ questions.

When and how do we notify that COBRA is ending?

10/23/2013
Q. I have a COBRA participant who is nearing the end of his 36-month maximum coverage period. What notices must I send him regarding coverage termination?

Per-employee health benefit costs up slightly in 2014

10/22/2013
Employers expect health benefit costs per employee will rise by 4.8% on average in 2014, based on early responses from an annual survey conducted by Mercer.

Health clinic is latest wellness perk at bio-tech firm

10/18/2013
With 400 employees, Colorado-based AlloSource is joining the ranks of much larger organizations as it launches an on-site health clinic for its staff. Employees of the nonprofit tissue-donation organization (and their dependents) have access to the clinic, part of the company’s wellness program.

Employers forecast health benefit costs to rise slightly in 2014

10/16/2013
U.S. employers expect health benefit cost per employee will rise by 4.8% on average in 2014, according to early responses from an annual survey by consulting firm Mercer. Cost growth slowed to 4.1% in 2012, a 15-year low. The projected increase for 2014, while still relatively low, represents a slight uptick in the rate of growth.