Insurance

Lowe’s to offer free employee health screening

04/05/2010

Home-improvement giant Lowe’s is offering free health screening to its employees. It also recently announced that it will fully cover heart surgery costs at the Cleveland Clinic for any Lowe’s employee (or family member) from anywhere in the U.S. and Canada.

The Affordable Care Act Health Care Reform Law

03/29/2010

On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed into law a landmark health care reform bill, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. It ushers in major changes in the way employers provide and pay for health insurance for their employees. This page provides links to articles and training on the new law:

Sabbaticals, paid health care still on at Maryland firm

03/29/2010

Despite the sluggish economy, the Annapolis, Md.-based IT firm CollabraSpace has continued to offer a paid, four-week sabbatical to any employee who reaches his or her five-year anniversary with the firm. And it still pays 100% of its 33 employees’ health and dental insurance premiums.

Understanding HR’s role in the new health care reform law

03/26/2010

President Obama’s signing of the controversial Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act on March 23, 2010, marked the finish of a yearlong partisan battle. But for HR professionals, March 23 was a starting line—the beginning of big changes in the way they handle employer-provided health benefits. While many provisions won’t kick in until as late as 2014, some take effect this year. Here’s a brief summary of the changes ….

Brace yourself: Health care reform passage will affect HR

03/24/2010

President Obama’s signature on the landmark Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act may not bring an end to partisan bickering about health care reform, but it does signal the start of big changes for HR. Here’s a rundown of the new law’s long-term effects on employer-provided health insurance — and several provisions you’ll need to deal with right away.

Base health communication strategies on 5 behavioral quirks

03/19/2010

When researchers at HR consulting giant Towers Watson were compiling new stats on 2010 employer health care costs, they uncovered some fascinating findings from the world of behavioral economics that innovative employers are applying to their health communication efforts. As you look for ways to encourage employees to be active, informed consumers of the health benefits you offer, see how many you can incorporate into your own communication plans.

The health care affordability gap continues to rise

03/15/2010

According to Towers Watson’s 2010 Health Care Cost Survey of 552 employers, health costs (insurance and out-of-pocket expenses) are outpacing inflation at record-high levels. The average employee will pay $400 more for health insurance this year than in 2009, bringing the annual average total to $2,487. Employers are paying more to offer health benefits, too.

COBRA subsidy extended through end of March

03/09/2010

President Obama has signed legislation to extend until March 31 eligibility for the 65%, 15-month COBRA premium subsidy to individuals who have involuntarily lost their jobs. It’s the second time the subsidy has been extended. Will it be the last?

Feds push back deadline for reporting payments to Medicare beneficiaries

03/02/2010

The federal government’s Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has postponed implementation of new regs that would have required employers to report any medical benefits payments to employees who are eligible for Medicare. Despite the delay, you need to know about this new requirement if you’re self-insured or pay deductibles on Employment Practices Liability Insurance.

New contract: Pay up, insurance costs down for AT&T employees

03/01/2010

The Communication Workers of America union has inked a new collective-bargaining agreement with AT&T, bringing 9% pay increases over three years to some 35,000 phone company employees in the Southeast.