Headlines about "Health plans - info for employees"
Gathered from the web by the editors at BenefitsLink.com.
Striking Coca-Cola Workers' Benefits to Be Restored
Excerpt: "[T]he Atlanta-based soft drink company maintains it was within its legal rights to suspend the workers' health benefits during the work stoppage, which began Aug. 24. The company spokesman also said Monday that when health benefits are restored, workers' contributions will be prorated to reflect the temporary lapse in coverage." (Business Insurance)
HHS Pushes Competition With Health Insurance Site
Excerpt: "HealthCare.gov hopes transparency on health policy costs, claim denials drives down costs and helps consumers and businesses make better decisions." (Information Week)
The New Health Care Law and Early Retirees
Excerpt: "I am age 58 and retired. I understand the new reform law helps employers offer health care coverage to their early retirees. What do I need to do to get this coverage?" (AARP Bulletin)
Companies Increasingly Requiring Employees to Make More Decisions Regarding Their Benefits and Assume Greater Financial Responsibility
Excerpt: "The recession coupled with the historic passage of federal healthcare reform is dramatically changing the way companies are handling employee benefits, according to preliminary findings of a survey of employers, employees, insurance brokers and consultants by Prudential Group Insurance." (Human Resource Executive Online)
The EBRI Retirement Readiness Rating:? Retirement Income Preparation and Future Prospects
Excerpt: "The baseline 2010 Retirement Readiness Rating? finds that nearly one-half (47.2 percent) of the oldest cohort (Early Baby Boomers) are simulated to be 'at risk' of not having sufficient retirement resources to pay for 'basic' retirement expenditures and uninsured health care costs. The percentage 'at risk' drops for the Late Boomers (to 43.7 percent) . . . ." (Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI))
Why Health Reform's New Protections May Not Apply to You
Excerpt: "Most employers will likely inform their workers of such benefit exclusions during the upcoming September-October open enrollment. One of the first things employees need to look for in their benefits packet is whether or not their plan is 'grandfathered,' . . . ." (CNNMoney.com)
HR Leaders Can Help Employees Make More Thoughtful Selections During Open Enrollment
Excerpt: "[I]t seems that effective employee-benefits communications is a mix of personalization of choices, establishment of trust and support from influential employees who represent your unique company community.' (Human Resource Executive Online)
eHealth Wins Contract to Help Run Federal Health Website
Excerpt: "The Obama administration awarded eHealth a $19.3 million contract to expand the new federal website, www.healthcare.gov, designed to help people shop for health coverage." (Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation)
[Official Guidance] Text of Interim Final HHS Regs on Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan Program (PDF)
21 pages. Excerpt: "An individual is eligible to enroll in a [Pre-existing Condition Insurance Program, or 'PCIP'] if he or she: . . . has not been covered under creditable coverage for a continuous 6-month period of time prior to the date on which such individual is applying for PCIP . . . ." (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services)
[Guidance Overview] Internal Appeals and External Review Processes under the Affordable Care Act
Excerpt: "Although group health plans subject to ERISA must already comply with uniform standards for handling claims and appeals for benefits, the Rules provide additional requirements that must be incorporated into these internal claims procedures." (Kilpatrick Stockton LLP)
Public Employees Get More Benefits Than Private-Sector Counterparts
Excerpt: "As of March, 88% of state and local government workers had access to employer-sponsored medical plans, compared with 71% of private-sector workers, according to a Labor Department report released Tuesday." (The Wall Street Journal)
[Official Guidance] Fact Sheet: 'The Affordable Care Act: Protecting Consumers and Putting Patients Back in Charge of Their Care' (PDF)
5 pages. Excerpt: "Today, the Obama Administration is announcing new regulations that will allow consumers to appeal decisions made by their health plans and the availability of resources that will be used to help give consumers more control of their health care decisions. Today's announcements include: . . . . [f]or the first time, the right to appeal decisions made by their health plan to an outside, independent decision-maker, no matter what State they live in or what type of health coverage they have." (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services; U.S. Department of Labor; U.S. Department of the Treasury)
Employers Initiate Medication Adherence Initiatives
Excerpt: "Some employers, after years of simply helping cover the cost of prescription medications, are experimenting with financial and behavioral strategies to persuade workers to actually take the drugs, in the hope that a lower investment upfront will ward off strokes and other costly medical problems later." (Workforce Management; free registration required)
National Compensation Survey: Health and Retirement Plan Provisions in Private Industry in the United States, 2009 (PDF)
135 pages. Excerpt: "This bulletin of detailed health and retirement provisions will begin including basic health, defined benefit, anddefined contribution tables each year. In addition, each year additional tables for a specific benefit will also be included. For example, this year additional defined contribution retirement tables in private industry are included." (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)
[Guidance Overview] Moving from Theory to Implementation of Healthcare Reform: An Overview for Employers of New Guidance, Strategies and Case Studies (PDF)
18 pages. Slides from a presentation. Fabulous examples. Excerpt: "ACA changes impact notices typically distributed with open enrollment materials. 1. Notice of Special Enrollment Rights. 2. General Notice of Preexisting Condition Exclusion. [An MP3 recording of the presentation is available at http://www.vorys.com/healthcarereform.]'(Maybe say in the excerpt that an MP3 recording is available at http://www.vorys.com/healthcarereform ) (Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP)
New BLS Data Series Highlights Employee Access to Medical Care and Retirement Benefits (PDF)
4 pages. Excerpt: "Data on access to medical care and retirement have been available separately in the past, but 2009 is the first time that the percent of employees that have both or neither benefits have been published." (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)
HHS Opens 'Web Portal' on July 1 to Provide Health Care Access Information
Excerpt: "[T]his is only stage one -- an October update is expected to add more information, including price estimates for private insurance plans." (Employee Benefits Institute of America)
Rating Employer Health-Insurance Plan Carriers
Excerpt: "Health-plan service is more important than cost to a majority of employers, according to a first-ever ranking of employer health-insurance plan carriers. Most of the employers expressed relatively low levels of satisfaction with their carriers and half have investigated changing plans." (Human Resource Executive Online)
National Compensation Survey: Occupational Earnings in the United States, 2009
Excerpt: "The National Compensation Survey . . . provides comprehensive measures of occupational earnings, compensation cost trends, the incidence of benefits, and detailed benefit provisions." (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Social Media Won't Work for Benefits Information, According to Survey
Excerpt: "[A]bout three-fourths of workers said they were not interested in receiving information via Facebook about their employer-sponsored health benefits, tips on improving their health or saving money on health care." (Business Insurance)
HHS Announces New Preexisting Condition Insurance Plan
Excerpt: "To be eligible, an individual must be a U.S. citizen or legal U.S. resident, have been uninsured for at least six months, and have been unable to obtain health coverage because of a health condition. The PCIP is a temporary program lasting until January 1, 2014 . . . ." (Hewitt)
[Guidance Overview] HMO Found Liable for Coverage Information Gap
Excerpt: "A benefit plan fiduciary violated its responsibilities under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) by not warning members contacting its call center that they could not rely on coverage determinations by customer service representatives." (PLANSPONSOR.com)
The Employee Health Care Mindset: Views, Behaviors, and Solutions
Excerpt: "The consumer survey explored employees' and dependents' interactions with their employer-sponsored health benefit plans, and tested behavior change concepts that can be compared with employer efforts to promote health and productivity within the workforce." (Hewitt Associates)
Federal Health Care Site www.healthcare.gov Coming July 1
Excerpt: "A federal government website that starts July 1 takes a step in that direction. The site, for the first time, will give consumers a list of all private and government health care plans for individuals and small businesses in their areas." (USA TODAY)
Gains from Choice in Health Insurance
Excerpt: "The value of choice is explored in a recent study [titled: Let Them Have Choice: Gains from Shifting Away from Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance.]" (National Bureau of Economic Research; paid subscription or individual purchase required to retrieve fulltext)
The Power of Employee Benefits Education to Influence Workforce Satisfaction
12 pages. (Unum)
The Obama Administration's New 'Patient's Bill of Rights'
Excerpt: "The White House today released this 'Fact Sheet: The Affordable Care Act's New Patient's Bill of Rights,' the Obama administration's summary of new regulations issued by the Department of Health and Human Services." (The White House via Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation)
Facing New Pressure, Health Plans Beef Up Customer Service
Excerpt: "Cutting inscrutable health-insurance jargon out of their communications. Opening retail stores to answer people's questions and offer wellness classes. Measuring customer-service efforts to give callers a better experience." (MarketWatch, Inc.)
National Health Data Initiative Unveiled
Excerpt: "As part of these efforts to promote community health data, HHS officials stated that a new health indicators 'warehouse' would be deployed online at the end of this year, providing data on national, state, regional and county health performance on rates of smoking, diabetes, obesity and other health indicators." (Workforce Management; free registration required)
Employers Can Help Wean Former Workers from COBRA
Excerpt: "'Employers are benefited by going the extra mile to make sure their former employees understand their choices in times like this. If the economy picks up again, for example, you may want to hire some of those workers back. And your HR department can be spared a lot of headaches by putting guidance like this together beforehand and communicating it to COBRA enrollees when the time comes,' she adds." (Employee Benefit News; free registration required)
Avoid 'Disconnect' Between HIPAA Policies and Practices
Excerpt: "Rather than relying on policies that simply recite the regulations, spell out procedures for your workforce's 'least common denominator,' said Amy Yates, director of privacy and data protection at Deloitte and Touche LLP." (Thompson Publishing Group Inc.)
Evidence That Consumers Are Skeptical About Evidence-Based Health Care
Excerpt: "We undertook focus groups, interviews, and an online survey with health care consumers as part of a recent project to assist purchasers in communicating more effectively about health care evidence and quality. . . . We found many of these consumers' beliefs, values, and knowledge to be at odds with what policy makers prescribe as evidence-based health care. Few consumers understood terms such as 'medical evidence' or 'quality guidelines.' Most believed that more care meant higher-quality, better care." (Health Affairs)
Most Using Employer Health Care Plan to Continue, According to Survey
Excerpt: "Most U.S. workers who use employer sponsored health care coverage plan to continue to do so in the future, according to a survey conducted jointly by the National Business Group on Health and Hewitt Associates. The survey of more than 3,000 American workers and their dependents, conducted in March 2010, found that the majority of Americans (61%) currently use employer-sponsored health care coverage and participate in healthy living/wellness programs. Among those, nearly half (47%) plan to continue to do so in the next three-to-five years." (PLANSPONSOR.com)
Employers Offer Decision Support and Incentives to Encourage Consumer-Driven Health Plan Use, According to Survey
Excerpt: "The survey found about half of small and mid-sized organizations and close to two-thirds of large organizations have adopted at least one CDHP or high-deductible health plans (HDHP). More than three-quarters (76%) of large employers (>5,000 employees) offer decision support tools to CDHP participants, and another 3% plan to do so within the next 12 months." (PLANSPONSOR.com)
Accurately Measuring Health Over the Life Course
Excerpt: "This paper develops a new method of estimating rich, dynamic models of health based on multiple health measures available in the HRS. We apply these methods to investigate what generates the large socioeconomic gradient in health. Preliminary results suggest a large role for initial differences in health at age 50 that persist into old age." (Center for Retirement Research at Boston College)
HHS Requires Data for Its Web Portal from Insurers As Early As May 21, 2010
Excerpt: "The web portal must provide, at a minimum, information on eligibility, availability, premium rates, cost-sharing, and the percentage of total premium revenue expended on nonclinical costs with respect to these coverage options." (Employee Benefits Institute of America)
When and How to Communicate with Employees About Health Law's Impact on Group Health Plan Coverage
Excerpt: "The extent of this communication may vary, certainly. At the most basic level, companies can consider a message to all employees that assures them that management is currently working with health and benefits experts to assess the potential implications of the new legislation on benefits offerings . . . ." (Human Resource Executive Online)
Getting Employees Active in Health Matters Requires Support, According to Survey
Excerpt: "That was the result of a new survey by the Midwest Business Group on Health (MBGH) sponsored by drugmakers Merck and Novartis. A news release said employees believe the most credible source for health information is their doctor, while those with chronic conditions will often have the most involvement with a health coach, who is viewed as an extension of the employer, rather than their doctor." (PLANSPONSOR.com)
Health Care Reform Insurance Web Portal Interim Final Rule (PDF)
3 pages. Excerpt: "Because of the short time frame for its implementation, HHS has decided to launch the web portal in phases. The first phase will be implemented on July 1. The second phase will be implemented in October 2010. HHS plans annual and periodic updates to the web portal after the initial implementation and intends the web portal to evolve with time." (Groom Law Group)
2010 ERISA Advisory Council Issue Paper on Health Care Literacy (PDF)
2 pages. Excerpt: "The Council plans to study Health Care Literacy in order to (i) assist the Department of Labor . . . in its development of standards for use by group health plans and issuers, (ii) determinewhether the Department should take proactive steps to assist employers in their innovative efforts to promote health care literacy and efficient employee use of available coverage outside of written disclosures or materials and/or (iii) whether the Department should provide tools or other resources to employees and retirees that promote health care literacy, and if so, in what form." (U.S. Employee Benefits Security Administration)
[Guidance Overview] Understanding COBRA And Mini-COBRA Premium Assistance
Excerpt: "The Recovery Act also provides premium assistance to involuntarily unemployed workers who receive continued coverage under state programs, but only for those programs that are 'comparable' to COBRA." (Families USA)
Is Putting Older Kids on Your Health Plan the Best Option?
Excerpt: "Find out how much it will cost to cover your child. Some employer-provided plans charge a flat family premium, while others base premiums on the number of dependents covered . . . ." (USA TODAY)
Internet Portal for Health Coverage Information
Excerpt: "So what's included in Sec. 1103 of the Affordable Care Act, concerning the creation of an Internet portal for health coverage information? An Internet portal is established to help beneficiaries and small businesses identify affordable health insurance coverage options in each state. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must establish this Internet portal no later than July 1, 2010." (Wolters Kluwer)
How to Nudge Workers Toward Desired Path in Health Care and Lifestyle Choices and Retirement Savings
Excerpt: "Some innovative employers have found that 'behavioral economics,' a longstanding consumer marketing strategy, can be used in managing and communicating benefits to 'nudge' employees to save for retirement, be better health care consumers and adopt healthier lifestyles." (Business Insurance)
Emerging Health Trends 2010: Survey Results
Excerpt: "Hewitt's The Road Ahead -- Emerging Health Trends 2010 survey highlights the strategic direction employers plan to take in the immediate future, as well as emerging long-term trends. The survey covers: strategy and planning; cost trends; and design features of employer-provided health care and other benefits. [Registration required to download a copy of the findings.]" (Hewitt Associates)
U.S. Labor Seeks Bankruptcy Reform and Executive Pay Curbs
Excerpt: "Labor unions are pushing for greater worker protection and added scrutiny of executive pay at companies in bankruptcy, but restructuring professionals fear the changes might force more companies to liquidate rather than reorganize. Congress is considering a bill backed by unions that proposes to raise the limit on wage claims in bankruptcy, make it harder to change collective bargaining agreements, and limit the ability of companies to shed retiree benefits. The bill also proposes what one critic called nearly 'impossible to satisfy' restrictions on bonus and incentive payments for executives of bankrupt companies." (Reuters)
Long-Term Care Benefit Also Made Available in Health Reform
Excerpt: "The health reform legislation contains a provision that will make long-term care insurance available to all Americans, who will be automatically enrolled with the choice to opt out. Under the Community Living Assistance Services and Support (CLASS) Act, individuals will begin paying a premium immediately and, after five years, those with functional limitations have the option of receiving a cash benefit of around $50 a day that can be used for medical equipment and home renovations." (PLANSPONSOR.com)
Podcast: Health Care Communication
Excerpt: "Jennifer Benz, an expert in benefits communication, explains why employers should send a message to their employees about health care reform -- even though they don't know all the details yet themselves." (PLANSPONSOR.com)
[Official Guidance] Application for Expedited Review of Denial of COBRA Premium Reduction
Excerpt: "The applicant (person requesting review of a denial of premium assistance) may either be the former employee or a member of the employee's family who is eligible for COBRA continuation coverage or the COBRA premium assistance through an employment-based health plan. The employee and his/her family members may each elect to continue health coverage under COBRA, request the premium assistance, and request a review of a denial of premium assistance." (U.S. Employee Benefits Security Administration)
[Official Guidance] FAQs on the COBRA Premium Reduction Extension Provisions
31 FAQs on the COBRA Premium Reduction Extension Provisions Related to The Temporary Extension Act of 2010. (U.S. Employee Benefits Security Administration)
Trends in the Employee Financial Picture (PDF)
15 pages. Excerpt: "From high deductible medical plans to shrinking pension and retirement plan contribution formulas, employees are increasingly faced with tough decisions about short?]term and long?]term finances. Many are in jeopardy when it comes to retirement planning yet may not realize it. Budgeting and savings calls are on rise, and for the first time since we began studying employee trends, they were on parity with debt calls." (Financial Finesse, Inc.)
Wisconsin Bill Would Require Listing of Medical Procedure Costs
Excerpt: "The state Senate and Assembly have passed legislation that will require hospitals to disclose average prices for the 75 most common inpatient services and 75 most common outpatient services based on their contracts with commercial health plans. The legislation also requires the same information be disclosed for the 25 most common services provided by free-standing outpatient facilities, such as surgical and imaging centers, and by doctors." (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
2010 Top Five Total Rewards Priorities Survey
Excerpt: "The 16th annual 'Top Five Total Priority Rewards Priorities' survey, sponsored jointly by Deloitte Consulting LLP and the International Society of Certified Employee Benefit Specialists, clearly underscores the impact of the financial crisis at both the employer level and the employee level. Motivated by concerns related to financial and job security, employees are getting their financial houses in order while increasingly participating in wellness and disease management programs. Likewise, employers are stepping up emphasis on such programs in an effort to combat rising healthcare costs year after year." (Deloitte Development LLC.)
[Guidance Overview] Model CHIP Notice Available (PDF)
2 pages. Excerpt: "The CHIP Notice is not required to be provided in a separate mailing. Rather, the CHIP Notice may be furnished concurrent with enrollment packets, during open enrollment, or concurrent with the furnishing of the plan's summary plan description. However, the CHIP Notice must appear separately and in a manner which ensures that an employee who may be eligible for premium assistance could reasonably be expected to appreciate its significance." (Dechert LLP)
Survey Finds That Employer-Provided Benefits Vary with Earnings (PDF)
4 pages. Excerpt: "The Bureau of Labor Statistics National CompensationSurvey: Employee Benefits in the United States, March 2009, shows that workers in low-paid jobs have lower access to employer-provided benefits, when compared with access availability for workers in high-paid jobs. This issue of Program Perspectives -- the first featuring 2009 data -- examines this difference between low-wage and high-wage earners for several individual benefits." (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Choice of Health Plan: Findings from the 2009 EBRI/MGA Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey (PDF)
Pages 2-9 of 20 pages. Excerpt: "Most employers do not offer a choice of health plan, but when they do, large firms are much more likely than small firms to offer a choice. Because a disproportionate share of those with employment-based health benefits are employed by a large firm, between 50 percent and 60 percent of the covered population has a choice of health plan." (Employee Benefit Research Institute)
Four Creative, Low-Cost Ways to Educate Employees About Benefits
Excerpt: "One of the biggest challenges employers face when adding new benefits or conducting open enrollment is finding the time to educate employees about the changes or options. Here are some year-round tips for implementing effective benefits-education initiatives without breaking the bank." (Workforce Management; free registration required)
Podcast: Interview with PricewaterhouseCoopers on What Employers Want from Their Health Insurance Providers
Excerpt: "Kathryn Stein, managing director in PricewaterhouseCoopers' human resource services practice, discusses the firm's study about how satisfied employers are with their health insurance provider and what employers want in health benefits programs." (PLANSPONSOR.com)
DOL Releases Form 5500 Reports of Benefit Plans
Excerpt: "The U.S. Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration has released to the public online datasets of Form 5500 annual report/returns for approximately 800,000 retirement, health, and other employee benefit plans. . . . The online datasets of plan filings are available at http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/foia/foia-5500.html." (PLANSPONSOR.com)
Podcast: Employees Need Follow Up to Be Satisfied with CDHPs
Excerpt: "So says OptumHealth's Kathleen Frey. The vice president of client engagement shares why it's crucial to keep communication on consumer-driven plans flowing long after open enrollment ends and how to avoid the common dip in satisfaction new HSA participants experience after six months on the plan." (Employee Benefit Adviser; free registration required)
The links shown above have been gathered from the web by the editors at BenefitsLink.com. Each article's publisher is shown above in parentheses. Opinions expressed in each article are those of the article's publisher, not necessarily those of BenefitsLink.com, Inc. or any web site that displays these headlines in a "frame." You should contact the listed publisher for copyright information about any particular article or to inquire into the right to use the article in any manner.