Industry News

Employees Need a Lot More Help Choosing Health Insurance

When presenting health insurance plans, don’t assume that employees understand their options. Many are in the dark about basic health insurance facts, according to a Harris Poll survey for Justwor...

Employer Health Care Costs to Increase 6.5%

Average costs for U.S. employers that pay for their employees' health care will increase 6.5% in 2023 to more than $13,800 per employee. That’s up from $13,020 in 2022, according to Aon. The analy...

How Health Plans Are Improving Mental Health Care

Health plans are making mental health support more accessible and affordable, according to a survey by AHIP: Telehealth: 100% provide coverage for tele-behavioral health services In-Networ...

A Small Window to Address Steeper Health Insurance Costs

Employers expect health benefit costs to rise an average of 5.6% per employee in 2023, according to a Mercer survey. “Employers have a small window to get out in front of sharper increases coming...

Workers Want More Help Choosing Health Insurance

Many working Americans don’t know where to turn for health insurance questions, so 62% stay with the same plan every year, according to a survey by The Harris Poll. They often misunderstand basic ...

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) Influence Well-Being Programs

Eighty-one percent of large and mid-sized employers say their DE&I strategy influences their well-being program, according to a survey by the Business Group on Health. Also, 82% say they commu...

Employers Expand Flexible Benefits for a Diverse Workforce

Employers are changing benefits to appeal to a diverse workforce. Versatile medical and voluntary benefits, in addition to compensation, are helping them retain and attract talent, according to a ...

5 California Health Plans Sign Advanced Primary Care Agreement

Aetna, Blue Shield of California, Health Net, Oscar, and UnitedHealthcare signed an agreement to increase investment and access to advanced primary care. The initiative is a first-of-its-kind to s...

7 Crucial Trends in Group Health Insurance

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality released a comprehensive survey of employer-sponsored health insurance including offer rates, enrollments, deductibles, and premiums. While many fact...

How Expanding HSA Coverage Has Affected Premiums

On July 17, 2019, the IRS released Notice 2019-45, which expands the list of permissible preventive care benefits for high deductible health plans. The Employee Benefits Research Institute (EBRI) ...

HR Execs Are Overwhelmed About Benefits

HR execs are facing challenges on all fronts. Sixty-three percent say they feel overwhelmed about making the best employee benefit choices for employees, according to a survey by Quest Diagnostics...

8 Top Health and Benefit Strategies for 2023

It looks like 2023 may be the year for enhanced employee benefits. Seventy percent of large employers and 53% of small employers plan to enhance their options for 2023. A recent Mercer survey...