The Trump Administration has issued a new rule that will require greater price transparency on the part of health insurers, including the rates charged by in-network physicians and copays and costs of drugs. The final rule requires health plans and health insurers to disclose on a public website their in-network negotiated rates, billed charges and [...]
As the COVID-19 pandemic rages on and more employers bring staff back to the workplace, many businesses are considering implementing mandatory vaccination policies for seasonal flus as well as the coronavirus. A safe and widely accessible vaccine would allow businesses to open their workplaces again and start returning to a semblance of normalcy. But employers [...]
U.S. employers are expecting their group health insurance costs to climb 4.4% in 2021, despite the ravages of pandemic and a likely uptick in health care usage next year, according to a new survey. The expected rate increases are on par with much of the last few years when insurance premium inflation has hovered between [...]
Group health plan insurers are paying out $689 million in rebates to plan sponsors this year, as required by the Affordable Care Act's "medical loss ratio" provision. The provision requires insurance companies that cover individuals and small businesses to spend at least 80% of their premium income on health care claims and quality improvement, leaving [...]
As health insurance costs rise and our workforce ages, fewer employers are providing retiree health insurance benefits to their older workers, and are instead asking them to sign up for Medicare. It's a delicate situation as some older workers may resent being pushed to Medicare, especially if they've worked for their employer a long time. [...]
The Department of Health and Human Services and the Food and Drug Administration have issued a final rule and guidance that paves the way for states to allow pharmacists and wholesalers to import prescription drugs in order to reduce costs for patients. The final rule implements a provision of federal law that allows FDA-authorized programs to import [...]
With large employers expecting health insurance rates to climb 5.3% in 2021, they are concerned about how the COVID-19 pandemic will affect overall health care costs in the coming years, a new survey has found. Those expectations gleaned from the survey by the National Business Group on Health would mean average premiums and out-of-pocket spending [...]
With open enrollment right around the corner, it's time to review the health plan options available to you for the next year and prepare your workplace for signing up for the 2021 policy year. The big decision for employers is finding a plan that fits not only their budget but also the budgets of their [...]
Group health plan insurers are paying out $689 million in rebates to plan sponsors this year, as required by the Affordable Care Act’s “medical loss ratio” provision. The provision requires insurance companies that cover individuals and small businesses to spend at least 80% of their premium income on health care claims and quality improvement, leaving [...]
Great perks and incentives packages can help attract top-notch talent, maintain employee morale and improve overall engagement and satisfaction with a company. The coronavirus pandemic has made perks and benefits even more important, particularly in light of so many workers feeling burned out, stressed from working at home or feeling isolated due to closures and [...]
