network discount

How COVID-19 Will Change Employee Benefits

How COVID-19 Will Change Employee Benefits

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted businesses and other organizations in multiple ways. Lost revenue and the overnight change to remote workforces, among other things, have caused significant changes to operations and finances. A new report shows that there will be...

New Rules Require Health Plans to Cover COVID-19 Vaccines, More

New Rules Require Health Plans to Cover COVID-19 Vaccines, More

The Trump administration has issued new interim final rules that set out accelerated coverage requirements for COVID-19 preventative services and covering out-of-network testing for the coronavirus. There are two parts to the interim final rules:   One requires...

New Rule Requires Greater Health Plan Transparency

New Rule Requires Greater Health Plan Transparency

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...

The Big Question: Can Employers Require Workers to Vaccinate?

The Big Question: Can Employers Require Workers to Vaccinate?

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...

Uncertainty Weighs on Group Plan Cost Expectations

Uncertainty Weighs on Group Plan Cost Expectations

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...

How to Distribute Group Health Plan Rebates to Your Staff

How to Distribute Group Health Plan Rebates to Your Staff

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...

Helping Your Older Workers Transition to Medicare

Helping Your Older Workers Transition to Medicare

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...

Getting a Head Start on Open Enrollment

Getting a Head Start on Open Enrollment

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...

How to Distribute Group Health Plan Rebates to your Staff

How to Distribute Group Health Plan Rebates to your Staff

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...