Health Care Archives - Page 2 of 38

Using Spousal Surcharges and Carve-Outs as Health Cost Management Strategies

Anne Newhouse, CEBS

25 Sep 202425 Sep 2024

With open enrollment right around the corner, employers are already contemplating strategies to help lower their health plan costs. Spousal surcharges or carve-outs are two options, but how prevalent are they? Surcharge vs. Carve-Out A spousal surcharge is an additional employee contribution […]

Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Employee Benefits Employee Benefits Survey Health Care Parental Leave U.S. Wellness

Organizations Adding More Fertility and Adoption Support

Cara McMullin

22 Aug 202422 Aug 2024

Fertility and family-planning benefits remain top of mind for many organizations as they evaluate benefit packages for the year ahead. The advantages of these benefits include attracting and retaining key talent; saving on health care costs; matching benefits to diversity, equity and […]

Employee Benefits Health Care Insurance U.S.

Employers Project 8% Rise in Health Care Costs for 2025

Cara McMullin

15 Aug 202415 Aug 2024

U.S. employers project a median health care cost increase of 8% for 2025, according to International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans survey results. This is an increase over similar surveys conducted in 2022 and 2023, which projected a 7% rise in costs. […]

Employee Benefits Employee Benefits Survey Health Care Legislative LGBTQ+ U.S.

Inclusive Family-Forming Benefits: Definition of Infertility

Jenny Gartman, CEBS

07 Aug 202407 Aug 2024

According to Employee Benefits Survey: 2024 Results, to be released the end of August 2024, 42% of U.S. organizations currently offer fertility benefits (an increase from 40% in 2022). While fertility benefit offerings are more prevalent, there are varied reasons plan participants […]

Canada Compliance Employee Benefits Health Care Legislative Regulatory

Cross-Country Benefits Update

Eli Argueta

24 Jul 202424 Jul 2024

The 2024 Canadian Legal and Legislative Update kicked off with a comprehensive cross-country benefits update delivered by Kiersten Amos, counsel at McInnes Cooper, and Michael Wolpert, partner at Fasken Martineau DuMoulin. These updates covered a range of legislation affecting benefit plans across […]

401(k) Plans DOL Employee Benefits ERISA ERISA50 Health Care Legislative Regulatory U.S.

Understanding ERISA Liability in the Context of Pharmacy Benefits

Anne Newhouse, CEBS

17 Jul 202417 Jul 2024

Fiduciary responsibility has always been a concern for retirement plans governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). The language on the Department of Labor (DOL) Fiduciary Responsibilities webpage explains, “The primary responsibility of fiduciaries is to run the […]

Affordable Care Act (ACA) DOL Health Care Legislative U.S.

ACA Litigation Update: Preventive Services Requirements Upheld

Jenny Gartman, CEBS

12 Jul 202412 Jul 2024

What’s new? On June 21, 2024, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in Braidwood v. Becerra that the lower court had overreached when it struck down the Affordable Care Act (ACA) preventive services mandate nationwide. The Fifth Circuit held that federal […]

Disease Management Employee Benefits Health Care Insurance Multiemployer Prescription Drugs Public Plans U.S.

Multiemployer Plan and Public Employer Coverage of GLP-1 Drugs

Cara McMullin

26 Jun 202426 Jun 2024

New Survey Data Reveals Total Reported Annual Claim Representation for GLP-1 Drugs for Weight Loss Is Almost Ten Percent A new survey report from the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans reveals updated U.S. employer and plan sponsor coverage surrounding glucagon-like peptide-1 […]

Disease Management Employee Benefits Health Care Mental Health U.S.

Health Plan Oncology Offerings—Designing the Best Possible Benefit

Anne Newhouse, CEBS

18 Jun 202418 Jun 2024

In recent years, various sources including SunLife and the Business Group on Health have reported that cancer leads high-cost health claims for self-funded plans. Claims data shows the top three diagnoses currently driving claims are cancer, cardiovascular and musculoskeletal diseases. It’s no […]

Disease Management Employee Benefits Health Care Insurance Prescription Drugs U.S.

Employer Coverage of GLP-1 Drugs on the Rise

Cara McMullin

13 Jun 202413 Jun 2024

New Survey Data Reveals Total Reported Annual Claim Representation for GLP-1 Drugs for Weight Loss Has Increased to Almost Nine Percent A new survey report from the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans reveals updated U.S. employer coverage surrounding glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) […]