Employer-Paid

Ranking

10 states where employers spend the most, least per employee on health care

Emily Payne | September 24, 2018

In the United States, we acknowledge one unfortunate fact about health care: cost does not equate to quality.

Market Insights

Seasonal workers reaping the benefits of hot holiday hiring

Scott Wooldridge | September 24, 2018

Retail employers plan to hire more seasonal help this year, but with demand outpacing supply, they're turning to incentives like paid time off to lure talent.

Best Practices

To attract top talent, create a holistic benefits plan

Karen Crone | September 24, 2018

A solid benefits plan is often at the top of the wish list when candidates are job hunting, so make sure yours stands out.

Best Practices

5 ways benefits educators can ease the open enrollment process

Gil Murdock | September 21, 2018

To deliver a more personal, empowering experience, organizations can look to benefits educators to supplement strapped HR teams.

Best Practices

Curbing specialty drug spending: Where to start?

Emily Payne | September 21, 2018

Pharma and specialty drugs are among the top targets of employers attempting to rein in their health care spending. But what's the best approach?

Research

5 industries with the worst retirement plans

BenefitsPRO Editors & Chris Nicholls, Eric Ryles | September 21, 2018

When it comes to 401(k)s and other retirement plans, not all industries are equal. In fact, some are pretty bad.

Analysis

Do strong 401(k) plans translate to company profitability?

Nick Thornton | September 18, 2018

A new T. Rowe Price study suggests a correlation between great retirement plan benefits and productive, profitable companies.

News

Cigna-Express Scripts deal cleared by DOJ

Zachary Tracer and David McLaughlin | September 17, 2018

Approval by the Justice Department smooths the way for the deal to wrap up by the end of the year.

News

NYC police and fire pensions invest $134M in exotic quant fund 

Dani Burger | September 17, 2018

At first blush, it’s an odd pairing: The quant shop follows trends in hard-to-trade assets from European power to cryptocurrencies.

Expert Opinion

How to improve transparency and take control over health care costs

Brian Tolbert | September 17, 2018

As health care spending continues to rise, maintaining the status quo is simply no longer an option.

Analysis

5 ways MEPs change under "tax cuts 2.0"

Nick Thornton | September 11, 2018

Here, in English, is an interpretation of how the bill would affect the treatment of pooled retirement plans.

Expert Opinion

5 tips to help recent graduates make the most of their benefits options

Lindsay Astle | September 11, 2018

Here are 5 tips to help set the newest members of the full-time workforce up for success in their new roles.

Best Practices

Evidence-based medicine: employers also have a role to play

Scott Wooldridge | September 11, 2018

Although employers are often left out of discussions about making research more relevant to clinical practice, they can help improve the use of evidence-based care.

Expert Opinion

4 reasons employer-sponsored health insurance won’t go away

Emily Payne | September 10, 2018

Stanford professor Rajaie Batniji considers employer-sponsored health insurance a model for the future. Here's why.

Best Practices

Bridging benefit communication gaps

Scott Wooldridge | September 06, 2018

It certainly takes work, but with the proper resources and strategies, brokers and their clients can find the tools to both offer and implement quality benefits.

Best Practices

How public sector plan sponsors can succeed in the evolving governmental retirement plan arena

Troy Dryer | September 06, 2018

The public sector is far-reaching, spanning many professions across government agencies, including schools, hospitals, research organizations and more.…

Expert Opinion

Almost half of middle-class Americans face downward mobility in retirement

Dr. Martha Brown Menard | September 05, 2018

Most people need help to reach a state of financial well-being so that they can afford to save for retirement.

News

General Mills ups the ante on its parental leave, caregiving offerings

Rebecca Greenfield | September 03, 2018

With the labor market tight, companies in all industries are growing more expansive with benefits, creating new policies and including more classes of workers.

News

Microsoft requires paid parental leave for subcontractors

Dina Bass | August 31, 2018

“Companies like us are in a unique position to create positive impact within our broader ecosystem,” says a Microsoft representative.

News

Impact of pre-existing-condition coverage lawsuit depends on where you live

Scott Wooldridge | August 31, 2018

A lawsuit starting next week could undo the ACA's consumer protections, affecting some states more than others.

Analysis

Infographic: Are you paying employees what they're worth?

Emily Payne | August 31, 2018

Forty-six percent of workers in a recent survey reported feeling they were underpaid. Which of your employees are most likely to feel that way?

Analysis

Bad bosses, PTO and other reasons employees quit their jobs

Katie Kuehner-Hebert | August 30, 2018

Many workers leave their current jobs for practical reasons that impact their work-life balance, but a company's culture can also have a major impact.

Analysis

SOA seeks comments on new mortality assumptions for public pensions

Nick Thornton | August 28, 2018

Over half of the pension plans studied have been applying mortality scales that were last updated before 2014.

Analysis

Stronger economy spurs employer health coverage offerings

Katie Kuehner-Hebert | August 28, 2018

In 2017, the overall percentage of private-sector employers offering health benefits increased for the first time since 2008.

News

Stem cell storage: the next hot benefit?

Rebecca Greenfield | August 28, 2018

Figuring out how to live longer has historically drawn the attention of billionaires and technologists. Now it's being used to recruit employees.

Research

Communication about 401(k) plans fails on participant intent

Marlene Satter | August 27, 2018

According to Cogent Reports, ready-to-act retirement savers don’t get the info they need to make decisions.

News

John McCain's health care legacy

Emmarie Huetteman | August 27, 2018

Sen. McCain leaves behind his own health care legacy, seemingly driven less by his interest in health care policy than his disdain for bullies.

News

GOP senators working to save pre-existing conditions

Sahil Kapur | August 27, 2018

The proposal would prohibit insurers from turning away people with pre-existing conditions if the lawsuit seeking to invalidate the ACA succeeds.

Commentary

What are consumers really getting in short-term health plans?

Allison Bell | August 27, 2018

Short-term medical insurance and AHPs may be great, but so is clear labeling, a top trade group official says.

Best Practices

Paw-ternity leave is trending. Should you add it to your benefits?

Sue Reisinger | August 24, 2018

Providing employees with pet-related benefits can be a great boost to morale, but it can also pose some legal and HR issues.

Expert Opinion

The full-time health needs of part-time workers

Michael Serbinis | August 24, 2018

There is not only an economic imperative to ensure gig workers have benefits, but a moral one as well.

Expert Opinion

3 ways to know if you’re overpaying for health care

Dave Chase | August 23, 2018

Employers can avoid overpaying for health care while still providing the highest quality care at the lowest possible rates.

Analysis

IRS opens door for 401(k) sponsors to address student loan debt

Nick Thornton | August 22, 2018

Ruling lets student-debt-ridden employees of unnamed sponsor make loan payments, get employer 401(k) match.

The evolution of direct primary care – with Jon Hernandez

David Saltzman | August 22, 2018

Jon Hernandez is the CEO at PeakMed Direct Primary Care in Colorado, and he is one of the drivers pushing DPC into its next evolution.

Best Practices

7 steps for developing a family caregiving strategy

Carolyn A. Romano | August 22, 2018

Fifty-two percent of modern caregivers are also employed full- or part-time, and that number is poised to grow. Here's how to help your employee caregivers.

Commentary

Student loans are starting to bite

Danielle DiMartino Booth | August 22, 2018

Consider this: Weigh a degree against the quality of life millions have forsaken thanks to student loan debt.

Commentary

How trade wars may harm our health(care)

Frederic Slade | August 21, 2018

Here are 3 ways that the health care industry in the U.S. might be harmed by trade wars.

Expert Opinion

Parental leave: Employee benefit or employment discrimination?

Sheryl Jaffee Halpern | August 20, 2018

Administering and enforcing parental leave policies are by no means clear-cut endeavors. Here are a few things to consider.

Expert Opinion

Unique benefits to recruit and retain female employees

Matthew A. Michela | August 17, 2018

The unemployment rate for women is lower than men, making the competition for top-level female candidates even more fierce.

My wife's story: Anatomy of an insane health care billing system

Carl C. Schuessler | August 17, 2018

The purchase of medical goods and services by employer health plans resembles no other business transaction in American commerce.

Infographic

Infographic: Employees’ open-enrollment struggles

Emily Payne | August 16, 2018

What are the top trends benefits educators see when it comes to health care enrollment?

Analysis

Salary disclosures can motivate employees--if the price is right

Katie Kuehner-Hebert | August 16, 2018

Employees work harder when they think their manager is earning the big bucks, but not when they think their peers are making more than they do.

Ranking

10 highest-paying jobs in 2018

Riley Griffin | August 15, 2018

While tech jobs pay well across the board, the health-care industry offers the largest paychecks at the very top of the spectrum.

Analysis

Slightly larger pay boosts, bonuses in employers’ 2019 budgets

Marlene Satter | August 14, 2018

As employers struggle to retain talent, top-performing employees saw the biggest raises this year.

Helping employers manage the cost of chronic disease — with Sterling Smith

David Saltzman | August 14, 2018

As our population ages and medicine gets better, we are dealing with more chronic disease than ever before — and it is a huge cost driver in overall medical spend.

Research

With fiduciary rule's demise, plan sponsors shift focus

Nick Thornton | August 13, 2018

Fidelity plan sponsor survey shows retirement plan fees taking back seat to employee retirement preparation results.

Best Practices

Open enrollment tips for benefits managers: Getting ready

C.J. Marwitz | August 13, 2018

BenefitsPRO's top 7 all-time, must-read, getting-ready-for-open-enrollment articles.

Market Insights

CFOs say more increases in 401(k) matches are coming

Nick Thornton | August 09, 2018

The corporate tax cut and a tighter labor market are translating to higher wages (finally).

Direct primary care 201

Alex Lickerman, M.D. | August 09, 2018

In my first article in this series, “Direct Primary Care 101,” I outlined the basic structure of the direct primary care (DPC) model. In this article, I’ll explain the benefit DPC provides to employers.

News

General Motors test-drives direct provider contracting

Jack Craver | August 08, 2018

GM is the latest of a number of large employers to try to reduce health care costs by going around insurers and negotiate deals directly with providers.