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Insurance

Bite down on dental plan costs by managing coverage

05/01/2008
You’re already managing your organization’s ever-growing expenditures for medical and prescription drug coverage. Now it’s time to manage the cost of dental coverage. A new report from The Segal Co., an HR consulting firm, offers six ways your organization can curb spending on dental coverage …

Cutting back on health coverage?

05/01/2008
A new web site by GlaxoSmithKline (www.CenterVBHM.com) allows employers to merge health and productivity data to determine which of their health benefits have the most value to the organization …

You smoke, you’re fired! Lessons from the Whirlpool Case

04/29/2008
The dangers of smoking are well documented: heart disease and cancer, shorter life expectancy, higher health care expenses. Now add another risk: As workers in Indiana just found out, smoking could get you fired. Was their employer justified in taking action, or did it step into a legal quagmire?

COBRA claim for employee who didn’t sign up for health insurance?

04/25/2008

Q. We offer insurance benefits that begin three months after hire. Due to changing business conditions, we had to terminate an employee after only six months on the job. It seems that the worker wasn’t signed up for the health plan on his termination date. Does he now have any claim to COBRA? …

Is your PEO ripping you off? A primer on the fine print

04/24/2008
Say you’ve decided to hire a professional employer organization (PEO) to handle some of your HR services—or you’re considering new PEO vendors to replace your current one. You have a choice of more than 700 PEOs to choose from. Prices and services offered by PEOs vary so much it’s hard to spot the best deal …

Wal-Mart touts savings from generic drug program

04/23/2008
Arkansas-based Wal-Mart says its $4 generic prescription drug program has saved consumers $1 billion as of March. The company reports that the $4 prescriptions now account for 40% of all prescriptions it fills. North Carolina consumers benefited from the third-highest savings nationwide: $48,241,530 …

Continuation medical coverage and small North Carolina employers

04/23/2008
Q. Does North Carolina have a “little” COBRA Act that requires small employers to offer continued health insurance to terminated employees? …

Termination and unemployment comp

04/23/2008
Q. We have terminated a poorly performing employee and she has applied for unemployment benefits. Since she was terminated, is she entitled to benefits? …

A dim-Witted way to cut your organization’s health costs

04/17/2008
Do some of your employees’ spouses or children have serious (and expensive) health troubles? It may be tempting to offer suggestions about less costly treatments—or even to send that employee packing. But don’t do it. As this new ruling shows, it’s illegal to discriminate against employees based on their relationship with a disabled person …

Wal-Mart touts generic drug program savings

04/14/2008
Arkansas-based Wal-Mart says its $4 generic prescription drug program has saved consumers $1 billion as of March 10. The company reports that the $4 prescriptions now account for 40% of all prescriptions it fills. Florida consumers benefited from the second-highest savings nationwide: $72,443,467 …