Insurance

77% of employers report greater employee need for mental-health care

09/05/2023

An increase in mental-health challenges was cited as the most significant area of prolonged impact resulting from the pandemic. Last year, 44% of employers saw a rise in mental-health concerns, while 77% of employers reported an increase this year, with another 16% anticipating one in the future.

Employers plan for 7% rise in health-care costs next year

08/28/2023

Higher utilization due to chronic health conditions will be the primary cost driver for 22% of employers surveyed.

Health insurance red tape, claims denials and confusion cause care delays

08/21/2023

Most people with health insurance—58%—say they encountered at least one problem using their coverage in the past year, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation survey of consumer experiences with health insurance.

Open enrollment countdown: Employers take a variety of approaches to health benefits education

08/07/2023

As open enrollment for 2024 benefits approaches, employers are ramping up efforts to educate employees about key benefits, including health insurance. According to a new study by Optavise, a provider of benefits training, employers use a variety of tools to ensure employees understand and make smart choices about their health coverage options.

5 tips to improve open enrollment this fall

06/26/2023

While everyone else is on vacation this summer, HR pros are busy planning for the upcoming open-enrollment season. Follow these tips to make the process run more smoothly for you and more effectively for your employees.

Employers rate health insurance their most important benefit

06/21/2023

Employers consider health-related benefits the most important perks they offer, according to the Society for Human Resource Management’s 2023 Employee Benefits Survey.

Study finds increase in health insurance claims denials

06/05/2023

According to research by the nonprofit Kaiser Family Foundation, even when patients received care from in-network physicians pre-approved by their insurance companies, claims were denied 17% of the time on average in 2021.

No employer-paid health benefits? That’s a deal-breaker for half of Americans

05/30/2023

Nearly half of Americans—48%—would quit their jobs if their employer stopped offering health insurance benefits, according to a new survey by the Assurance brokerage firm.

New-to-the-job workers account for more workers’ comp claims

05/22/2023

An employee’s time spent in a particular role and their age were driving factors in the frequency of injuries that resulted in workers’ compensation claims and the cost of those claims. That’s according to a new study by The Traveler Companies, the nation’s largest workers’ comp insurer.

Passive or active? Decide early which open-enrollment strategy fits your organization this year

05/17/2023

As you begin planning for benefits open enrollment this fall, now is the time to address a basic question: Will you allow employees to passively enroll—simply continuing the benefits they chose for this year—or will you require them to proactively select their benefits for the 2024 plan year?