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Insurance

Health benefits costs expected to rise 5.6% in 2023

08/30/2022
U.S. employers anticipate they will have to spend 5.6% more for health benefits on a per-employee basis next year, according to the Mercer consulting firm’s National Survey of Employer-Sponsored Health Plans 2022.

Health care to cost retirees hundreds of thousands

08/16/2022
A 65-year-old couple that retires this year can expect to spend $315,000 on health care alone over the rest of their lives, according to Fidelity Investments’ latest annual Retiree Health Care Cost Estimate.

Average pregnancy costs $19K, C-sections more

07/26/2022
Health costs associated with pregnancy, childbirth and post-partum care average a total of $18,865 and the average out-of-pocket payments total $2,854 for women enrolled in large group plans, according to a July analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Snapshot: Telemedicine takes off

06/21/2022
Almost all employer-sponsored health plans now cover telemedicine, a dramatic increase since before the pandemic.

The next recruit/retain perk? Free health insurance

05/17/2022
With cutthroat competition among employers to attract new employees and keep current staff from defecting, a once-unthinkable benefit is beginning to emerge: health insurance that is truly employer-provided.

Survey: Employers address health care affordability

05/03/2022
Almost all U.S. employers—94%—say managing health care benefit costs will be their top priority over the next two years, followed by enhancing mental health benefits (87%), according to a new survey by Willis Towers Watson.

Inflation effect: HSA contribution limits to increase in 2023

05/03/2022
The IRS has announced a significant jump in the amount employees can contribute to health savings accounts that are tied to high-deductible health plans. It’s tacit recognition from the federal government that the inflation that has rocked the economy will probably continue well into 2023.

Out-of-pocket health-care costs higher for women

03/08/2022
Employees in companies with workforces that are at least 65% female have to pay far higher health-insurance deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums than workers at male-dominated organizations.

Consider adding fertility-care coverage to health benefits

02/15/2022
In the battle to beat the labor shortage, some employers are enhancing their benefits portfolios. One newly popular offering that appeals to both recruits and current employees: fertility benefits.

Prepare for health-cost inflation, but not this year

02/08/2022
With inflation running at a 40-year high, it’s only a matter of time before higher costs start creeping into the health-care market. The Mercer consulting firm urges employers to start preparing to pay more to keep employees healthy.