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HEALTH
CARE BENEFITS
Bargaining for Discount Health Care
Since 2002, health insurance premiums
have increased by an average of 50 percent, according to the
Kaiser Family Foundation. One small company, however, is paying
the same for health care as it did five years ago. The company,
Alliance Underwriters of Lake Mary, Florida, has combined a
free primary care clinic at the workplace with a high-deductible
health plan, and teaches employees how to bargain for deep discounts
from their doctors.
Read more about bargaining for discount health care.
Also:
The Return of the House Call
Medical Tourism: A Ticket to Lower Health Care Costs
Spending to Save on Diabetes
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RETIREMENT
BENEFITS
Retirement Plan Proposals Abound
During the past few months, a number
of coalitions have come up with their own proposals for new
and improved defined-benefit and defined-contribution plans.
Read more about retirement plan proposals.
Also:
IRS Will Tax 401(k) Savings Used to Buy Retiree Health Coverage
Latest 401(k) Feature: Debit Card to Tap Retirement Savings
Total Reward Statements Morph From Value-Add to Call to Action
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COMMENTARY
Disclosure Gone Wild
Retirement plan participants may well
scratch their heads when they read the various disclosure notices
weighing down the distribution paperwork and summary plan descriptions
of their defined-benefit and defined-contribution plans. With
new requirements on the horizon, it's time for employers to
transform mandated disclosure into truly helpful communication.
Read more about the retirement plan disclosure. |
NEWS
AND EVENTS
Quick Takes
Coming up short: African-American
and Hispanic workers are more likely to underestimate the amount
of money they will need to save for health care costs in retirement.
Click
here to read more.
Fear factor: Employees are increasingly concerned about
rising benefits costs, according to a recent study. More than
40 percent of respondents said that stress about increasing
insurance costs is affecting their health.
Click
here to read more.
Opting out: Large public companies are backing away from employee
stock option plans, while their private counterparts seem to
be embracing them, according to a recent report released by
the National Center for Employee Ownership.
Click
here to read more.
Less beneficial: The percentage of employers in the private
sector offering health insurance and retirement benefits has
declined during the past year.
Click
here to read more. |
DISCUSSION
Benefit Life Event Change
Posted in the Benefits
& Compensation Forum:
A reader writes: "Company A buys Company B. Company A invokes
new benefits on Company B and owns Company B as a subsidiary.
Both companies had the same health insurance provider. So folks
from Company B will transfer to Company A's insurance account.
When this event occurs, do employees who were not on Company
B's insurance now have a period of open enrollment to join based
on the changes in the benefits, life, dental, etc. invoked by
Company A?"
Join the discussion. |
METRICS
Retirement Savings
Reported total savings and investments
not including value of defined-benefit plans or primary residence,
active workers by age group, 2007
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Age
group
|
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25-34
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35-44
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45-54
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55+
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| Less
than $10,000 |
50%
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36%
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24%
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26%
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| $10,000-$24,999 |
18
|
16
|
10
|
5
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| $25,000-$49,999 |
9
|
10
|
11
|
9
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| $50,000-$99,999 |
10
|
14
|
15
|
11
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| $100,000-$149,999 |
7
|
7
|
9
|
11
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| $150,000-$249,999 |
1
|
9
|
10
|
9
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| $250,000-$499,999 |
1
|
4
|
12
|
11
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| $500,000
or more |
4
|
4
|
9
|
17
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| Note:
Survey
of 1,001 active workers. |
| Source:
Employee
Benefit Research Institute |
Unhealthy Behaviors
Percentage of employers saying that
employees with unhealthy behaviors (e.g., smoking, obesity)
should pay a larger portion of their health benefit costs,
2005 and 2007
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2005
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2007
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| Agree |
48%
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62%
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| Disagree |
42
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31
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| Neither/no
response |
10
|
7
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| Note:
Survey of more than 100 top executives at large U.S.-based
multinationals. |
| Source:
PricewaterhouseCoopers
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