Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama resisted paying for most telehealth services for years after their introduction.
The insurer, which holds a near-monopoly of the state’s commercial market, had cost concerns about the still-evolving technology that electronically connects patients with doctors and other clinicians. Continue reading
For businesses to thrive in today’s economy, finding and retaining the best employees is important. This is especially true for small businesses and nonprofits competing with larger businesses, and larger budgets, for top talent. Continue reading
When Bernie Sanders released his long-awaited health care plan last month, it was light on the details. But it did include one major, crowd-pleasing promise: Under his Medicare-for-all proposal, no American would ever have to pay a deductible or co-payment to receive health care again. Continue reading
Every year, people make resolutions for many different things. Live healthier! is always a trend. After all, Gym memberships sky rocket in January, and salads become the lunch option of choice. Another common resolution is to get finances in order, which can help ease the burden of financial stress. I came across this easy savings plan last year that was so simple, I have to share. Continue reading
More U.S. companies could be classified as “joint employers” of workers employed by a staffing agency or contractor and held liable for labor violations tied to those staff, the U.S. Labor Department said in guidance published Wednesday.
Joint employment has emerged as a major issue in franchising, contracting, temporary staffing and other arrangements in which companies use workers but do not directly employ them. Continue reading
Like many employers, Flambeau uses a wellness program to cut insurance costs by encouraging healthy employee habits. In the past, submitting to on-site tests of blood pressure, body-mass, and cholesterol meant saving a few hundred dollars. Now companies such as Flambeau have gone a step farther, denying healthcare entirely to those who don’t participate. People like Arnold must instead pay for more expensive coverage through the government’s COBRA program. Continue reading
The House voted Wednesday to repeal most of Obamacare, sending legislation to President Barack Obama for the first time that would dismantle his biggest domestic policy achievement. Continue reading
Affordability is based on the “self-only” (or, employee only) premium for the lowest cost option offered by the employer that meets the minimum value (MV) requirement. This applies even with employees who “buy-up” to a richer plan design alternative or enroll their dependents. If the lowest cost self-only health plan is 9.5% or less of your full-time employee’s household income, then the coverage is considered affordable. However, because you are unlikely to know your employee’s household income, you can determine whether you are offered affordable coverage under the various safe harbors for employer shared responsibility provisions. Continue reading
