The individual health insurance rules that federal regulators are developing for 2027 could help individual coverage crowd out more of the small-group market, according to Jeff Smedsrud. Smedsrud — a longtime supplemental health insurance benefits marketer who was the founder of HealthCare.com, and who now is the chief executive officer of Flex Benefits — predicted today […]
There’s a quote from Dave Chase that I think about constantly: “Imagine if a foreign country was causing this kind of collateral damage on our economy. We’d go to war in a second.” He wasn’t talking about a military threat. He was talking about health care. And the generation absorbing the most damage? The one […]
When an entrepreneur starts a business with a handful of employees, HR compliance is relatively simple. But, as the business grows past 10, 15, 20 and, eventually, 50 employees, federal and state regulations start stacking up in ways most business owners don’t anticipate until they’re already behind. The good news is that the owners and […]
Give celebrity entrepreneur Mark Cuban credit for thinking outside the box. He founded Cost Plus Drugs with a goal of lowering generic drug prices by eliminating pharmacy benefit managers and using a cost-plus pricing strategy. He believes he also could bring greater efficiency, transparency and outcomes to owning a hospital. “You’ve got to be able […]
The administration of President Donald Trump is preparing to keep the Affordable Care Act public exchange system and the premium tax credit system alive next year. The U.S. Department of the Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services — the HHS agency that runs HealthCare.gov and oversees state-based exchange programs […]
Federal officials and insurance company executives have stated that U.S. health plan coverage for childhood vaccines will stay the same, even if the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services changes its vaccine recommendations. Officials in 15 states are questioning that prediction in a new suit over HHS vaccine policy recommendation changes. HHS recently moved […]
Key Insight: Learn how controlling health costs overtook retention as employers’ top benefits priority. What’s at Stake: Rising care avoidance risks higher absenteeism, worsening outcomes and escalating employer costs. Forward Look: Expect a strategic shift toward targeted non‑medical benefits to curb costs and improve outcomes. Source: Bullets generated by AI with editorial review Employers say controlling health costs […]
A band of House Republicans bucked party leaders to join Democrats in passing a measure to restore expired Obamacare subsidies through the end of President Donald Trump’s term, as rising healthcare costs drive midterm election anxieties. The House voted 230-196 Thursday to send a three-year extension of the expired tax credits to the Senate. Seventeen Republicans supported […]
What’s at Stake: Rising healthcare costs threaten employer affordability, coverage options, and competitiveness. Supporting Data: Healthcare spending projected to rise 6% annually 2023–2033. Forward Look: Plan for preventive investments; Deloitte models suggest up to $2.2 trillion annual savings by 2040. Source: Bullets generated by AI with editorial review As healthcare costs continue to climb, leaders face mounting pressure […]
Key Insight: Discover how prioritizing specialty, behavioral health, and data can curb rising employer costs. Supporting Data: Employers project a 9% rise in healthcare spending for 2026 (Business Group on Health). Forward Look: Prepare for intensified focus on specialty access, behavioral supports, and benefit analytics. Source: Bullets generated by AI with editorial review As employers struggle to find […]