Mercer’s 2011 Workplace Survey has revealed several encouraging findings for those of us involved in managing healthcare plans. Specifically, the survey found: Nearly 8 out of 10 employees say their benefits are one of the reasons they work where they do. 91% of employees said that getting health benefits through work is just as important as…
Yesterday, Reuters reported that Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (Walmart), the nation’s largest private employer, has made three (3) significant changes to their employee benefits plan which will take effect January 1, 2012: Walmart will no longer offer health insurance to new part-time U.S. employees (those working less than 24 hours a week), Walmart will begin charging…
During an Employee Benefits Network presentation in Chicago, Delia Vetter, senior director of benefits for EMC Corp, commented that healthcare is a “shared responsibility” between the employee and employer. I couldn’t agree more. Historically, however, the weight of this responsibility has been borne far more by the employer than by employees. Of the various reasons…
Consumer-driven Health (CDH) was a fatally flawed concept from Day One. The idea that a layperson could somehow improve their own clinical outcomes and lower costs by taking advantage of sponsored online medical resources is a stretch of the imagination at best – especially when that person might be facing a new diagnosis. Further, the purchase of…