resources
June 17, 2019
Costs by Industry | 2018 UBA Health Plan Survey Trends
The government/education/utilities sector has the priciest plans, at $11,943 per employee, virtually unchanged from last year. Total costs per employee for the construction/agriculture, retail, hospitality, and health care sectors are all lower than average, making employees in these industries ...
June 12, 2019
Get Ready for the Class of 2019
It’s June, and that means that across the country college seniors have donned caps and gowns and are preparing to enter the workforce. They’ve got good reason to be optimistic. CNBC reports that companies are looking to hire 16 percent more graduates than they did in 2018. In fact, ...
June 12, 2019
Sabbaticals Can Benefit Employees and Employers
While many employees may be dreaming of a short summer vacation, others could have a longer block of time off in mind. Sabbaticals, whether paid or unpaid, are extended breaks from work without leaving a position. A sabbatical gives an employee the opportunity to take time to travel, spend time ...
June 11, 2019
Mentorship Matters
Imagine highly tailored, expert advice for both professional and personal life goals and transitions being readily available. That’s what a skilled mentor can provide. Having an engaged, intentional, and present mentor helps support and build talent. Beyond talent and skill building, ...
June 10, 2019
Compliance Recap | May 2019
May was a busy month in the employee benefits world. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released health savings account annual contribution limits and high deductible health plan minimum annual deductibles and annual out-of-pocket maximums for 2020. The Department of Labor (DOL) released ...
June 10, 2019
Costs by Region | 2018 UBA Health Plan Survey Trends
Overall costs per employee rose 3.8%, from $9,934 in 2017 to $10,313 in 2018 (compared to the 2.1% increase from $9,727 in 2016 to the 2017 cost). Regional cost averages vary even more significantly, making it essential to benchmark both nationally and regionally. For example, a significant ...
June 7, 2019
Advocacy in Action | Prescription Drug Claims
A member’s husband was taking 4 different prescriptions on medications each month. The upfront cost seemed to be much more than the member felt they should pay under their insurance plan. The member contacted Purple Card for assistance and asked them to check into what was going on with the ...
June 4, 2019
Supporting Mental Health in the Workplace
Mental Health Month in May each year is a campaign to raise overall awareness about mental health in America that started in 1949. The effort to bring mental health to the forefront of employee wellness conversations is relatively new. According to Employee Benefit News, it’s only been in ...
June 3, 2019
Health Plan Costs and Premium Increases | 2018 UBA Health Plan Survey Trends
Average health plan costs continue to rise, with 2018 premium increases at the highest level in the last decade. The average initial or proposed rate increase reported for 2018 was 13.9%, with final rate increases averaging 9.8% after negotiation. Initial analysis indicates that employees bore ...
May 31, 2019
Update on Nondiscrimination Regulations for Health Care Providers
On May 24, 2019, the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR) released a proposed rule to revise its regulations under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act’s Section 1557. OCR also released a fact sheet and press release. The proposed rule would ...
