Employee Benefit Adviser articles from February 2008

Employee Benefit Adviser archives from February 2008

Value-based benefit advocates seek to debunk high-deductible dependency.
February 1, 2008... Employers don't need a high-deductible feature in order to manage a successful - and profitable - consumer-driven health plan. In fact, some proponents of CDHPs warn employers that pushing high deductibles could cause their workers to make...

As voluntary dental proliferates, so do decision support and risk assessment tools.
February 1, 2008... As goes major medical, so goes dental. While employers look to dam up health care cost increases, dental benefits - although still significantly less expensive - are being reconsidered in a cost-containment light. Voluntary dental plans...

LaRue is expected to prevail, but many say that should not worry employers.(LaRue v. DeWolff)(Case overview)
February 1, 2008... The Supreme Court's consideration of oral arguments in LaRue v. DeWolff a few weeks ago may send shivers down the spines of retirement plan sponsors from coast to coast. However, a review of the case and a survey of experts say employers have...

Advisers are starting to scrutinize the quality and design of investment advice tools: As computer generated advice tools proliferate, so should an adviser's questions about a system's methodology, calculations and quality.
February 1, 2008... If you or your clients offer individual investment advice to employees, you may be able to avoid some legal landmines down the road by monitoring and updating the tools that are used to calculate and produce the advice. Chad Runchey, a...

Globe-trotting workers increasingly expect, appreciate specialty coverage.
February 1, 2008... Michael Shunney was enjoying a trip to the Caribbean last year when his wife fell down a flight of stairs and broke her foot in three places. Rather than having to rely solely on unfamiliar medical services, Shunney was able to contact his...

The state' of health care reform.
February 1, 2008... Anyone who's paying attention to the rhetoric of the presidential campaign knows health reform is a major concern of the American people and will be a significant part of the platform of whichever candidate secures their party's nomination. ...

Rosier view of retirement future does not reduce need for better advice.
February 1, 2008... He's become a household name for many Americans eager to keep a close eye on their back pockets while also looking forward to retirement. Ric Edelman is a top-rated financial adviser, a syndicated columnist, radio host, television persona and...

Treating obesity like a disease could yield significant health improvements, savings.
February 1, 2008... Many people set fitness goals and resolve to lose weight, with varying degrees of success, at the turn of each New Year. Since being overweight and obese remains widespread, many employers are using disease management programs and incentives to...

Mapping client needs is a sound strategy for boosting sales.
February 1, 2008... As we approach the half-way mark for the first quarter, we hope that your year is off to a great start. We are headlong into our new series of articles about increasing sales revenues and profits. Last month, we kicked off this series with an...

Every Dollar Counts: Employers increasingly recognize value of often OVerlooked benefits.
February 1, 2008... Whereas in past years the health care cost discussion so dominated the broader benefits conversation that secondary programs, auto/home among them, were nearly pushed off the menu completely. Now it seems times have changed. Health care still...

Good service is adviser's best tool when scaling disability hurdles.(Long Term Disability Insurance and Short Term Disability Insurance)(service provided by insurance industry)
February 1, 2008... The last time the disability market's temperature was taken, the results were pretty good. For the first half of 2007 average new LTD and STD premiums were up 15%. New lives were up 10% and 15% for LTD and STD, respectively. But the bullish...

Some employers come to predictive modeling as they pursue cost savings.
February 1, 2008... It is no secret employers are at a crossroads when it comes to health care costs. Many are weighing several different approaches in an effort to reduce costs, including financing options, plan design, employee contributions and vendor...

Unifying theory.(generating saving habit amongst employees)
February 1, 2008... It's all starting to make sense. People haven't given retirement planning the proper shrift. That we know. Some people are doomier and gloomier about America's retirement future than others, but most agree we need to save harder and longer. ...

Opportunities on the other side of the language barrier.(eduacting employees is must to flourish)
February 1, 2008... Fernando Lopez sees a large wall keeping much of the Latino workforce from enrolling in their benefits and many advisers from capitalizing on an untapped market. With his new company, Lopez breaks down misconceptions, educates employees and...

2008 Disability Source List.(UNUM Corp.)(CIGNA Corp.)(Metropolitan Life Insurance Co.)
February 1, 2008... The Hartford Location: Hartford, Conn. sales premium LTD/STD: $121.8/$78 market share LTD/STD: 13.3%/19.4% General broker contact: Rick Guerrini, VP of distribution development, group benefits division, 860-843-4605;...