As the COVID-19 pandemic drags on and many Americans see unmet needs outside of their health insurance, more and more workers are increasingly signing up for the voluntary benefits their employers offer. While many workers in the past had skipped on voluntary benefits, they have grown concerned that a good group health insurance plan may…
The $900 billion COVID-19 relief bill, passed by Congress and signed into law on Dec. 27, includes a number of provisions that affect employers and their workers in terms of paid sick leave and Emergency Family and Medical Leave Act provisions. The legislation also boosts unemployment benefits to out-of-work Americans, as well as reopening and…
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted businesses and other organizations in multiple ways. Lost revenue and the overnight change to remote workforces, among other things, have caused significant changes to operations and finances. A new report shows that there will be long-term effects on employee benefit programs as well. Health insurers are forecasting continued cost increases…
The Trump administration has issued new interim final rules that set out accelerated coverage requirements for COVID-19 preventative services and covering out-of-network testing for the coronavirus. There are two parts to the interim final rules: One requires that COVID-19 preventative services – including vaccines – be covered without any cost-sharing on the part of…
U.S. employers are expecting their group health insurance costs to climb 4.4% in 2021, despite the ravages of pandemic and a likely uptick in health care usage next year, according to a new survey. The expected rate increases are on par with much of the last few years when insurance premium inflation has hovered between…
While the COVID-19 crisis worsens, Congress has made a number of important changes to Medicare to help recipients cope with associated costs, should they be tested or receive treatment. If you are a Medicare recipient, here are the changes you should know about, thanks to the passage and enactment of the CARES Act: No out-of-pocket…