Employee Benefit News

Blogging, Facebooking, tweeting -- oh my! Advice for starting your social media benefits campaign

Adam Wootton, senior consultant for Towers Watson, speaks with Associate Editor Kathleen Koster to lead listeners through the social media communication process, explaining how to set up such an initiative and get senior management on board. After listening to the audio and reading "Social media benefit communication picks up speed," e-mail Koster your questions for Wootton at kathleen.koster@sourcemedia.com.

Milliman's Pyenson offers tough talk on what's not working in health benefits

Bruce Pyenson, a principal and consulting actuary with Milliman, visits “FMW” to talk to Associate Editor Lydell C. Bridgeford about some bad behaviors that employers have gotten into with benefit plan designs, such as instituting disease management and employee assistance programs.

Dental industry unrelenting in push for reform amendments

The ink barely was dry on H.R. 3962, the House health reform bill, before dental industry leaders hunkered down to fight drastic changes to dental coverages and how dental plans were administered. Associate Editor Kathleen Koster talks with Evelyn Ireland, executive director of the National Association of Dental Plans, about the specific problems the industry sees in the reform bills and ways to rectify them.

Pushing PBMs to the limit

Michael Jacobs, a principal and national clinical practice leader at Buck Consultants, vists “Five Minutes With...” to discuss with Associate Editor Lydell C. Bridgeford the firm’s latest research on prescription drug benefits and how health care reform and the economy are shaping employers’ attitudes toward the benefits.

Lessons from the ghost of open enrollment past

Graem Clark, assistant vice president of national accounts at Colonial Life, sits down with Associate Editor Lydell Bridgeford to discuss lessons employers most likely learned from the 2009 open enrollment season and the company’s latest research on the open enrollment experience.

Industry leaders offer insights to what 2010 holds for benefits

In a special roundtable episode of "Five Minutes With ..." moderated by Associate Editor Kathleen Koster, listen in as some of the industry’s top guns sound off on what benefit plan sponsors can expect from the New Year.

Payroll cards and other tips to increasing access to unbanked employees

The U.S. unbanked and underbanked population totals some 40 million households, some of whom undoubtedly are among your employee population. Associate Editor Lydell Bridgeford talks with Rachel Schneider of the Center for Financial Services Innovation about tips for employers to expand employees' access to traditional banking and the center's work to partner with companies to increase education.

Making a list and checking it twice: Legal checklist for your annual holiday party

This holiday season, make sure your holiday party has libation without litigation and your soiree stays free of swine flu. Associate Editor Kathleen Koster sits down with attorney John Challenger of Challenger, Gray & Christmas to get his tips on holding a hassle-free holiday party.

Health reform for SMB

Noted economist Doug Holtz-Eakin explains why current health care reform legislation will hurt, rather than help, small businesses. Join us as the President of DHE Consulting, LLC and Fellow with the Manhattan Institute in Arlington, Va., details SMB-friendly alternatives to the public option, among other proposed reforms.

When it comes to enrollment communications, tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth

Making some benefits adjustments — ahem, cutbacks — during open enrollment '09? It's best to not sugarcoat such information for employees, but rather tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, advises Jennifer Benz, president of Benz Communications. Benz chats with Associate Editor Kathleen Koster, sharing enrollment communications tips for employers.