Core and Group Health

The hit on earnings will prompt employers to drop their retiree drug coverage, according to the American Benefits Council, and instead move retired employees into the Medicare Part D program.

Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis voiced her disappointment over the U.S. Senate's decision to recess for two weeks, without approving legislation that would have extended emergency unemployment insurance benefits.

The most common strategy used was to ask employees to pay more via the medical plan design (46 percent).

I guess we'll just have to keep watching, making phone calls, and never stop educating our clients and the general public on the real purpose of health insurance.

Assistant Secretary of Labor Phyllis Borzi told BusinessWeek Wednesday she hopes to see the COBRA subsidy program extended through the end of this year.

Findings from a recent Hewitt Associates survey determined employers depend on both penalties and incentives to encourage their employees to participate in wellness programs.

Overall, how disruptive do you anticipate that reform will be to your clients?

Businesses with 25 or fewer employees and with average annual wages of $40,000 or less are eligible for a credit of up to 50 percent of nonelective contributions they make toward insurance premiums for their employees.