While there is no federal law that requires employers to provide employees with healthcare insurance, tax law incentives and competitive requirements cause most employers (except for the smallest organizations) to sponsor health benefit plans. Employer provided healthcare benefits are the major source of health insurance for most people in the United States. With the continuing rapid increase in the cost of health benefits, employers have implemented a variety of cost-cutting and cost-shifting strategies including ranging from self-insurance and managed care to defined-contribution, or consumer-directed, health plans.
For information on other requirements relating to healthcare benefits,
Please see the national Heath Care Insurance, national Health Information Privacy, and national Health Insurance Continuation/COBRA. sections.
Prepaid Health Benefits Cards Help Employees Be 'Smart'
You've been encouraging employees to take a more active role in their health care. You've provided an HSA, an HRA, and an FSA to make sure they have the ability to pay health-related expenses before taxes. But you've also fielded questions from employees, nearly as frustrated with the complicated new programs as they are with healthcare costs. What's a conscientious employer to do?
Limited Healthcare Plan Boosts Retention Among Temps
CBS Personnel Holdings, Inc., a Cincinnati-based temporary staffing and executive search company with 145 branches in 18 states, offers a traditional medical plan to its internal staff of 850. About 5 years ago, the company also started offering a limited healthcare plan to thousands of temporary associates who work at client locations, says Suzanne Perry, vice president of human resources.
Big Jump in CDHP Enrollment in 2007
The number of Americans enrolled in consumer-directed health care plans (CDHPs) increased at a "staggering" rate in 2007, according to a new study.
House Passes Mental Health Parity Bill
Health insurers would be prohibited from placing discriminatory restrictions on mental health and addiction treatment, under the Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act of 2007, which was recently approved by the House of Representatives.
