Health Care Reform

Lifting the hood on 401(k) fees: rich and risky data for your benefits communication

401(k) fee disclosures have sparked a battle over vested interests—those who charge fees for investment and administrative services to plan sponsors and workers. We’ve finally got some clarity on implementation with the DOL’s release of final rules for fee disclosures to plan sponsors and what those regulations mean to plan participants. More

Four shifts in employee benefits that all communicators must understand

There are four major shifts happening in benefits right now that all communicators need to know about. Learn what they are and how you play a role in each. More

Summary of Benefits Coverage guidelines released: Another tool for benefits communication

A couple of weeks ago, the Department of Labor (DOL) released its final regulations for the Summary of Benefits Coverage (SBC). Read the key highlights and what the implementation date means for you. More

Is health care reform comic-worthy? New resources to help with your benefits communication

We love innovative ways to educate. Particularly around hairy concepts like health care reform. Check out two we’ve recently discovered. More

12 blog posts to help you keep your 2012 HR and benefits communications resolutions

Each New Year, we all create a laundry list of new goals to tackle. Everyone desires positive change, but without a game plan, many abandon resolutions short of realizing their goals.

Well—here’s help with your game plan. These are 12 of our favorite blog posts of 2011 to help you reach your 2012 HR and benefits communications resolutions. More

Delayed Implementation: Summary of Benefits and Coverage

The Department of Labor (DOL) announced that the Summary of Benefits Coverage (SBC) will not be required by March 23, 2012, as originally stated in the Affordable Care Act (ACA). A new deadline has not yet been announced. And the DOL has not shared the target timeframe for the final regulations. Read more on our blog about what the SBC is and why it matters. More

Six tips to effectively communicate wellness programs during open enrollment

You can’t just casually slip in a mention about biometric screenings during open enrollment. Those are sensitive topics. Oh, and they also just might change your entire approach to benefits. More

We need one definition of an out-of-pocket limit

Have two minutes to help change the health care system? (Think of it as your good Samaritan duty of the day—because you’re just the person the country needs today!) See our blog to learn how to send an email to get the definition of out-of-pocket limits standardized. More

Five tips for a not-business-as-usual enrollment

While health care reform has been relatively quiet this year, the media and political scene have not, leaving your employees with more questions than answers. Employers have a responsibility to educate employees about making good short-term decisions and helping them see the longer-term picture of how health and financial security stack up. So, how can HR and benefits managers communicate to employees this year? Here are five tips for the 2011 open enrollment campaign. More

Top tweets of August

You’re probably already gearing up for the busiest time of the year—open enrollment. We know you’re busy introducing new initiatives or just promoting existing ones and probably don’t have time to stay on top of all the news and latest happenings. Check out our top tweets of the month. You might just see something to help you during your busy season. More

6 tips for making preventive care more prominent for employees

“I’m here because my father got cancer,” I said to the doctor at my first annual check up in almost four years.

“He didn’t get his regular check ups, so they caught his cancer at an advanced stage,” I continued with some conviction. She nodded and told me to come back the next day at 8 a.m. — after fasting — to get blood drawn.

What? Why not right now? Clearly, a teachable moment like my own father’s diagnosis propelled me into the doctor office. Your employees are having similar ah-ha moments. But no one was helping me make it priority. I just had my first child. I was renovating a house. My list goes on, just as your employees’ does.

Here are 6 tips to help your employees make preventive care a simpler process. More

Top Tweets of June: On wellness, social media and health care reform

If you’re not obsessive about Twitter like I am, it’s hard to stay up on all the articles and news exchanged among tweeters. That’s why we compile this monthly list of the top tweets about health and benefits. More

Strategically Communicating to Employees about Health Reform

We’re thrilled that effective communication continues to be seen as such a key part of heath care reform and I was delighted to share our recommendations, tips and experiences on an Employee Benefit News webinar this week. Effective communication not only improves the value and results of your benefits program, but it can turn health care reform from a messy set of administrative hurdles into a strategic opportunity to engage employees and families in what matters most—their health.

Check out this post for the archived webinar and slides. More

Health care reform and results-based wellness: Two webinars next week!

A quick post to let you know about two webinars I’m presenting next week. (No cost to you except a minute to sign up!)

On Tuesday, I’ll be giving a presentation about strategically communicating health care reform. On Thursday, I’ll talk about our new results-based wellness product, Limeade GreenLine. More

Trolls in Payroll: Adult Children + Imputed Income

Among all of the health care reform changes, an important—but critical—fact may have slipped by. The value of coverage for adult children is taxable income in the majority of states. While not an issue at the federal level—most states, will tax the value of this coverage. That is called imputed income. And, that is something you need to explain clearly to your employees and their families.

In a down economy, employees are watching every penny. And, while they might be happy to share the umbrella of your medical plan with their older child thanks to health care reform, they are still watching the bigger bite that coverage is taking out of their paycheck.

Find out about our Adult Children Imputed Income Toolkit. More

November tweets -- what your employees said about open enrollment

November was all about open enrollment. We hope you were keeping an eye on what employees were saying. Here’s some of the dialog on Twitter. More

Talking to your senior execs about health care reform

You’re on the third floor waiting for the elevator, on the way down to grab your morning cup of coffee. The elevator doors open and standing there is the CEO. It’s just the two of you in the elevator.

The CEO turns towards you and says, “Hey, I saw something on the news about free preventive services and health care reform, what are we doing about it?”

Would you know what to say? More

The road through health care reform is long and bumpy so hold on tight – to each other

If you haven’t taken the time to grab a cup of coffee with the folks at legal, or have lunch with your friends in accounting, now would be good. Over the next eight years, your company will need to examine — and implement where needed — a significant number of provisions associated with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Everyone will have an important role to play in a long and complex process that is sure to test each department’s patience, flexibility and maybe even sense of humor. More

Navigating the changes: strategically communicating about health care reform

I was absolutely thrilled with the turnout at a webinar I recently presented for HR Executive: Navigating the changes: strategically communicating about health care reform. Over 2,300 people registered and over 1,500 listened in. We asked three questions about health care reform communication during the presentation and the answers are pretty interesting. Also, see the full presentation. More

Top 10 Tweets for September--all about health care reform and open enrollment

These 10 tweets were my favorite this past month – given the time of year, they are all about health care reform and open enrollment. More

How to get the most from open enrollment

Here we go again. That time of year when you have to grab your employees’ attention long enough to explain why benefits matter and then help them make key choices about their health care – and their future. Here are some tips to help make open enrollment communication simple. More

Health care reform: Recent events you should know about

Little by little we’re learning more about the complex piece of legislation called the PPACA. As you prepare for open enrollment and develop your material, it’s important you stay up to date on health care reform news and incorporate relevant material into your key messages.
Read about the latest events you should know about. More

Health care reform: Crossing key messages

For many employers, the message is clear: health care reform is going to cost money. But, before you go telling your employees just how bad things look, take a step back. The pessimist’s outlook does little to get people engaged in their health or good decision-making. Consider this open enrollment season an opportunity to explain health care benefits – and a whole lot more. More

Health care reform: Rewriting the DOL notices

Yesterday we spoke about communicating health care reform at the IFEBP Benefit Communication and Technology Institute in Boston. We talked to a number of highly engaged folks eager to translate the complicated technical language of benefits into normal everyday speech. Like many of us, they wear many hats and juggle multiple responsibilities. Translating legal notices into plain language sometimes falls to the bottom of the to-do list. We’re rewriting three new government notices that need work. More

What health reform demands of employee communication

Health care reform: Recent events from the administration

Health and Human Services, the Department of Labor and our new National Prevention Council have been busy! As you develop your enrollment campaign (for plans effective Jan 1), you’ll want to consider this news in your key messages and possibly the media elements themselves. More

Health care reform: Age 26 dependents—FAQs

Health care reform: Age 26 dependents—What’s the right message?

Well into college graduation season, the commencement speech may not be the hottest conversation topic. Instead, graduates and their parents may be talking about the new health care bill—and whether or not the children will lose their parents’ health care coverage at commencement or if they can take advantage of new rules that require employers to cover dependents up through age 26. More

Health care reform: Absorbing the new law

We can stop calling it health care reform. Thanks to Congress, we have our newest acronym—PPACA! And most large employers aren’t seeing it as a reason to drop health coverage. More

Health care reform: PPACA employee announcement

This is a template for an employee announcement about health care reform. It includes an announcement of the new law, overview of the upcoming changes, and acknowledgement that much is still in flux. To use this template, you should review in detail and edit carefully to be consistent with your benefit plans, the tone of your employee communication and your benefits strategy. You may also want your health care consultants and attorneys to review all employee communication. Also please see our common sense caveat below. More

What to tell your employees about health reform

The House passed health reform Sunday night. Now what do you tell your employees? More