Acquisitions don't always mean immediate integration. When one company acquires another, employees may continue operating under different compensation structures, benefits packages, policies, and workplace cultures for years. For example, Amazon merged with Whole Foods Market back in 2017 but just recently made the decision to expand healthcare, leave, and other benefits for Whole Foods Market employees. This announcement offers a timely portrayal of how companies revisit their approach...

Small and midsize employers are heading into another difficult health insurance renewal season. A recent analysis from the Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker found that insurers requested a median 14% premium increase for 2027 fully insured small-group plans. These are proposed rates, not final increases, and they do not include self-funded plans. Insurers cited rising medical costs and utilization, specialty drugs, and increased use of GLP-1 medications. The median estimated increase in...

Benefits communication should do more than tell employees what benefits are available. Effective communication helps employees understand their benefits, recognize how changes affect them, and make informed decisions about using those benefits.

Grail, a biotechnical company based out of California and with locations in Washington, DC, Research Triangle Park NC, and London, UK, has developed new multi-cancer early detection (MCED) test that checks a person’s blood for cancer. The company has conducted many clinical studies with over 380,000 participants.

An Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements (ICHRA) is a type of employer-funded health benefit plan that allows an employer to reimburse employees for qualified medical expenses, including some or all of the premiums for individual-market health insurance coverage (or Medicare, if the person is Medicare-eligible), as well as the cost of out-of-pocket medical expenses.  It is similar to a Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) but has a broader application.

In a May 2025 blog post, OneDigital examined the best way to transition from a fully insured health plan to a self-funded plan. A self-funded health care plan is one where the employer assumes the financial risk for providing health care benefits to its employees. Instead of paying fixed premiums to an insurance carrier, the employer pays for medical claims out of its own funds.

HR departments are under mounting pressure to control costs, particularly in employee benefits and HR operations. A recent AON report underscores this trend, projecting healthcare costs to rise by 9.2% in 2025, up from 8% the previous year. This reinforces the reality that HR remains one of the largest cost centers in most organizations. A recent article from WTW, “Recalibrating Employee Benefits: How Companies Are Delivering Value in a Cost-Constrained World,” calls for a shift...

Mercer Marsh Benefits' Health Trends Report surveyed 225 insurers in 55 markets and found that they are expecting half of employers will "want to reduce plan coverage to manage costs in the coming year."

Postpartum recovery is a deeply personal journey, but support can make a big difference. Care and resources following childbirth improve a mother's long-term outcomes. These outcomes are better on a physical, emotional, as well as professional level. Yet within the United States, far too many women navigate this complex transition largely on their own.

More than two-thirds of employees said that health care benefits are second only to salary when considering a job offer, and 78% said they would find a new job if their benefits package was inadequate, according to recent research from Intuit QuickBooks and Allstate Health Solutions. The 2024 Intuit QuickBooks Allstate Health Solutions Benefit Survey noted that the survey results emphasize the important role health care benefits play when it comes to an employer’s ability to...

A recent report from The Best Place for Working Parents® and Southern Methodist University's Center on Research and Evaluation (CORE) highlights the advantages of family-friendly policies, revealing their positive impact on both working parents and businesses' overall performance.

Looking for a new voluntary benefit to add to your portfolio? A recent study conducted by MetLife Legal Plans reveals a growing demand for legal services in the workplace. MetLife's Legal Access Study indicates that within the past five years, more than two-thirds of today's workforce, 67%, have confronted legal issues. These challenges extend beyond personal lives, affecting overall well-being and work productivity.

When interviewing a benefits broker, it’s essential to ask the right questions to ensure that they can meet your company’s specific needs and provide the best benefits package for your employees.  Start with the basic questions: