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Industry Updates

This broad category includes articles concerning health insurance costs, carrier and health plan news, changing benefits technology, and surveys by the Kaiser Family Foundation and others on employee benefits.

Employers Brace For Rising Health Care Costs And Political Changes In The New Year

“As employers head into the new year, they face formidable challenges stemming from climbing health care costs, which are putting pressure on how employers manage their overall health and wellbeing programs," said Ellen Kelsay, president and CEO of Business Group on Health.

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States Should Regulate Single-State Self-Insured Health Plans, Not ERISA, Say Lawmakers

Members of state legislatures are looking for a way to regulate self-funded employer plans. The National Council of Insurance Legislators held a general session on the impact of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 on state health insurance regulation last month in San Antonio, during NCOIL’s annual meeting. Federal law leaves regulation of ...

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Elon Musk Weighs In On Health Care Costs Amid Insurance Scrutiny

Billionaire Elon Musk on Thursday weighed in on the cost of health care in the U.S., questioning the value Americans get for the coverage they receive. “Shouldn’t the American people be getting their money’s worth?” Musk, who was tapped to co-lead the incoming Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) alongside Vivek Ramaswamy, replied to a post ...

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Democrats Propose Deal To GOP Extending Affordable Care Act Subsidies By A Year

Congressional Democrats have privately proposed a deal to Republicans that would extend expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies by one year, with lawmakers worried by new estimates that 2.2 million people will otherwise lose health coverage, according to five people who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the proposal. The move accompanied a broader ...

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AHIP Lobbyist Hopes For Employer Plan Stability In Trump’s Washington

President-elect Donald Trump says he wants to disrupt the status quo in Washington. Adam Beck, a health benefits policy shaper, is hoping the new administration will make the current system more affordable without turning it upside down. Beck is senior vice president of commercial product and employer policy at America’s Health Insurance Plans, a health ...

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3 Factors To Consider When Funding Voluntary Benefits

When it comes to voluntary benefits, the question remains: Should the employer foot the bill?

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401(k)s Under A Trump Presidency: Could New Policies Usher In A New Era In Retirement Plans?

Improving retirement security in America has been one of the things that has had wide bipartisan support recently, and now Republican control of the Presidency, House, and Senate could make passing retirement legislation easier, says retirement industry insider David Blanchett.

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How Many Big Newsom Ideas Will California Legislature Fund?

As a new legislative session gets underway in Sacramento next week, officials are sending mixed signals about the state of the state budget and just how ambitious California can afford to be in the coming year. A mere week ago, the Legislature’s nonpartisan fiscal adviser released its annual outlook, projecting a small deficit that could soon ...

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Ozempic’s Price Has Fallen 33% Since 2021: HHS

The price of Wegovy, the diabetes control drug's glamorous anti-obesity sibling, may also be falling, according to a Health and Human Services report.

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Employers Considering Alternatives to Cost Shifting Premium Increases to Employees

Benefits Pro reported in October 2024 that about one-third (34%) of employers anticipate shifting their employee benefits cost increase to employees. However, most businesses are considering alternatives that could help them avoid that cost shifting. Businesses are forecasting cost increases of as much as nine percent in 2025 (7.7% according to Benefits Pro). That is up from ...

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