Dealing with COVID Vaccination Status Friction Points with Employees
The controversy over COVID-19 vaccine mandates in the workplace continues growing and human resources are sounding the alarm on how employers should approach the matter. While the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and impending OSHA regulations will provide some cover to employers
COVID-19 Home Test Kits Reimbursable under FSAs, HSAs
Under new guidance issued by the IRS, at-home COVID-19 testing kits will be considered a reimbursable medical expense under the three main health care savings vehicles offered to employees. This new guidance adds to the list of personal COVID-19-related expenses for
Coverage for Virtual Substance Abuse Treatment Grows
Thousands of American families have been affected by the tragedy of someone with a substance abuse problem. For many, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, finding available and affordable treatment has been difficult or impossible. Recently, however, virtual treatment options have become
Employers Mull Higher Health Plan Cost-Sharing for Unvaccinated Staff
Some employers are considering a new incentive for their workers to get vaccinated against COVID-19: Charging them higher health insurance premiums if they don't. A recent brief from consulting firm Mercer reported that employers are looking at surcharging the health insurance
Group Health Insurers Not Factoring In COVID-19 Effects in 2022 Pricing: Study
In a glimpse of what we may expect in terms of premiums, a new study by the Kaiser Family Foundation has found that most insurers are not factoring in added costs or savings related to COVID-19 for their 2022 health
Pandemic Brings Voluntary Benefits to Fore
One major repercussion of the COVID-19 pandemic is that employees are embracing the voluntary benefits their employers are offering them, but they'd like to see more choices and issues such as mental health and voluntary benefits have risen to the
Health Plan Rebates in 2021 to Be Second Highest on Record
Group health plan insurers are expected to pay out $618 million in rebates to plan sponsors for the 2020 policy year after seeing use of health care services plummet during the COVID-19 pandemic. That's according to a Kaiser Family Foundation estimate
How to Create a Flextime Policy
With so many people having been relegated to remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic, many employers are now wrestling with how to proceed as it starts to wane. Many companies are considering implementing hybrid, flextime work schedules after seeing success
Vision Coverage Can Reduce Overall Health Care Costs
Research has found that employers who offered their workers stand-alone vision benefits experienced $5.8 billion in cost savings in the aggregate over four years due to reduced health care costs, avoided productivity losses, and lower turnover rates. That’s because individuals who
Addressing Pandemic Fatigue Among Your Staff
As the country and our businesses continue trudging along and hope that vaccines will pave the way out of the COVID-19 crisis, employers are increasingly seeing the effects of pandemic fatigue among their workers. The same issues people are grappling with