Despite group health insurance costs expected to rise 5.4% this year, the tight labor market is forcing employers to prioritize enhancing benefits over cost-cutting measures, according to a new report by Mercer. With Americans increasingly struggling to pay their health care bills, more employers are shying away from only offering their workers high-deductible health plans…
The year 2022 was one of the most tumultuous climate disaster years in history, a year when we saw the massively destructive Hurricane Ian, an unprecedent number of tornadoes, growing wildfires in the West and a “bomb cyclone” in late December. And the increasing number of natural disasters is not just a U.S. phenomenon. It’s…
A new study has found that one-third of companies that are hit with ransomware and pay the hackers to unlock their systems, are often likely to be targeted a second time. And after they pay, they are often faced with significant fallout, including system rebuilding costs, their data still being leaked and financial implications, according…
As more health services are being rendered through providers’ patient portals and telemedicine, some providers are starting to bill for some of those interactions. A number of health systems around the country have started billing for certain types of messages, largely ones that are involved in clinical assessments or medical history reviews that take more…
This is the second half of a two-part article on the new laws and regulations affecting businesses in California. 6) Contractor workers’ comp A new law will require almost all contractors in California to carry workers’ compensation coverage, regardless of if they have employees or not. Currently, only roofers are required to carry workers’…
As 2023 draws near, so does a slew of new laws and regulations that will affect California businesses. Every year, a raft of bills are passed by the state Legislature and signed into law by the governor. The end result is another round of new laws that employers need to stay on top of. This…
As many as 9 million surprise medical bills have been prevented since January 2022 due to the impact of the No Surprises Act, according to a new report. This is the first data that indicates the law, aimed at eliminating surprise medical billing for insured patients getting emergency treatment, is working. The number of claims…
As the holiday season nears, your business will have new safety considerations to confront. From holiday parties and risk of electrical shock to fires and trips and falls, companies have a set of safety and risk management challenges that may not be present during most of the year. Decorations present their own set of safety…
Inflation, an aging workforce and people catching up on care they skipped during the COVID-19 pandemic are some of the main ingredients that will drive the cost of group health benefits over the coming years. The key for employers grappling with these higher costs is how they can reduce their impact by switching up plan…
A recent study has found that injured workers are often left feeling frustrated and fending for themselves after they file a workers’ compensation claim. The survey of injured workers by researchers at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada found that workers reacted in a number of ways when experiencing “procedural” unfairness, frustration in how…