Employers should be the true catalyst for healthcare reform

There’s still a lot of confusion when it comes to the impending healthcare reform and exactly what the effects are going to be on the system. One thing is for certain though–the legislation only addresses issues around access and not cost containment. Healthcare spending on an annual basis continues to rise at nearly 10 percent, and I believe that most employers have accepted that this is the trend with very little that they can do about it. Many have instituted wellness programs, installed fitness centers, and provided better access to healthy food choices for their employees. They encourage the use of retail clinics for basic care, and some have even built on-site clinics for that

Continue Reading »

Health Savings Accounts: A Healthy HR Option

If you want your business to attract the most desirable talent, you have to offer competitive benefits packages, including health coverage. But in today’s tumultuous healthcare environment, what kinds of coverage allow for a win-win situation for employees and employers alike? If you’ve been searching for a cost-efficient answer to that question, we suggest you take a look at Health Savings Accounts, or HSAs. An HSA bears some similarities to flex spending accounts, but it has many more advantages in that employees can make contributions into an account with the purpose of paying future medical expenses. The funds roll over year after year, and the employee owns the account. The amount employees contribute counts as

Continue Reading »

Your Anti-harassment Policy, Part 2: Handling Complaints
In a previous post we talked about the basics of an anti-harassment policy, including what constitutes harassment, the definition of sexual harassment and how to build and communicate a proper ... Your Anti-harassment Policy, Part 1: What to Include
As you know, businesses must take steps to protect themselves against discrimination lawsuits. Well, many of the same issues that factor in those suits – unfair treatment due to an ... Healthcare competition happens at the wrong level
In most sectors of the economy, market competition consistently improves quality while reducing costs. Healthcare seems to be an exception. But it’s not because competition couldn’t work, it’s because it’s ... A Hearty Welcome: Your Best Retention Tool?
Your new employee seemed really enthusiastic about joining the company during the interview process. So why did he hang around for a few weeks and then disappear? Was he just ... Healthcare pricing should be driven by employers
If buying a car were like buying healthcare, you would pick out your car, drive it home and bills would start showing up. You wouldn’t know what your plan covered ... Better Hiring through Referrals (Or, Goodbye Craigslist)
If you had to hire someone for a critical situation in your own life -- a tax lawyer to rescue you from a serious IRS issue, or a dentist to ... Facebook and background checks: what employers need to know
In a previous post we talked about how carefully employers must tread through the potential minefield of the hiring process, conducting interviews and preparing questionnaires that yield useful information without ... 10 Ways to Simplify Employee Benefits: Bonus Strategy #11 – A New Alternative for First-time Groups
As health insurance costs continue to skyrocket, small business owners find it harder and harder to offer coverage to their employees. The Texas Legislature has recognized that healthier employees build ...
« Previous Page — Next Page »