For millions of Americans, the end of the year is open enrollment season – a yearly opportunity to take stock of your health care needs and select the health insurance plan that works best for you. It is a window of time – typically in the fall – when you can sign up for health insurance, review, assess, and modify your existing benefits.
There are more choices than ever to help you find a plan that will best suit your health needs. Think of it like planning a trip: you don’t pack a surfboard if you are planning to hike in the mountains. Likewise, there is a lot to think about when selecting a health plan for the next year. What does it cost? Does it include your prescription or preferred doctors? Understanding health insurance basics and how open enrollment works is essential for making informed choices about your benefits and insurance coverage.
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Did you know that in 2017 the American Medical Association and the World Health Organization recognized infertility as a disease? Approximately 17.5% – 
Health insurance may not be the most exciting thing to shop for but it’s one of the most important things that you can buy for yourself and for your family. Having health insurance has many benefits. It protects you and your family from financial loss in the same way that home or car insurance does. Even if you are in good health, you never know when you might have an accident or get sick.
In the wake of the Great Depression and WWII, employers started to add benefits packages. Healthcare had fallen by the wayside for families working to access the basic necessities of life. The idea was to support the employee’s personal needs while keeping and attracting the best talents in the workforce. This trend of offering benefits has continued into the 21st century. In the present era, most employees that join the workforce are Millennials (born between 1981-1996) and Generation Z (born between 1997-2012). Over half of them have said they want help building a more secure financial future. Over half of them have said they want help building a more secure financial future.
With health care costs on the rise, it’s more important than ever to take responsibility for your medical care choices. Asking questions and researching your options are good ways to start taking control of how much you spend on health care. Becoming an educated healthcare consumer is important for making informed decisions about your health and getting the best possible care. Here are some steps you can take to become an educated healthcare consumer:
As much as employers might prefer that employees’ personal affairs do not interfere with their work, the reality is that problems outside of the workplace can and do impact job performance. Many of these issues go unaddressed due to fear of stigmatization, leading to further declines in employee health and productivity. Anxiety and stress, financial troubles, substance abuse and other personal problems can also lead to increased absenteeism. To help combat these issues, many employers offer a workplace benefit called an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that is designed to help employees address everyday challenges.
Are you the type of person who loves to save money? You’ll be happy to know that there’s a way to do so with your health care costs. It starts with medical expense accounts which let you set aside money to pay for certain health products and services. One type of medical expense account is a Health Savings Account (HSA).
Healthcare costs, and consequently employee health benefit costs, have been growing at an alarming rate in recent years. The U.S. as a nation spends more on health care than any other developed country but has worse health outcomes. How is this possible?
Volunteers make an immeasurable difference in people’s lives and often serve with the intention of helping others. But, did you know that volunteering can benefit your mental health as well?