Category: Custom Content
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Year-Round Benefits Education
For most organizations, employee benefits communication kicks into high gear during open enrollment season. During this time, there is a surge in emails, educational webinars, fliers throughout the office, and a barrage of forms demanding signatures. Post open enrollment, however, employees often receive minimal information about their benefits. While sporadic email updates or new laminated…
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Ho, Ho, Ho-ld Off on the Bad Habits This Holiday Season
‘Tis the season for family, festivity, and food—lots of food. The holidays dish up a triple whammy of wintry weather, irresistible foods, and stress, which can cause even the strongest-willed person to reach for another festive goodie. While the notion of enjoying “healthy holidays” has a nice ring to it, reaching that goal can be…
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The Attitude of Gratitude
You may have heard the saying attitude of gratitude. It’s a great little rhyme to remind us to live a life of gratitude – and practice it! When we practice being thankful on a regular basis, it not only impacts our mental and physical health, but those around you as well. The Definition of Gratitude…
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Benefits 101: What Is Accident Insurance?
Accidents happen. Whether you fall off a ladder, slip and break an arm, or get injured just living everyday life, an accident can happen. Anytime. Anywhere. What Is Accident Insurance? Accident insurance helps provide support when life’s most unexpected moments happen. It makes an accident less painful financially because it helps to pay the bills…
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Benefits 101: Premiums, Deductibles, Copays, and Out-of-Pocket Maximums
Not understanding benefits terminology is near the top of the list of ways that open enrollment and benefits selection can stress you out. Open enrollment is coming quickly and soon you will be talking about benefit options. The world of benefits and insurance can be confusing. In-network, out-of-network, deductibles, co-pays and co-insurance? What? Let us…
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Want to Increase Productivity? Support Working Parents
As the flu and RSV season gets underway, companies are asking themselves how they can support employees who need to stay home to care for their children. In fact, last October, 104,000 Americans missed work because of “childcare problems” – the highest total since the Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the figure in 2003. …
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Benefits 101: What Is Open Enrollment?
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…
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The Return of Student Loans: Ease Your Employee’s Anxiety
In the U.S., the outstanding balance is $1.75 trillion in student loan debt. Approximately 55% of students from public four-year universities have student loans, with a balance of $37,338 owed per borrower. Beginning in October, workers nationwide will need to resume payments on their student loans for the first time since March 2020. The pandemic-related…
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Why Health Insurance Matters
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. …
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Trending Topics: Fertility Benefits
Did you know that in 2017 the American Medical Association and the World Health Organization recognized infertility as a disease? Approximately 17.5% – roughly one in six couples– are affected by infertility in the U.S. As societal norms and employee expectations continue to evolve, companies are recognizing the importance of offering comprehensive benefits packages that…
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Financial Safety Nets – Don’t Let Your Employees Slip Through the Cracks!
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…
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Information Is Power – Be an Informed Healthcare Consumer!
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…
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Benefits 101: What Is an EAP?
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…
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Benefits 101: What is an HSA?
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…
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Up and Away – Healthcare Costs Are Taking Off
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? Four Key Factors Driving U.S. Healthcare Costs: Aging Population Healthcare gets more expensive…
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Volunteering and It’s Surprising Mental Health Benefits
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? While it’s true that the more you volunteer, the more benefits you’ll experience, volunteering doesn’t have to involve a long-term commitment or take a huge…
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Employee Benefit Trends: What is a Lifestyle Spending Account?
A Lifestyle Spending Account (LSA) offers employers an opportunity to help fund health and wellness costs that a traditional group health plan won’t cover. LSAs are often used as perks to attract and retain quality employees and could be a desirable piece of the employee benefits puzzle. What Is a Lifestyle Spending Account? A Lifestyle…
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Benefits 101: Vision Insurance
According to WebMD, the eyes are the most highly developed sensory organs in your body. Did you know that more of your brain is dedicated to the sense of sight than to all of the other senses combined? So, it makes sense that you would do all that you can to protect and care for these…
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Employee Benefit Communication: It’s Not Just About Open Enrollment
Employee benefits and open enrollment may be something you only think about a few times a year, and for your employees, it might be even less often. However, with a thoughtful, year-round communications plan, your business can increase employee engagement and smart benefits utilization. Many employees don’t know what benefits are available or how to utilize…
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An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure
Health care is expensive but there is good news: Most insurance plans come with free preventive care and benefits. There is a lot of confusion around what is and isn’t preventive care – and why it matters. Here is what you need to know. What is Preventive Care and Why Is It Important? Preventive care…
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Virtual Primary Care: The New Doctor’s Office?
The pandemic gave us more reasons, and more options, to see doctors online. More and more, people are seeking out telemedicine services versus the traditional brick and mortar physician’s office. This trend includes telemental health services as well. And much like the necessity of remote work proved its potential to employers, telemedicine took hold as…