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IRS Loosens Preventive Care Coverage Rules

InterWest Insurance Services

New guidance issued by the IRS expands the types of preventive care benefits that high-deductible health plans are required to cover with no out-of-pocket costs on the part of plan enrollees. The changes are aimed at reducing out-of-pocket costs for diabetes-related expenses, certain cancer screenings and contraceptives.

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3 in 4 Workers Would Accept Lower-Pay for Better Benefits: Survey

InterWest Insurance Services

A new study has found three out of four U.S. workers would accept a job with a slightly lower salary if it offered better health care and medical coverage. The main driver in workers prioritizing benefits is the rapidly rising cost of group health insurance premiums and out-of-pocket costs, according to the study by Voya Financial.

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Four High Deductible Health Plan Mistakes to Avoid

InterWest Insurance Services

Failing to offer a health savings account The idea behind HDHPs is that the money employees save on premium can be funneled into an attached HSA, which can be used to reimburse out-of-pocket medical expenses. The key to ensuring that the HDHP is a success in part comes down to avoiding four common mistakes.

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HDHP Enrollees Less Satisfied with Their Health Plans

InterWest Insurance Services

But satisfaction greatly increases when HDHP enrollees stick with their plan for more than three years, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI)/Greenwald Research “Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey.”

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As Health Care Costs Bite, Here’s How You Can Help Your Workers

InterWest Insurance Services

Even if you are providing them with a robust plan, there are often out-of-pocket cost-sharing and deductibles to contend with. For employees in high-deductible health plans, the costs can be steep. Many preventative services are covered with no out-of-pocket cost-sharing, but checkups usually are not.

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Waiving HDHP Deductibles Has Little Effect on Premiums, Study Says

InterWest Insurance Services

Employers who offer health savings account-eligible high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) to employees can significantly expand pre-deductible coverage for certain drugs used to manage chronic conditions — with only a tiny effect on premiums.

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Little-Known Things to Consider When Shopping for Group Health Insurance

Insperity

First and second time group health insurance buyers usually miss the opportunity to buy a health savings account (HSA)-qualified high-deductible health plan (HDHP). Health Savings Accounts. In addition, employer contributions to an HSA can keep out-of-pocket costs reasonable for employees.