Specialty drug costs continue to vex most health plan sponsors. This article from NEJM Catalyst brings to light some of the key issues and opportunities for employers. It highlights the Cleveland Clinic’s recent effort to eliminate $8.5 million of annual waste associated with two commonly used cardiovascular drugs. Employers have got to like that result! (more…)
A past Wall Street Journal article entitled, “The 19 Questions to Ask Your Financial Adviser,” originally grabbed our attention. We were drawn to read Jason Zweig’s Intelligent Investor column as investors and 401k plan sponsors, but it ended up resonating with us even more as benefits consultants. (more…)
The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia has issued a ruling affecting the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) final wellness rules. In AARP v. EEOC, the court directed the EEOC to reconsider its final wellness rules under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA).
The final rules allow employers to offer wellness incentives of up to 30 percent of the cost of health plan coverage. The court held that the EEOC failed to provide a reasoned explanation for adopting the incentive limit. Rather than vacating the final rules, the court sent them back to the EEOC for reconsideration. (more…)