Strong sales of retirement plans boost OneAmerica
A big bet on employer-sponsored retirement plans is paying off for locally based OneAmerica Financial Partners, a company best known for its life insurance offerings.
Insurance Benefits
Articles
Pence not ruling out health partnership with feds
Indiana Gov.-elect Mike Pence has ruled out building a state-run health insurance exchange but appears to be leaving open the option of running a joint venture with the federal government as a critical decision deadline draws near.
Deal provides peek at Anthem’s narrow networks
A new agreement in Wisconsin provides a glimpse of the kind of “narrow network” arrangements that Indianapolis-based Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield might attempt in Indiana.
Appeals court strikes down Indiana’s Medicaid dental cap
The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago upheld a preliminary injunction that blocked the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration from enforcing a $1,000 annual limit on dental coverage. The agency had established it as a cost-cutting measure in 2011.
Some hospitals, doctors might be cut from health plans
With health insurance premiums continuing to outstrip inflation, some health insurers and hospital systems are considering bringing back an old strategy: limiting patient access to a “narrow” network of doctors and hospitals.
High-deductible premiums rising, too
Since 2007, premiums for high-deductible health plans’ family coverage have grown 32 percent—compared with 30 percent among all health plans, according to survey data from the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Average premiums for employee health plans rise 4 percent
Annual premiums for job-based family health insurance went up just 4 percent on average this year, but that's no comfort with the price tag approaching $16,000 and rising more than twice as fast as wages.
Mayor signs off on domestic-partner ordinance
The ordinance covering city employees offers insurance coverage to both same-sex and heterosexual unmarried couples. The mayor also signed the “Complete Streets” proposal.
Employee benefits firm plans Indianapolis expansion
Apex Benefits Group plans to invest $1 million and add 25 jobs paying an average of $44 an hour.
Committee passes domestic partner benefits proposal
The plan to offer health-care benefits to domestic partners of Indianapolis city workers passed a City-County Council committee by a 7-0 vote on Tuesday. The full council could consider the measure as early as Aug. 13.
Analysis: How stocks will fare in ruling on health care law
The Supreme Court is expected to rule on the Affordable Care Act by the end of June. Here’s a roundup of how health care businesses would be affected under four different scenarios.
Benefits brokers gain ground without merging
While mergers and acquisitions have been rampant in central Indiana’s benefits-broker industry the past five years, a handful of brokers has grown the old-fashioned way—by adding clients.
Indianapolis council to consider domestic-partner benefits
City-County Councilor Angela Mansfield filed the proposal covering city employees that would make same-sex and heterosexual couples who live together eligible for health insurance benefits.
Broker tied to ISTA insurance woes still tangling with state
David Karandos failed to make fine payments due March 1 and April 1, and Securities Commissioner Chris Naylor has ordered him to appear at a May hearing to make the case why “additional consequences” aren’t warranted.
COLVIN: Get ready for a perfect storm in Worker’s Compensation
Rates are set to rise as insurers increasingly note the link between older workers’ health and productivity.
Gallagher sees more broker mergers coming
The Carmel office of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. just made its sixth acquisition in five years, and it expects looming changes to tax and health laws to produce even more chances to snap up benefits brokers this year.
IU workers to see spike in health insurance costs
An IU official said premiums continue to rise and the university can't continue matching the amount of the increase.
WellPoint buying private health insurance exchange
The deal helps WellPoint compete for employers with the U.S. state-run marketplaces set to open in 2014 under President Obama’s health-care overhaul.
Survey: Workers’ health care costs rose in high single digits
Benefit consultant Nyhart says the typical Hoosier is paying $105 per month for single coverage and $417 per month for family coverage.
Aetna latest out of Indiana individual health market
The nation's third-largest health insurance company is the latest to leave the individual policy market in Indiana in another sign of diminishing competition.