All Healthcare and wellbeing articles – Page 260
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Article
E.On launches eyecare platform
Utilities firm E.On has launched an eyecare scheme to simplify how its 11,500 UK employees can take up the benefit.Employees can now order eyecare vouchers directly from provider Edenred via an online portal. This replaces E.On’s previous system which required staff to reclaim relevant eyecare costs through expenses.The portal enables ...
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Article
Charles Alberts: Is open-referral private PMI right for employers?
The important questions are: are premiums becoming more sustainable, and are employees who use the schemes satis?ed?Open referral promises to give employers more cost control, an attractive proposition in an environment where premiums often rise by double digits. This will be dif?cult to monitor because most schemes are subject to ...
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Article
Colin Boxall: Is open-referral private PMI right for employers?
Advo Group supports the concept of open referral, but with choice retained. Our job is to listen, understand and advise, including telling employers things they may not want to hear.Our [employer] clients’ view of open referral is in two camps. The ?rst is the positive: seeing sustainability, cost control, no ...
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Article
Iain Laws: Is open-referral private PMI right for employers?
The adoption of open referral by most insurers demonstrates growing employer demand and employee comfort with this approach. We recognise there will always be employers that place more importance on having a choice of consultants and treatment, so we support open referral as a design option rather than compulsion for ...
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Article
Employers struggle with global health insurance
A quarter (23%) of employer respondents would like to provide international health insurance to employees but can not afford to do so, according to research by Expacare.Its Anatomy of an international business report found that 28% of respondents viewed international health insurace as essential for any employees working abroad, but ...
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Article
Employers in Northern Ireland fail to tackle absence
Less than half (48%) of organisations surveyed in Northern Ireland have actively taken steps to reduce the number or duration of employee absences, according to research by investment advisory firm Kerr Henderson, group risk insurer Ellipse and private medical insurer H3 Insurance.The Employee benefits survey, which was completed by almost ...
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Article
Tax incentives could control sickness absence
The majority (90%) of employer respondents would like to see tax incentives introduced for all forms of healthcare-related employee benefits, according to research by Jelf Employee Benefits.The research aimed to identify the right benefits for such tax incentives by asking employers which healthcare-related benefits would most assist organisations in managing ...
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Article
Engage Mutual removes cash plan excesses
Engage Mutual has upgraded its employer-paid health cash plan product.The provider has removed the excess payable on four of the six treatment areas: health screening, counselling, complementary therapies, and consultations.It has also introduced the option of a higher premium level with an increased annual fund limit of £1,850.David Castling, commercial ...
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Article
Simplyhealth updates cash plan product
Simplyhealth has updated its voluntary health cash plan product by adding new benefits and increasing the annual limits on a number of existing benefits.The plan, which is available to new clients from 1 February and will be extended to existing employer clients from 1 April 2013, now includes dental accident ...
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Article
Vielife partners PMI intermediaries
Vielife has partnered with a range of large and mid-sized private medical insurance (PMI) intermediaries.The health and wellbeing provider has not yet released the names of the intermediaries yet, but will do so throughout 2013.The partnership will offer the intermediaries access to Vielife Online, a platform that mines health and ...
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Article
Cigna launches health plans for oil and gas workers
Cigna Global Health Benefits Europe has launched a range of health plans designed for rig workers in the oil and gas sector.The Cigna Energy Plans offer three levels of cover: core, advanced and ultra. Employers can cover employees worldwide with the choice of either including or excluding the US.Dependents can ...
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Article
Health cash plan report 2013
Employee Benefits’ Health Cash Plans report highlights the mains topics and issues employers should be aware of around health cash plans.The report (download pdf) covers:Health cash plans versus primvate medical insuranceCheck out the providers and what they offerUnusual requests challenge cash plan providersThe devil can be in the detail for ...
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AnalysisCheck health cash plans' small print
IF YOU READ NOTHING ELSE, READ THIS…Small print may restrict cash plan claims.Employers should read cash plan terms and conditions carefully before implementing a scheme.Employees need educating about the terms and conditions of their plan.Employers’ need for valuable employee benefits has never been greater, so it is important to ensure ...
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Analysis
Quirky requests for health cash plan cover
IF YOU READ NOTHING ELSE, READ THIS…Traditional health cash plans have come to include benefits such as aromatherapy massages, hypnotherapy and reflexology.Some cash plan providers have been asked to cover laser tattoo removals, breast augmentations and pet insurance.Quirkier requests are more often made by individual employees than by employers, and ...
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AnalysisWhat's on offer in the health cash plan market?
IF YOU READ NOTHING ELSE, READ THIS…Cash plan providers cover myriad benefits.Costs start from £1 per employee per week.Not-for-profit health cash plan providers dominate the market.Dental and optical are the most common benefits on which providers pay out.There has been an increase in corporate health cash plan subscribers.Health cash plans ...
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AnalysisHealth cash plans versus private medical insurance
IF YOU READ NOTHING ELSE, READ THIS…Health cash plans can be offered to employees for as little as £1 a week.Private medical insurance (PMI) is usually more expensive than a health cash plan.PMI and health cash plans can be run alongside each other.The health cash plan market has grown phenomenally ...
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Opinion
Sally Hart: International PMI has its challenges
Employers must balance cost and benefits. International health insurance is expensive, and costs can be managed by introducing individual excess amounts or by limiting cover where appropriate.Size matters to providers. Organisations with more than a few expatriates may be able to have medical history disregarded; those with more than 100 ...
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Case Studies
Complementary health perks at Dennis Publishing
Some employees have also opted for additional partner cover at their own cost.The cash plan was launched to run alongside a private medical insurance (PMI) scheme. HR director Alison Hunter says: “When the Health Shield cash plan was introduced, we saw a 30% drop in PMI take-up, but only about ...
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AnalysisInternational PMI must follow local rules
IF YOU READ NOTHING ELSE, READ THIS…Local regulations may dictate what an international private medical insurance scheme must cover in some regions.International insurers may not be able to operate in some countries because of licensing rules, so must partner a local provider.The benefits that employees expect or require will vary ...
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Opinion
Teresa Rogers: Local support is key to health
In recent years, we have heard a lot about the UK’s evolving economic climate. It is no surprise that organisations, large and small, are considering new horizons for their manufacturing as well as their markets. So employers need a wider spectrum of benefits to support their employees overseas.Foreign assignments can ...