News – Page 133
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Healthcare research 2012: Sickness absence
Reactive perks such as employee assistance programmes and private medical insurance have risen in importance as ways to help reduce sickness absence, says Debbie LovewellBenefits designed to help employers manage employees’ mental and physical wellbeing top the list of methods to reduce sickness absence levels. This year, respondents cite employee ...
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18% of respondents receive a dental plan through their employer
Only 18% of respondents are offered access to a dental plan through their employer, according to research by Cigna UK.The study, carried out in conjunction with YouGov, found that almost a third of those who are not offered dental †benefits through their employer would like to be.The research coincides with ...
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Aviva introduces new option for corporate PMI schemes
Aviva UK Health has introduced a new healthcare trust option on its optimum private medical insurance (PMI) healthcare cover, called Corporate Excess.Employers choosing the new option will have a corporate excess of about 80% of the predicted claims set on the policy, from which employee claims are paid.The advantage of ...
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Buyer's guide to private medical insurance 2012
Focus on factsWhat is PMI?Private medical insurance (PMI) pays for the costs of private medical treatment, enabling claimants to jump the NHS queue and arrange treatment at a convenient time.What are the origins of PMI?The first PMI policy was launched by Crusader Insurance (now part of Cigna) in 1907. Prior ...
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Expacare introduces international PMI for small employers
Expacare has launched an international private medical insurance (PMI) product for small employers.The scheme, called Choices, is designed for organisations with between five and 29 employees.It is a fixed, core plan to which additional optional benefits can be added, allowing employees to tailor the plan to their needs.The core plan ...
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Kent County Council closes PMI scheme for senior staff
EXCLUSIVE: Kent County Council is to withdraw its private medical insurance (PMI) scheme for senior staff in April to save costs.The PMI scheme, provided by Simplyhealth, is available to about 1% of the council’s 40,000 staff.The change is part of a more practical approach to health and wellbeing by the ...
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Jelf launches online health and wellbeing service
Jelf Employee Benefits has partnered Health Assured to launch a health and wellbeing service that includes an interactive online assessment, employee assistance programme and absence management system.The service, Jelf Protect, provides support if staff or their family members are diagnosed with a serious health condition, a long-term disability or are ...
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ICAP cuts costs with review of sickness absence strategy
EXCLUSIVE: Interdealer money broker ICAP has cut its total cost of absence by one-third and reduced its group income protection premiums over the past three years after a major review of its sickness absence strategy.Since the review, which began in 2009, the firm has reduced the number of days’ absence ...
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William Russell extends global PMI to Abu Dhabi
International expatriate insurance provider William Russell has announced that its plans are now available to employers in Abu Dhabi.Previously, strict insurance regulation meant that insurance plans, available in much of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), could not be sold in Abu Dhabi. The Dubai Insurance Company (DIC), the underwriters of ...
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GKN introduces voluntary benefits scheme after review
Global engineering group GKN has introduced a voluntary benefits scheme after a review of its benefits structure.The firm has introduced GKN Advantage, provided by BHSF, which includes: legal and counseling services, a health cash plan, and childcare vouchers and a bikes-for-work scheme via salary sacrifice arrangements.The scheme is open to ...
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UK absence management approach is increasing risk
Employers’ current approach to absence management is heightening employer and employee risk, according to a report by group risk insurer Ellipse and Dr Cary Cooper, professor of organisational psychology and health at Lancaster University.The report, Sick notes: How changes in the workplace and technology demand a rethink of absence management, ...
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Employee Benefits health cash plans supplement 2012
Download a PDF of the Employee Benefits health cash plans supplement 2012 How to select the right plan for staffWhat are the key elements of a health cash plan?Using cash plans to cover private medical insurance costsOffering eyecare benefits through health cash plansSponsor’s comment: Lee Andre, HSF Health Plan
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Eurotunnel introduces cash plan for staff
Eurotunnel has introduced a health cash plan for its 791 employees at its UK terminal.†The cash plan, provided by Health Shield, offers a number of benefits including: dental; dental accident; eyecare; alternative therapies; chiropody; health screening and a 24-hour helpline. The scheme, called Essentials, costs the organisation 75p per week ...
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Aviva partners Emirates Insurance Company for expatriate PMI offer
Aviva UK Health has set up an arrangement with Abu Dhabi-based Emirates Insurance Company to provide expatriates in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with compliant private medical insurance (PMI) products.The partnership means that employers with staff based in the UAE will now be offered one of four bespoke international PMI ...
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Simplyhealth research: Tax breaks on PMI provision will ease burden on NHS
Over half (55%) of senior managers with HR responsibilities believe organisations should be given tax breaks to provide all staff with private medical insurance (PMI) and ease the burden on the NHS, according to research by Simplyhealth.The research findings follow Dame Carol Black and David Frost’s review into sickness absence, ...
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CIPD/Simplyhealth research: Fit notes prompt employers to discuss sickness absence
The introduction of the fit note has prompted employers to hold conversations with their staff around sickness absence and the best ways to get an individual back to work in the case of long-term illness.The Absence management survey, conducted by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and Simplyhealth, ...
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EXCLUSIVE: Which? increases pension scheme and PMI take-up
Comparison website Which? has increased the take-up of its pension and private medical insurance (PMI) schemes after adding personalised information to its total reward statements (TRS).Take-up levels for the pension scheme are now 82%, while take-up for the PMI scheme is at 56%.Since launching TRS in 2010 with provider Enrich ...
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EXCLUSIVE: Lookers drives savings after consolidating private medical insurance schemes
Car dealership Lookers has saved £30,000 on premiums after consolidating 14 private medical insurance (PMI) schemes across its business.The firm had accumulated the schemes through acquisitions. It decided to replace them with one large claims-related scheme and retain one existing plan, which has an older demographic and a high number ...
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Chris Evans: Should employers provide healthcare perks for older workers?
Despite the fact that age discrimination legislation allows employers to restrict access to certain insured benefits beyond state pension age, many organisations are now starting to realise it is beneficial for long-term business strategies to respond to the challenges of an ageing workforce. Exemptions do not apply to certain health ...
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Buyer's guide to private medical insurance
FOCUS ON FACTSWhat is private medical insurance? A group PMI policy enables employees to access private medical treatment quickly and at a time that is convenient to them. Policy benefits vary greatly, but plans will usually cover consultations, diagnostic tests and treatment, whether as an inpatient or an outpatient. They ...