At a special MedBen University presentation on September 26, Adam Russo, CEO of The Phia Group, explained “How Innovative Plan Design Can Help to Mitigate the Cost of Health Care". Russo stressed that no two groups of employees are alike, which… more »

Before you settle in for an afternoon of college football on the tube this weekend, you may want to first take a few minutes performing a worthwhile task: Gather up your unneeded or expired medications and participate in National Prescription Drug… more »

We recently noted a Deloitte survey which found that 9% of employers expect to drop their health coverage when insurance exchanges become available in 2014. But earlier this week, one major retailer revealed that it doesn’t intend to wait until… more »

MedBen team members offered municipal employers health care plan information and cost-saving advice at its annual Government Roundtable on September 26. At the roundtable, municipalities administered by MedBen were able to see how their plan compared… more »

As more and more Baby Boomers are entering their golden years, the number of body parts in need of major repair has shot up accordingly. So a new study showing that the number of knee replacements for Medicare enrollees have almosr doubled in the last… more »

The Wall Street Journal Health Blog recently reported on efforts by health care providers to educate people about diabetes – management for those with the disease, and lifestyle changes for those in danger of developing it. Many states now offer… more »

As the November 6 elections draw closer, another important date looms right behind it – November 16, the deadline for states to submit a plan for running their own health insurance exchange. Those that fail to do so must permit the federal… more »

Peter Pitts of the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest makes the argument that a health care reform is most effective with a smaller focus – but that there are lessons to be learned from one particular federal program: “One of the… more »

Zumba has quickly risen to the top ranks of popular fitness options. The combination of music, Latin-inspired dances and a good calorie-buring workout attracts a wide variety of participants, including many who have fell off the wellness bandwagon for… more »

A new European study demonstrates the value of getting a mammogram – or, at the very least, supports the idea that the benefits of finding early breast cancers outweigh its risks related to false positives. According to Harvard Health Blog, a… more »

The Congressional Budget Office has raised its estimate of how many Americans will likely pay a tax in 2016 for not buying health insurance from 4 million to 6 million, Reuters reports. According to the nonpartisan agency, the increase is due in part… more »

The cost of employer-based health insurance rose just 4% this year, according to a survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Health Research & Educational Trust. That’s well below the 9% increase in 2011. The Los Angeles Times reports… more »

“Doctor shopping", the practice of visiting multiple physicians to get prescriptions, raises one’s risk of an accidental overdose, HealthDay News reports. A study by the West Virginia University School of Pharmacy found that, in reviewing a… more »

Phil Galewitz of The Washington Post reports on the rapid growth of urgent care centers across the U.S.: “Such centers treat the most common injuries and illnesses – including colds, ear infections, cuts and back pain – in addition to… more »

A new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that American children consume too much salt. According to the Associated Press, over 6,000 kids between the ages of 8 and 18 were interviewed about their eating habits. Based on… more »

The Generic Pharmaceutical Association offers some numbers that demonstrate how generic prescription drugs have affected costs: Savings from their use has risen to the rate of nearly $1 billion every two days. In 2011, generic use saved consumers $193… more »

One would think that with the widespread availability of the Internet, people would be pretty knowledgeable about what’s healthy and what’s not. Instead, the enormous amount of information – often contradictory – only serves to… more »

Slowly but surely, incentives are becoming a cornerstone of modern health care. Insurance plan members receive financial allurements and other carrots to lose weight, stop smoking or get regular preventive care. But how would this idea work for users of… more »

Regular eye exams are critical for maintain good vision, but your optometrist can’t be with you 24/7. Between checkups, it’s also important to be aware of warning signs that your eyesight may be deteriorating. Cool Health Tips offers these… more »

For even the severest conditions, a little physical fitness can prove therapeutic. And studies have repeatedly shown that cancer patients benefit from regular workouts. But a new Mayo Clinic study shows that many cancer patients are reluctant to… more »

People hoping for a bit of pharmaceutical help for their weight problem may have been heartened to learn about the recent FDA approval of two obesity drugs, Qsymia and Belviq. But questions remain about the drugs’ effectiveness, and whether… more »

A classic rationalization for not working out: “My schedule’s packed… I can’t set aside a whole hour for exercise". Well, along come a new study that may put that excuse to rest. Medical News Today recently reported that Danish… more »

Americans apparently have been slow to embrace better health, based on the results of a recent National Center for Health Statistics study. HealthDay News (via Yahoo! Health) reports 21% between 21 and 64 years old had at least two chronic health… more »

Here’s a worthwhile project for the new work week: Keep your job as stress-free as possible. In doing so, you can increase productivity and make your workplace environment a little more pleasant. And as a bonus, reduced anxiety helps to keep your… more »

MedBen is pleased to announce the availability of Partners Community Health Plan to Fairfield County, Ohio employers. Offered in conjunction with Fairfield Medical Center and the Lancaster-Fairfield Chamber of Commerce, Partners Community Health Plan,… more »

A new study brings into question the long-held belief that organic foods have more nutritional value than their conventional counterparts. According to USA Today, the four-year research project looked at 240 studies conducted from 1966 to 2011 covering… more »

As more popular brand-name prescription drugs become available in generic form, drug companies are ramping up the efforts to maintain loyalty from long-time users – even if their product is more expensive. Hence, the increasing popularity of… more »

More than half of Americans with high blood pressure don’t take steps to control it, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control. An analysis of data from 2003 to 2010 found that of the nearly 21,000 adults interviewed and tested,… more »

As we’ve noted here recently, one huge obstacle in a successful implementation of the Affordable Care Act is the higher demands that an additional 30 million insureds would have on the physician pool – in particular, primary care doctors. As… more »