Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other sources paint a grim picture of the growing prevalence of diabetes, as well as its attendant physical effects: More than 29 million Americans are diabetic. Approximately 19… more »

Nowadays, opioid painkillers usually make the headlines because of their addictive properties, rather than their therapeutic advantages. But new research has raised questions as to whether such benefits have been overstated. A year-long study of… more »

In recent years, U.S. health care spending has slowed significantly compared to the double-digit cost spikes we saw a decade ago. But there’s still room for improvement, so MedBen uses multiple containment strategies to keep client claim costs under… more »

Dental checkups do much more than giving your teeth a good cleaning. Through twice-yearly exams, a dentist can monitor the condition of the teeth and gums to spot subtle changes that may need attention. But that's only the half of it. Research shows… more »

A new study suggests that nearly half of cancer cases in the U.S. can be attributed to unhealthy habits – habits that could be changed through a focus on wellness and maintaining a doctor-patient relationship. The American Cancer Society study found… more »

British researchers have determined that a regimen of medications can be just as effective in treating heart patients as a coronary stent insertion to open blocked arteries. The results raise questions about the value of using stents for the treatment… more »

Medical plan trend has kept stable over the last few years. Even so, MedBen has consistently remained under national trend by emphasizing the highest driver of plan costs – claims. According to the 2018 Segal Health Plan Cost Trend Survey, medical… more »

While ransomware attacks have increased during the first half of 2017, accidental data breaches caused by employee error are also a serious problem, according to new research by Beazely, a breach insurance company. As reported by Benefits Pro, employee… more »

Keeping prescription drug plan costs in check is one of the greatest challenges for self-funded employers nowadays... but year after year, MedBen is helping clients beat pharmacy cost trends. From 2014 to 2016, MedBen clients experienced average… more »

Adding vision benefits to a group health care plan sends a positive message to employees and serves as a useful retention tool, a recent survey reveals. According to the Employee Perceptions of Vision Benefits survey (via BenefitsPRO), an overwhelming… more »

Among the advantages of MedBen Analytics' proprietary reporting platform is that it allows providers to drill down into hospital readmission data. Now, a new study demonstrates the financial value of this accessibility. University of Michigan… more »

The New York Times reports that approximately 125,000 deaths and at least 10% of hospitalizations can be attributed to lack of prescription adherence. From a financial perspective, negligence costs the American health care system between $100 billion… more »

Two cancer screening-related items recently made the news, both of which address the question of when (or if) such tests are appropriate: The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has walked back from its 2012 position that most men should… more »

Poets and singers like to expound upon things we can see in other people's eyes... love, hurt, the world, and so on. To that list we may soon add "poor leg circulation." According to HealthDay News, researchers at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore… more »

Heart disease continues to amass physical and financial costs nationwide... a difficult situation that could be greatly alleviated through a collective focus on wellness. A new American Heart Association report estimates that heart disease-related… more »

Even with issues like national security and immigration grabbing the headlines these days, health care costs still rank high on the list of American concerns, a new survey suggests. Likewise, finding ways to control client health care costs continually… more »

A new report from the American Cancer Society (ACS) shows encouraging trends on cancer survival ‒ a decline in death rates that coincides with a greater emphasis on preventive care through programs like MedBen WellLiving. Since the early 1990's,… more »

For most, a new year brings new resolutions. Year after year, weight-related goals are among the top resolutions. Unfortunately, only 8% of all resolutions are achieved. But what if you veer from the traditional route and don’t focus on diet and… more »

Because high blood pressure, or hypertension, is closely linked to other chronic conditions, researchers regularly use it as a barometer of health. Likewise, population health programs like MedBen WellLiving stress the role that reducing hypertension… more »

The U.S. spends more on diabetes than any other medical condition, according to a new analysis that underscores the impact that a wellness-driven workplace can have on reducing health care costs. HealthDay reports that in 2013, Americans spent $101… more »