How To Do Burst Training On A Treadmill (3x More Effective)

By Dr. Josh Axe

Have you ever spent hours in the gym, pounding away at the treadmill? Are you convinced that the built-in “calories-burned” counter is an accurate indicator of a good workout?

Well… the calorie counter is far from accurate in terms of a good workout. In fact–spending hours pounding away on a treadmill is not the best way to burn fat or get in shape. This is the number one mistake I see most people making in the gym today.

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Health Care Reform Q & A

By Infinisource

 

While health care reform was passed in two stages in 2010 as part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), some obligations for employers are relatively new. As always, with anything new, there are questions.

Here are a few that we’ve received and thought might benefit others.

Q:  Can an employer charge participants the amount of the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research (PCOR) fee for a self-insured medical plan (e.g., an HRA)?

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Tip Tuesday! How the DOL expects employers to prove they’re in compliance with Obamacare

By Christian Schappel

 

 

Much like it has increased its wage-and-hour law enforcement efforts, the DOL is upping the number of group health plan audits it’s conducting. But this year there’s a new focus: Obamacare compliance.

The DOL’s health plan audit letters now contain requests for documents related to the healthcare reform law’s strict requirements on employer-sponsored plans.

Click here for the list of Required Documentation.

 

Flu shot administration: Pitfalls to avoid, practices to live by

By Jared Bilski

 

Each year, 5% to 20% of the U.S. population gets the flu, and if last year’s record-setting flu season is any indication of how this year will be, employers better start preparing themselves. But be careful: There are certain things firms should never do in an effort to keep staffers healthy during flu season.

 

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Does your employee review process actually improve performance?

By Tim Gould

 

Performance reviews: The most-dreaded procedure in every workplace, painful for workers and managers alike. Here are some thoughts about why they’re often not effective, and how HR can help managers understand just how reviews should be useful to both employer and employee.  

 

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The future of wellness: 3 trends that will soon be everywhere

By Jared Bilski

 

According to Barry Hall and Scott Marcotte of Buck Consultants Talent and HR Solutions Practice, more firms are incorporating tech-based solutions into their wellness offerings. And the sooner companies learn to use tech tools effectively, the greater the success they’re likely to have with their wellness plans.

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Tip Tuesday! Why is health insurance so expensive? [Graphic]

By Sandra Mills

 

One of the questions that so many people in the U.S. have is: “Why is my health insurance so expensive?” Americans also want to know if the high prices they’re paying are normal, when compared to everyone else. This infographic from Carrington College strives to answer those questions.

 

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Ashwagandha Proven to Heal Thyroid and Adrenals

By Dr. Josh Axe

If you are looking to restore your energy, look younger, and reverse disease then Aswagandha may be the herb you’re looking for.

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Managers hold key to engagement: Six steps to help them succeed

By Tim Gould

 

The good news: American workers are two-and-a-half times more likely to be actively engaged in their jobs than their counterparts around the globe. The not-so-good part: only three of 10 U.S. workers are feeling the love.  

 

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Obama to reform retirement savings next? 4 things you need to know

By Christian Schappel

 

Pretty much no matter what happens in President Obama’s final term, his presidency is likely to be defined by his healthcare reform law. But in what appears – at least in large part – to be an attempt to raise money for the federal government, he has set his sights on a new target: Retirement savings.

 

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Tip Tuesday! Obamacare could eliminate COBRA costs, headaches for employers

By Christian Schappel

It’s no secret Obamacare hasn’t been well received by HR professionals. On the whole, they feel it adds unnecessary complexity and costs. But there may be a silver lining to the law.

It appears likely that healthcare reform will virtually eliminate the need for COBRA insurance coverage, according to a joint report by Kaiser Health News and the Chicago Tribune.

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Can we sleep our way slimmer?

By Karis Gabrielson, R.N.

 

It's no secret that healthy eating and regular exercise are keys to managing the number on the scale. But, it turns out that many of us may be missing out on one more smart habit that can help us stay trim: a good night's sleep.

What does sleep have to do with weight?

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Open enrollment crunch time: 5 things employers need to know

By Harry Gottlieb

Open enrollment is here, and employers have to get employees up to speed on the benefits options available to them. And because the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is making this process so complex, Harry Gottlieb, a champion for simple, engaging employee communication, has assembled five things employers need to be aware of during this year’s open enrollment.

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Top 7 mental mistakes employees make during open enrollment

By Christian Schappel

Mistakes made during open enrollment in previous years can help employers figure out what to do to ease the annual headache this year – for themselves and their employees.

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65% of workers don’t understand HSAs: What HR can do

By Jared Bilski

 

As the use of health-savings accounts (HSAs) continues to increase significantly, you’d think workers’ understanding of this healthcare tool would grow right along with it. Unfortunately, many workers are still confused about the basic features of HSAs.

 

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The nuts and bolts of how the government shutdown affects you

By Tim Gould

 

You may have heard: The federal government’s in shutdown mode. Does this mean employers won’t have to worry about being hounded by EEOC and DOL investigators for awhile?

The answer, as usual: It depends. First off, it’s possible Congress will get its act together within a couple of days. Secondly, if your firm is already deep into a complaint investigation with a federal agency, that process will likely continue — although things may unfold more slowly due to the EEOC, DOL and NLRB staff shortages.

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Five Things We Learned About Public Health Exchanges on Day 1

By David Albertson

 

Critics say technology glitches showed public exchanges were not ready for opening day. Proponents of health reform said server-crashing traffic to exchange sites were proof of strong interest. Here's a more objective rundown of learnings from the opening of public exchanges, offered by Kev Coleman, director of Data & Research for Healthpocket:

 

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More Obamacare delays announced as exchanges open

By Christian Schappel

 

The web-based health insurance exchanges established by Obamacare are officially open for business – just not for everyone.

 

Shortly before the exchanges opened, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that small businesses will not be able to buy health insurance online through the new marketplaces until November.

 

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Tip Tuesday! Homework involved for PPACA coverage

By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — Getting covered under President Barack Obama's health care law might take you more than one sitting. In a media preview Monday, it felt like a cross between doing your taxes and making an important purchase that requires research.

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