With Many Drugs Losing Patent Protection, Savings from Generics Can Be Significant
Generic drugs long have been recognized as a cost-saving alternative to their brand-name counterparts. The Generic Pharmaceutical Association, citing figures from the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, puts the average price of a generic drug at less than one-third the average price of a brand-name drug. With a number of widely used brand-name drugs soon losing patent protection, plan sponsors should be more motivated than ever to seek ways to encourage plan members to make appropriate use of generic drug therapies.
Click here to read the full article
Translation Is Only One Issue in Crafting Effective Benefits Communications for Spanish-Speakers
Native Spanish speakers are among the fastest growing segments of the U.S. population—and work force—and represent the largest ethnic minority in this country. As such, it has become increasingly important that communications concerning employee benefits are crafted in such a way that ensures they are understood by this audience. In order to be effective, communications must be an ongoing process that reflects an understanding of native Spanish-language workers. Simply translating English-language versions of written benefits communications is not enough, as surveys show that many Hispanics hold different views concerning insurance and other types of benefits.
Click here to read the full article
Most Americans Unwilling to Pay More for Better Care
Americans have become more skeptical that fair and reliable ways exist to measure the quality of health care providers’ services, and less ready to say that high-quality providers should be paid more. These findings from a Harris Interactive online survey of 2,123 U.S. adults conducted for the Wall Street Journal show shifting opinions on health care quality issues—and on the connection between quality and cost—from 2003 to 2006.
Click here to read the full article
Misconceptions About Disability Occurrence and Disability Insurance Result in Low Coverage Rates
Although rates for disability insurance coverage are low—fewer employees have the coverage than medical, life, dental or even vision insurance. Yet, the chances of one becoming disabled at some time in a working career are surprisingly high: one estimate finds a one in three chance that an individual will suffer a serious disability between the ages of 35 and 65. The odds may be even higher. Today’s longer life spans mean longer working careers, and advances in medical technologies and disease therapies—such as some cancer therapies—may successfully treat an illness but temporarily disable an individual from working during treatment.
Click here to read the full article
|
