American Benefits Podcast

Tune in for thought-provoking conversations with smart, creative thinkers in the fields of benefits, economics, government, demography and more. This show is brought to you by the American Benefits Council, a Washington D.C. trade association that advocates for employers, connecting public policy and private-sector solutions to shape employee benefits for the evolving global workforce. www.AmericanBenefitsCouncil.org | @BenefitsCouncil

Episode 28: The People Have Spoken - What Do 2018 Election and Polling Results Mean for Employee Benefits?

Dec 13, 2018

As a result of the 2018 midterm elections, Democrats will assume control of the U.S. House of Representatives in 2019. And while Republicans still control the White House and the Senate, this one change has the potential to derail the whole legislative process, like when one bulb goes out in a string of Christmas...

Episode 27: Cover Me, I’m Going In - Talking Workplace Health Insurance with AHIP’s Adam Beck

Nov 1, 2018

On the cusp of the 2018 midterm elections, health care remains a major issue for American voters. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 71 percent say that health care policy is “very important” in their decision about how to cast their vote and a plurality – 30 percent – say that health care is the most...

Episode 26: Where Do We Go From Here? Talking Retirement Policy with Mike Barry

Oct 10, 2018

Retirement policy is supposed to be a bastion of stability and security, but the history of that policy is characterized by constant change: changing demographics, workforce patterns, plan designs and political priorities – to say nothing of rising financial markets and falling interest rates. The resulting story has...

Episode 25: Scenes from a Webinar: How Employers are Combating the Opioid Epidemic

Sep 27, 2018

On average in the United States, 115 people die each day from an opioid overdose. As this epidemic has touched workers, employers have sought to address it through innovative plan design and outreach. Meanwhile, Congress is poised to enact legislation designed to stem the tide of opioid abuse and addiction.

Earlier...

Episode 24: "Father of the 401(k)" on the Promise and Problems of Today's Retirement System

Sep 4, 2018

The defined contribution retirement savings plan is now the preeminent savings vehicle for working Americans. DOL data tells us that two-thirds of all full-time civilian workers have access to a defined contribution plan at work, and 72 percent of those individuals participate in the plan, adding up to nearly 100...