When it comes to solid coverage on benefits and healthcare trends, it’s all about quality.
Given health benefits is one of the most important, expensive line items on a company’s budget, it’s surprising there are so few publications devoted to daily, quality insights on the industry.
But, if you’re looking to stay up to speed on the latest news and trends, where quantity may be missing, there’s definitely quality. Whether you’re new to the benefits world or have been at it for a while, make sure you’re following these thought leaders and publications as you navigate the ever changing landscape:
The people:
- Bob Herman, Axios, formerly at Modern Healthcare
If you’re looking for a standout when it comes to health trends and health benefits coverage Bob Herman should be high on your list. Bob does an impressive job taking complex healthcare concepts and making them digestible. He also publishes frequently on the latest developments impacting the industry, which makes him a great person to follow. You can find Bob on Twitter here @bobjherman - Tracy Watts, Mercer Signal
Top benefits consultancy, Mercer publishes a frequent blog called Mercer Signal that is a solid resource for industry developments. It’s always timely and is updated by some of their top consultants, like Tracy Watts. Why she’s on our list: as their US Leader for healthcare reform, Tracy has been at Mercer for more than 25 years working with employers on the design, evaluation and ongoing management of health and group benefit plans. She’s a frequent contributor to their blog and covers topics highly relevant to benefits pros, like this piece on why it’s such an exciting time to be in our business (and we couldn’t agree more). Follow Tracy on Twitter here @TracyFWatts - Dave Chase, Forbes
A frequent contributor to Forbes, Dave Chase is an entrepreneur, speaker and advisor covering all things healthcare. His passion is to make healthcare better by achieving the Quadruple Aim (see more about that on his bio). In addition to Dave’s great posts, Forbes is devoted to keeping its readers informed on healthcare news and HR trends, which is why we keep it high up on our list. Follow Dave on Twitter here @chasedave
The publications and newsletters:
- Employee Benefit News
EBN is equal parts timely and specific, and a great place to get the run-down on the latest developments impacting benefits leaders. Their content is updated daily and they cover everything from what matters most to top talent (it’s the employer’s brand, if you were curious), what millennials look for in benefit offerings (information, information, information) and best practices for implementing a wellness program. In addition to following them on Twitter at @EBNmagazine, make sure to sign up for their newsletters for a great daily or weekly digest. - Leavitt Group Newsletter
Created in the 1950s, The Leavitt Group is one of the largest independent brokers in the United States and has a deep expertise in everything from employee benefits to stop loss and beyond. Their news site covers healthcare reform, employee benefits trends and much more. Why they’re on our list: the Leavitt Group’s newsletters provide a great summary of the latest updates in policy and benefits. Our favorite is their healthcare reform newsletter which you can read here. You can also follow them on Twitter here @LeavittNews - The Advisory Board
When you’re looking for diverse, expert takes on the big issues in the business and practice of healthcare, The Advisory Board’s blogs have you covered. From their Care Transformation Center Blog which focuses on population health management to their Daily Briefing blog, you’ll get insights on the bigger trends that you will want to know about well before they affect your company and your people. Find them on Twitter here @TheAdvisoryBd and make sure to subscribe to their blogs to get great insights in your inbox. - Harvard Business Review
As HR becomes a trusted and strategic business partner and gains a more prominent seat at the executive table, top business publications like Harvard Business Review have become champions of the idea that solid HR leadership and strategy are essential to any well-run company. What’s more, HBR has a regularly updated section specifically dedicated to Human Resources Management. Follow them here @HarvardBiz
