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The abuse of pain relievers is running rampant and reaching epidemic levels.

Infection with human papillomavirus heightens the risk of developing cancer of the mouth and throat. The findings indicate that most cases of oral HPV can be traced to oral sex, rather than to kissing or casual contact.

Six out of seven medical errors harming Medicare patients go unreported by hospital employees, according to a federal study released on January 6.

More than a decade after Sept. 11, employers are willing to tackle risks associated with mental health.

A Lloyd's syndicate thinks it has identified a gap in the market: bespoke hospital terrorism insurance.

Office employees injured at their treadmill desks pose workers' comp risks.

Narcotic pain relievers killed more people in the United States than heroin and cocaine combined, a new study finds. Drug overdose deaths in 2008 were almost as high as motor vehicle deaths.

Insurance brokers' bottom lines begin to show hefty profit growth from purchases of employee benefits firms.

U.S. workers' health insurance premiums rose 63 percent from 2003 to 2010 as employers shifted more of the burden of rising medical costs to individuals and families, a study showed.

One goal of a public-private partnership of healthcare leaders and state and federal officials is to reduce preventable hospital-acquired conditions by 40 percent by year-end 2013. That would save about 60,000 lives and mean 1.8 million fewer injuries to patients.

Healthcare institutions that join patient safety organizations can aggregate data on treatment outcomes and obtain a clear picture of the quality of care it delivers.

Businesses may cease to offer health insurance altogether as costs keep rising.

When it comes to weight-loss, bariatric surgery might be the kindest cut of all. Does your health plan cover it?

People suffering from obesity are undertreated.

When it comes to weight-loss, bariatric surgery might be the kindest cut of all. Does your health plan cover it?

As bird flu spreads into new areas, it should start getting the attention of risk managers at multinational companies.

The U.S. Department of Justice has singled out "most favored nation" clauses as a potential roadblock to competition, but payers argue that these are a way to control costs.

The healthcare reform law is placing added pressures on employers, as it adds direct and indirect costs to providing healthcare benefits to workers. "Employers need to look for creative solutions, because rising costs are not going to go away ... . If you want to continue providing healthcare benefits, you need to think outside the traditional box," an expert says.

Analysis of medical claims data reveals important clues about employee health, allowing companies to intervene with those who are most at risk, and to ask hard questions of their carriers at renewal.

More than 20 states offer such plans to employees, and in 2010 more than 70 percent of Indiana's 30,000 state workers chose high-deductible plans linked to health savings accounts.