According
to the “Natural Balance Canine Personality Study,” a survey of 1,015 U.S. dog
parents conducted by Natural Balance Pet Foods in conjunction with Learndipity
Data Insights, two-thirds (66%) of extroverted people have extroverted dogs.
And,
there’s a 65% chance an introverted person will have an introverted dog. The
survey suggests people tend to choose dogs that act like them.
The
survey found that if a dog parent is a picky eater, it is three times more likely
their dog is one as well. In addition, among those that identified themselves
as lifelong learners, there was a 72% change their dog was good at learning new
tricks.
People
have a strong emotional connection to their dogs as well. According to 79% of
dog parents, their dogs consciously and actively attempt to comfort them.
Fifty-five percent report that their pet looks at them with loving eyes that
communicate deep emotion, and 52% say their dog is able to accurately sense
when they are sad.
In
addition, 90% of dog parents surveyed believe their dog is worried about them if
they are hurt or late coming home. Seventy-nine percent say dogs can feel
embarrassment, while 93% are certain they’ve seen their pet smile.
Natural Balance has launched
a new ‘Natural Characters’ website showcasing the unique personalities of dogs and cats across the U.S. Pet parents can upload their own furry
characters there, too.
Employers
expect a 4.1% rate of increase in the cost of employer-sponsored health care
benefits in 2015—the lowest in 15 years but still well above inflation,
according to an annual survey by Towers Watson and the National Business Group
on Health (NBGH).
The
survey of 487 large U.S. employers also found that while employers remain
concerned about the cost and effectiveness of their programs, they are more
committed to providing some form of health care coverage to employees over the
next 10 years than they have been in recent years. Employer confidence in
offering health care coverage 10 years from now has nearly doubled to 44%
today, from 25% in 2014.
The
findings of the 20th annual Towers Watson/NBGH Best Practices in Health Care
Employer Survey point to a growing affordability challenge for employees,
especially for lower-wage workers. Health care costs for 2015 are expected to
average $12,041 per employee, up from $11,567 in 2014. On average, employees
will pay 22.2% of total premium costs in 2015, which in payroll deductions
translates into an average employee contribution of $2,676, or $223 a month.
“Against
the backdrop of sluggish economic growth and low inflation, which limit the
degree to which companies can raise prices on goods and services, employers
continue to aggressively manage their health benefit plans to rein in costs,” says
Randall K. Abbott, a North American leader and senior strategist in Towers
Watson’s Health and Group Benefits practice. “By and large, employers have done
a good job managing costs in recent years. Despite this success, the Affordable
Care Act’s excise tax looms ahead in 2018, and four out of five employers now
identify changes to health and pharmacy plan designs as their most important
strategic priority.”
NEXT: Actions to address health benefit costs
“While
we have experienced several years of slower growth in health care trends, health
care cost increases are still multiples of CPI,” says Brian Marcotte, president
and CEO of the NBGH. “Employers are trying to balance offering valuable
benefits that meet employees’ needs with the looming excise tax, which makes it
imperative that they focus on areas where there are opportunities to make
changes while preserving quality and effectiveness.”
According
to the survey, employer actions taken and planned include:
Curbing
the high cost of specialty pharmacy through new coverage/utilization
restrictions: 53% of employers have done so already; another 32% are likely to
by 2018;
Adopting
spousal surcharges: 27% of employers have implemented; could rise to nearly 60%
in three years;
Using
a defined contribution strategy instead of defined benefit: 20% today; expected
to double by 2018; and
Offering
more customization by adding voluntary benefits: 34% today; could reach 70% by
2018.
Eighty-two
percent of companies offered an account-based health plan (ABHP) in 2015, and
another 4% expect to add an ABHP for the first time in 2016. Health savings
accounts (HSAs) are the dominant model, with more than 70% of companies
offering an ABHP with an HSA. In addition, more than 70% of employers identify
reimbursement methodologies that are based on cost, quality, improved
efficiency and better outcomes as important to consider in selecting health
plan vendor partners.
Employer concerns
about employee well-being are prompting them to consider further changes to
their health benefit plans and workforce health strategies. These concerns
include health risks arising from lifestyle choices, lack of employee
engagement in their own well-being and participation in wellness programs; and
concerns about employee financial health.