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Category: Health Insurance

Thursday, May 21, 2020

How will COVID-19 impact your health benefit plan costs?

As we move from crisis control to considering how we operate with coronavirus for the foreseeable future, employers are addressing the economic impact on health benefit plans. Here are some steps you can take: Understand actuarial projections   related to COVID-19 for your specific health plan . Here are some top line findings from Milliman ( click here for 2020 report  and  here for 2021 report ): If COVID-19 results in delayed care through June 2020, the net reduction... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Thursday, May 21, 2020
Coronavirus Health Insurance Healthcare Cost Cost

Thursday, September 3, 2015

Uninsured Rate Decreases to 9.2% in First Quarter 2015

According to a Dan Mangan September 1, 2015 blog post for CNBC: "In the first three months of 2015, the CDC said, the rate of people without health insurance stood at 9.2 percent. That's down from 11.5 percent in the same period in 2014, and represents a 20 percent reduction in the uninsured rate over the past year.In absolute numbers, 29 million people lacked health insurance in early 2015, compared with 36 million people in 2014. That number reached a high 48.6 million in 2010, the year... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Thursday, September 3, 2015
Health Reform Health Insurance Health Insurance Exchanges

Thursday, September 3, 2015

Fewer People Skipping Medical Care for Cost Reasons

According to the September 1, 2015 Amy Goldstein article in the Washington Post: "During the first three months of the year, just 1 in 20 Americans said they did not get medical care they needed because they could not afford it, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.The findings, from the federal National Health Interview Survey, show that 4.4 percent of people interviewed from January through March said they had skipped medical care in the previous... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Thursday, September 3, 2015
Health Reform Health Insurance Healthcare Cost community health

Monday, December 22, 2014

Only 7% of Employers Use Objective Quality Information to Select Health Plans

A recent Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research (AP-NORC) survey of employers found that 60% of employers think health plan quality ratings are important but employers employers lack familiarity with health quality information—particularly, objective data on the quality of health insurance plans. Just 7 percent of employers that offer health insurance use objective quality information from sources tested in the survey; 89 percent do not use or are unfamiliar with any of the... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Monday, December 22, 2014
Quality Health Insurance eValue8 Health Plans CIGNA BlueCross BlueShield MBGH Member Benefits

Friday, November 14, 2014

IRS Closes Loophole on Minimal Value Plans

The Internal Revenue Service, in a surprise move, said it will not qualify employer-sponsored health plans that fail to cover inpatient hospitalization as meeting the minimum value health plan standard under the Affordable Care Act.  In a notice issued under the public radar on Election Day, the IRS says it, the Treasury Department and the Department of Health and Human Services believe that plans that fail to provide substantial coverage for inpatient hospitalization services or for... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Friday, November 14, 2014
Benefit Design Health Reform Health Insurance Health Benefits

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Employer-Sponsored Family Health Premiums Rise 3% in 2014

From the National Business Coalition on Health: Average annual premiums for employer-sponsored family health coverage reached $16,834 this year, up 3 percent from last year, continuing a recent trend of modest increases, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF)/Health Research & Educational Trust (HRET) 2014 Employer Health Benefits Survey released September 10, 2014.  Workers on average pay $4,823 annually toward the cost of family coverage this year.  Get all the... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Benefit Design Health Insurance Cost Health Benefits

Monday, October 21, 2013

Data Brief on Trends in Employer-Sponsored Insurance

From the National Business Coalition on Health: Recent accounts of employers dropping health coverage, restricting eligibility for spouses, turning to plans with narrower networks and greater cost sharing, and restructuring workforces are often framed as side effects of the ACA.  But many of these cost-cutting trends began long before health reform. This data brief  and data charts from the National Institute of Health Care Management offers a comprehensive look at how... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Monday, October 21, 2013
Benefit Design Health Insurance Cost Worksite Wellness Health Benefits Consumer Directed Health Plans Private Health Insurance Exchanges

Monday, March 11, 2013

National Commission Calls for Changes in Physician Payment Methods

On March 4, 2013, the National Commission on Physician Payment Reform  issued a report detailing a series of recommendations aimed at reining in health spending and improving quality of care by fundamentally changing the way doctors are paid. The Commission’s 12 recommendations provide a five-year blueprint for transitioning to a blended payment system that will yield better results for both public and private payers, as well as patients.Highlights from the recommendations include: 1.... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Monday, March 11, 2013
Commentary Health Insurance Health Plans MBGH Annual Conference Payment Reform

Thursday, December 27, 2012

Employer Health Insurance Premiums Rose 62%, Deductibles More Than Doubled 2003-2011

From the National Business Coalition on Health: Average premiums for employer-sponsored family health insurance plans rose 62 percent between 2003 and 2011, rising far faster than incomes did in all states, according to a new Commonwealth Fund analysis that tracks trends in job-based coverage state by state. The study also finds that annual costs for the share of insurance premiums paid by workers grew an average of 74 percent, and deductibles more than doubled during the period. Total... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Thursday, December 27, 2012
Health Insurance Healthcare Cost Cost Health Benefits

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

HHS Releases Proposed Rule for Health Insurance Market Reforms

Helpful links to understand the specifics of this proposed rule: Health Affairs Blog:  http://healthaffairs.org/blog/2012/11/21/implementing-health-reform-the-dam-bursts/   comments on the market reform and rate review proposed rules Kaiser Health News: http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Stories/2012/November/20/smoking-insurance-costs-regulation.aspx  details how smokers can participate in smoking cessation programs and avoid higher premiums Coverage on all 3 proposed rules... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Health Reform Health Insurance Health Insurance Exchanges

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

HHS Releases Proposed Regs: Essential Health Benefits, Actuarial Value, Accreditation Standards

Helpful links to help you understand the specifics of this proposed rule: Health Affairs Blog:   http://healthaffairs.org/blog/2012/11/21/implementing-health-reform-essential-health-benefits-actuarial-value-and-accreditation/ Kaiser Health News coverage of all 3 proposed rules:   http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Stories/2012/November/20/administration-releases-new-rules-for-health-law.aspx Coverage of all 3 proposed rules from across the nation:  ... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Benefit Design Health Reform Health Insurance Health Insurance Exchanges Value-Based Benefits Employee Engagement Preventive Services Health Benefits

Sunday, November 11, 2012

South Carolina's Interesting Approach to Health Reform

Leah Binder, CEO of The Leapfrog Group, puts a spotlight on Governor Nikki Haley's (R-South Carolina) approach to health care delivery system reform and how it complements the health insurance reforms put forth through the ACA. Haley's approach hinges on developing new payment systems which are tied to health care quality and cost. Transparency will be a critical factor in making this payment change possible. Purchasers and patients need to know how physicians and hospitals compare on quality... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Sunday, November 11, 2012
Quality Commentary Benefit Design Health Reform Health Insurance Payment Reform Health Benefits Price Transparency

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Catch Up on What's Happening with Health Insurance Exchanges

Wonder what's going on with Health Insurance Exchanges, especially in Tennessee? The answer is that a lot has to happen very quickly for exchanges to be ready for open enrollment in the fall of 2013. HHS has extended the deadline for states to indicate their intention to establish a state-sponsored exchange until December 14, 2012. Click here to read Tennessee Governor Haslam's official response to this new deadline. Plus, as you know, employers have obligations to notify their... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Saturday, November 3, 2012
Health Reform Health Insurance Health Policy Health Plans Health Insurance Exchanges Health Benefits

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

New MBGH Member Benefit: Resolve Health Challenges with Other Employers Who Understand

Join us January 30, 2013 8:30-10:30 for our first meeting! Open to MBGH members and affiliates only. Register by email to [email protected] . You know other businesses face the same employee health and health benefit challenges as you. Instead of reinventing the wheel by yourself the next time one of these challenges arise, imagine being able to work collaboratively with these other businesses to arrive at creative solutions much more quickly. MBGH makes that... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Quality Benefit Design Health Reform Health Insurance Cost-Quality Connection Healthcare Cost Health Policy Worksite Wellness Value-Based Benefits MBGH Member Benefits Vendor Selection/Management Payment Reform Worksite clinics Preventive Services Health Benefits Consumer Directed Health Plans Price Transparency

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

ACA Will Raise Costs for Mid-Sized Employers

From the National Business Coalition on Health:  President Obama's healthcare law won't erode employer-based health insurance — but it will raise some companies' costs by nearly 10 percent, according to a new analysis from the Urban Institute. Although the law's critics usually focus on small businesses, the new paper says medium-sized firms will see the biggest cost increase. Mid-sized businesses — firms that have between 101 and 1,000 employees — would have... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Health Reform Health Insurance Healthcare Cost Cost Health Benefits

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Two Major Employers Embrace Private Health Insurance Exchange

From the National Business Coalition on Health: According to Employee Benefit News, in a move that could herald a sea change in health benefits, Sears Holdings Corp. and Darden Restaurants, Inc will begin allowing employees to purchase health insurance through a private insurance exchange in 2013. Around 90,000 Sears employees and some 45,000 Darden employees will be eligible to purchase insurance through the exchange, which will be operated by Aon Hewitt. Starting Jan. 1, employees at the... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Saturday, September 29, 2012
Benefit Design Health Insurance Health Plans Health Insurance Exchanges Health Benefits

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Survey Shows Increase in Consumerism

From the National Business Coalition on Health: Patients are morphing into health care consumers with growing use of technology for medical shopping and health engagement, according to a survey conducted by Altarum, the health services research organization. Virtually all (99%) of U.S. health citizens want to play a role in medical decisions about their care. However, consumers vary in just how much of that responsibility they want to assume: - 35% want to make the final decision with... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Benefit Design Health Insurance Healthcare Cost Health Policy Technology Cost MBGH Annual Conference Consumer Directed Health Plans Price Transparency Choosing Wisely Campaign

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Providers Offering Price Guarantees to Insurers to Stabilize Employer Health Costs

From the National Business Coalition on Health: According to  Forbes , one of the Midwest’s largest providers of medical care is bringing a price guarantee to a new concept being pushed by the Obama administration that rewards doctors and hospitals for working together to improve quality and cost. Milwaukee-based Aurora HealthCare has formed an Accountable Care Organization (ACO) that is working with Aetna Inc. and Wellpoint subsidiary Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Wisconsin... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Quality Health Insurance Healthcare Cost Cost Accountable Care Organizations Payment Reform Health Benefits

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Top 10 Hospital Contracting Priorities

While there is a lot of focus in the press and push from employers for hospitals to develop new, more efficient, higher quality delivery models, hospitals are still focused on the basic "blocking and tackling" of running a hospital and that is shown clearly in the results of a recent survey of 400 hospital executives by Revive Health. The Top 10 contracting priorities are primarily about increasing revenue through negotiating higher rates, decreasing denials, increasing coverage,... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Thursday, August 23, 2012
Health Insurance Healthcare Cost Health Plans Cost

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Survey Finds Wellness Strategies Gaining Traction as Way to Curb Health Cost Increases

From the National Business Coalition on Health: Global costs for employee health benefits are expected to increase this year, but wellness programs are gaining traction as a way to keep people healthier and lower long-term costs, according to the  2012 Towers Watson Global Medical Trends Survey  of insurers. Towers Watson officials say the rate of cost increases is slowing and 29% of insurers reported using wellness programs as one way to control costs. While traditional cost... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Saturday, July 28, 2012
Benefit Design Health Insurance Healthcare Cost Health Plans Cost Worksite Wellness Employee Engagement Health Benefits

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Participate in the Annual Purchasing Power Survey

Modern Healthcare has opened its annual Healthcare Purchasing Power survey for participation. This survey examines how much major employers spend on providing health care benefits and services to their employees; essentially, who pays for health care and how much it costs.  Co-sponsored by NBCH and the Leapfrog Group, this survey recognizes the growing power employers have to dictate how health care services are delivered. Participating companies are ranked by their health... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Benefit Design Health Insurance Employee Engagement Health Benefits

Monday, July 9, 2012

Don’t Place Curbs on ‘Stop-Loss’ Insurance, GOP Lawmakers Tell Administration

Three Republican senators have warned the Obama administration not to place new limits on the issuance of “stop-loss” insurance, which employers purchase in order to operate self-insured health plans. A recent Federal Register notice issued by the Departments of Labor, Treasury, and Health and Human Services suggests that the agencies “may be considering actions to limit stop-loss coverage for small and medium plans, which would be outside the limits of the administration’s existing... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Monday, July 9, 2012
Health Reform Health Insurance Health Policy Health Benefits

Saturday, June 30, 2012

Business as Usual for Employers After Supreme Court Upholds Health Reform

I have to admit that when we finally got the whole picture and the Supreme Court had upheld PPACA, it was a little anti-climactic Not because health reform itself is any less impactful, but because the employers I know have been moving forward with compliance and implementation assuming that health reform would stand and continue as the "law of the land". What else could they do? Waiting was just not an option as there was a lot of work to do. So, although the ruling itself was interesting... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Saturday, June 30, 2012
Commentary Benefit Design Health Reform Health Insurance Health Policy Individual Mandate Health Benefits

Friday, May 4, 2012

New, More User-Friendly Health Reform Website from American Benefits Council

From the National Business Coalition on Health: The American Benefits Council, an important strategic partner of NBCH, has announced its new, more user-friendly website. The Health Care Reform issue page is now divided into its component pages, covering the wide variety of health reform issues addressed by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). These individual topics are: § Employer Shared Responsibility § Market Reforms & Adult Child/Age-26 Coverage §... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Friday, May 4, 2012
Benefit Design Health Reform Health Insurance Health Policy Health Plans Accountable Care Organizations Worksite Wellness Health Insurance Exchanges Value-Based Benefits Womens Health Preventive Services Individual Mandate Health Benefits

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Costs of Many Preventive Services Vary Widely: What Employers Can Do

Kelly Kennedy's April 6, 2012 article in USA Today sheds light on the significant variance in the costs of preventive services, now required to be covered by insurance at 100%, not subject to co-pays or deductibles. "Over the past year, health plans and self-insured employers began paying for wellness exams — diabetes screening, mammographies, Pap smears and colonoscopies — as required by the law, without charging consumers a deductible or co-payment. But in looking at 15,000 consumers, a... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Commentary Benefit Design Health Reform Health Insurance Healthcare Cost Cost Employee Engagement Preventive Services Health Benefits

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Disturbing Anti-Smoking Ads Convince Thousands to Quit

"(RNN) - Calls to a national stop-smoking line doubled and traffic to the government's anti-smoking website tripled after a hard-hitting TV advertising campaign seems to have convinced many Americans to quit the deadly habit. The Tips from Former Smokers ad campaign was launched by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Office on Smoking and Health on March 19. The commercials profile former smokers and others who have been affected by second-hand smoking. The... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Saturday, April 7, 2012
Commentary Benefit Design Health Insurance Healthcare Cost Cost Worksite Wellness Value-Based Benefits Employee Engagement Preventive Services Health Benefits

Friday, April 6, 2012

Physician Groups Identify Tests and Procedures That are Often Not Necessary

Nine physician organizations have each identified five tests or procedures that may be overused or unnecessary as part of the Choosing Wisely campaign led by the ABIM Foundation, with Consumer Reports, in an effort to improve health care quality and patient safety. Patient advocates are calling the move a significant step toward improving the quality and safety of health care. As the nation increasingly focuses on ways to provide safer, higher-quality care to patients, the overuse... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Friday, April 6, 2012
Quality Commentary Health Insurance Healthcare Cost Health Plans Getting Quality Care Campaign Employee Engagement Health Benefits

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

A Must Watch: Easy Way to Explain "Bundled Payments" or "Flat Fees"

Yet another great video from BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina, this one explains "bundled payments" or "flat fees" in a way that anyone can understand.   Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Quality Commentary Health Insurance Cost-Quality Connection Healthcare Cost Cost BlueCross BlueShield Getting Quality Care Campaign MBGH Annual Conference Employee Engagement

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Consumer Directed Health Plans Becoming Mainstream

MBGH attended the recent Memphis meeting presenting the results of the Annual Mercer National Survey of Employer-Sponsored Health Plans 2011. Although I had read the results when they were released in November 2011, at this meeting, I was particularly struck by the news about how employers are using Consumer Directed Health Plans (CDHPs) as shown by these survey results: 2011 saw the biggest year-over-year increase in CDHP offerings AND enrollment since 2007 for large... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Thursday, March 15, 2012
The Leapfrog Group Quality Benefit Design Health Insurance Cost-Quality Connection Healthcare Cost Health Policy Health Plans Cost Payment Reform Health Benefits Consumer Directed Health Plans

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Health Benefits Changes on the Horizon

Towers Watson/National Business Group on Health study finds health benefits changes are on the horizon. Although the rate of health care cost increases is expected to remain stable in 2012, employers are taking more aggressive steps to manage their rising costs and improve employee health, according to findings from the 2012 Towers Watson/National Business Group on Health (NBGH) Employer Survey on Purchasing Value in Health Care. Steps being taken focus on: Developing a... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Benefit Design Health Reform Health Insurance Health Policy Health Plans Cost Health Insurance Exchanges Health Benefits

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Health Reform Ends Lifetime Limits for 2 Million Tennesseans

In a new report on how the health reform law has impacted people, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius says that the health reform law has eliminated lifetime limits on coverage for more than 105 million Americans, including approximately 2 million Tennesseans. According to Sebelius, before health reform, many Americans with serious illnesses such as cancer risked hitting the lifetime limit on the dollar amount their insurance companies would cover for their health care... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Health Reform Health Insurance Health Policy Health Benefits

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Employers Interested in Exploring a Corporate Health Exchange Model

From Aon Hewitt: Employers Interested in Exploring a Corporate Health Exchange Model, Says Aon Hewitt  --  March 23 marks two years since Health Care Reform legislation passed. During this time, many employers have re-examined the way in which they provide health care benefits to employees. While state exchanges will not be available to employers with more than 100 employees until at least 2017, organizations are exploring alternate health care models, such as Corporate... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Health Reform Health Insurance Health Policy Health Plans Health Insurance Exchanges Health Benefits

Monday, January 30, 2012

U.S. Health Spending Growth Slows for 2nd Year in 2010

U.S. health care spending experienced historically low rates of growth in 2009 and 2010 according to the annual report of national health expenditures (NHE) from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published in the January issue of the journal Health Affairs. Analysts at CMS report that the increase in spending for 2009 represents the lowest rate of increase in the entire 51 year history of the NHE. The low rate of growth, the data show, reflects lower... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Monday, January 30, 2012
Health Insurance Healthcare Cost Health Plans Cost U S Departmetn of HHS Health Benefits

Monday, January 30, 2012

Organizations Team Up to Help Physicians, Patients "Choose Wisely"

In the field of medicine, the customer is not always right, but that doesn't necessarily stop physicians from ordering tests and procedures that may not be strictly medically indicated when their patients request such tests or procedures. Recognizing this problem, the American Academy of Family Practice (AAFP) has joined with 10 other organizations in the Choosing Wisely campaign, which is designed to develop a series of evidence-based lists of medical tests, procedures and... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Monday, January 30, 2012
Health Insurance Cost Payment Reform Health Benefits

Monday, January 30, 2012

ADP Survey: 40% of Employees Don't Understand Their Benefits

According to a recent article by Lisa Gillespie in Employee Benefit News... A new ADP survey shows a wide gap between the goals and reality of how employees understand their benefit plans. Eighty percent of human resources decision-makers believe it's important for employees to fully understand their benefit options, yet they estimate only about 60% of their own employees do – a finding with serious implications for how companies communicate one of the most important parts of... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Monday, January 30, 2012
Benefit Design Health Insurance Health Plans Employee Engagement Health Benefits

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Catalyst for Payment Reform Releases Model Contract for Employers

From the National Business Coalition on Health : The Catalyst for Payment Reform released a tool ( see model health plan contract language ) to unite employers and other health care purchasers around the shared goal to make 20% of health care payments based on value by 2020. This tool will help MBGH with our efforts to reform payment in the greater Memphis area. The model contract highlights immediate opportunities to reform how health plans pay doctors and hospitals. Together... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Thursday, January 19, 2012
Commentary Benefit Design Health Reform Health Insurance Health Plans Value-Based Benefits Payment Reform Health Benefits

Monday, December 12, 2011

TN Plans Encouraged to Give "Good Driver Discounts"

Proposed recommendations for the Tennessee Health Insurance Exchange encourage health plans and employers to establish expectations about personal responsibility and engagement through benefit designs in the Exchange.   The wellness program could provide some sort of "good driver discount" in the form of a lower premium or other incentives to those enrollees who satisfy these standards. Having the exchange plans offer these incentives will make it easier for larger employers too!... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Monday, December 12, 2011
Benefit Design Health Reform Health Insurance Healthcare Cost Health Policy Health Plans Worksite Wellness Health Insurance Exchanges Value-Based Benefits Employee Engagement Preventive Services Health Benefits

Friday, December 9, 2011

Benefits Basics: MBGH Offers New Member Benefit in 2012

In 2012, MBGH is offering a series of Benefits Basics webinars, designed to "fill the gap" for educational programming geared toward new hires, where other programs are not readily available from reliable training sources (such as ISCEBS or WEB). These "101" level classes are for MBGH members-only and oriented toward new benefits staff, or individuals in need of refresher information.  Programs will be taught by seasoned benefits professionals and are being sponsored by the Health... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Friday, December 9, 2011
Benefit Design Health Insurance Health Plans Value-Based Benefits MBGH Member Benefits Vendor Selection/Management Health Benefits

Monday, October 31, 2011

How Will a TN Insurance Exhcange Impact Employers?

Get the answer by reading the full document (or the Executive Summary ), “Best Alternatives to a Federal Insurance Exchange in Tennessee”, just issued by the State of Tennessee Insurance Exchange Planning Initiative (the Initiative). The report provides a comprehensive analysis of the governance, structure, processes of an insurance exchange and suggests how Tennessee may want to address the issues to ensure a stable and competitive market in the state. The Small Business... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Monday, October 31, 2011
Benefit Design Health Reform Health Insurance Healthcare Cost Health Policy Health Plans Health Insurance Exchanges

Thursday, October 20, 2011

IOM's Essential Health Benefits Recommendations Leave More Questions Than Answers

The IOM recommended that HHS develop an EHB package by May 2012. The high-level recommendations are as follows: 1. The EHB package should be adjusted so that the expected national average premium for a “silver” (second-lowest-price) plan is actuarially equivalent to the average premium small employers would have paid in 2014 for a typical plan. 2. The HHS Secretary should establish a framework for monitoring EHB implementation and updating that accounts for changes in... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Thursday, October 20, 2011
Benefit Design Health Reform Health Insurance Health Plans Cost Health Insurance Exchanges Value-Based Benefits Preventive Services

Thursday, September 22, 2011

NBCH Hospital Patient Safety Action Brief Details Actions for Employers

The National Business Coalition on Health's (NBCH) Action Brief on Hospital Patient Safety, lays out the issues, details how health plans across the country are or are not working to improve safety, and details actions employers can take to have an impact on patient safety for their employees. 2011 eValue8 results were used to track how health plans are or are not working to improve safety. MBGH is an active participant in the eValue8 process and this year both BlueCross BlueShield of... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Thursday, September 22, 2011
The Leapfrog Group Quality Commentary Benefit Design Health Insurance Cost-Quality Connection Healthcare Cost eValue8 Health Plans Getting Quality Care Campaign MBGH Member Benefits Payment Reform Medical errors

Thursday, September 22, 2011

State Governments Requiring More from Employees in New Health Benefits

Maybe it's time for the private sector to look at how state governments are ratcheting up the requirements for employees to get health benefits and follow suit. Whether it is called the Health Enhancement Plan, like it is in Connecticut, or the ParTNers for Health Plan, as it is in Tennessee, state governments are offering new plans that offer lower employee costs (through payroll deductions, deductibles, co-pays, co-insurance) in exchange for employee engagement in health risk... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Thursday, September 22, 2011
Commentary Benefit Design Health Insurance Health Policy Health Plans Value-Based Benefits MBGH Annual Conference Employee Engagement Preventive Services

Monday, June 6, 2011

McKinsey Projects 30% of Employers Will Drop Health Benefits

Major findings from McKinsey's early 2011 survey of 1,300 employers include: Overall, 30 percent of employers will definitely or probably stop offering employer-sponsored insurance (ESI) in the years after 2014. Among employers with a high awareness of reform, this proportion increases to more than 50 percent, and upward of 60 percent will pursue some alternative to traditional ESI. At least 30 percent of employers would gain economically from dropping coverage even if... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Monday, June 6, 2011
Benefit Design Health Reform Health Insurance Health Policy Health Plans Health Insurance Exchanges

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

IRS Releases 2012 Indexed Amounts for HSAs, HDHPs

On May 24, 2011, the U.S. Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released Revenue Procedure 2011-32, which lists the 2012 indexed amounts, adjusted for inflation, for health savings accounts and high-deductible health plans (HDHPs). (In some cases, this resulted in no change from the prior year.) The following table lists the 2011 amounts and the new 2012 amounts: The Revenue Procedure is effective for calendar year 2012.  (Source: CQ HealthBeat) ... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Benefit Design Health Reform Health Insurance Cost

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Memphis Total Cost of Healthcare Increases Less Than National Average

The good news for Memphis is that our total cost of healthcare for a typical family of four covered by a PPO increased only 5.7% from 2010 to 2011 compared to a national increase of 7.3% during that same time period. Memphis costs are now 4.3% above the national average, down from 6% above the national average in 2010. The Milliman Medical Index looks at costs paid by the employer and the employee at a national level and at several key markets throughout the US, including Memphis. Because... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Thursday, May 12, 2011
Health Insurance Healthcare Cost Health Plans Cost

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Broker Commissions: In or Out of Medical Loss Ratio Calculations?

Health Reform Update from the National Business Coalition on Health The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) is considering whether to endorse legislation that would remove broker and agent commissions from the medical loss ratio, a calculation that could give consumers valuable insights about the proportion of their premiums spent on health care costs compared with administrative expenses and salaries. Removal would have far-reaching implications for the... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Health Reform Health Insurance Health Policy Health Plans

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Brokers Seek to Preserve Role in Health Insurance Exchanges: TN Update

Insurance brokers, concerned that their livelihoods could be significantly impacted with the implementation of health insurance exchanges, are working hard to be sure they continue to play a role and earn agent commissions. Efforts include working with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners to get Congress to exempt broker/agent commissions from the medical loss ratio requirements; introducing a bill in Iowa that requires individuals and small employers to use a broker to... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Health Reform Health Insurance Health Insurance Exchanges

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Deficit Panel Targets Healthcare Cost Reduction to Reduce US Debt

Just when we were all beginning to adjust to the sweeping changes in health insurance plans required by Health Reform legislation passed in March 2010, we are now bombarded by the possibility of more changes included in the Deficit Panel's recommendations to reduce US debt. Although many of these specifics may not become law, most experts believe that they will, indeed, be considered and debated since healthcare costs and their rate of increase contribute significantly to the Federal deficit.... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Thursday, December 2, 2010
Quality Benefit Design Health Reform Health Insurance Healthcare Cost Health Policy Health Plans Cost Deficit Panel

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Milliman Survey: Even with New Contracting Approaches Rates Increase 11.7% in 2011

Milliman's 2010 Group Health Insurance Survey  found insurers estimated a 10.2% and 11.7% increase for HMOs and PPOs respectively for 2011. The survey also found that the most frequent contracting and cost control steps insurers are taking in 2011 include: Quality incentive programs Shared risk with provider networks Increased price transparency with members More aggressively tiered providers networks Reduced broker commissions Almost all of the insurers... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Thursday, October 28, 2010
Benefit Design Health Insurance Healthcare Cost Health Plans Cost Health Insurance Exchanges

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Tennessee Starts to Evaluate Health Insurance Exchanges

Should the state of Tennessee establish its own health insurance exchange or tap into the national, federal exchange? That is the question being considered by the State of Tennessee under a $1 million grant from the federal government. I attended the "kick-off" meeting on October 22, 2010 for Tennessee's evaluation of the whole health insurance exchange issue. About 200 of us gathered in the central Nashville library to hear about the proposal TN had made for planning grant funds from the... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Saturday, October 23, 2010
Health Reform Health Insurance Health Policy Health Plans Health Insurance Exchanges

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Chief Executive Officer, MBGH
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