Current Issue Artciles
Feature
LeAura Alderson : The Inspired Workplace
Maureen Young: Take Control of Your Health™ Employers Helping Employees Make Good on New Year’s Resolutions
Self Funding
Brian Beck: B.I.N.G.O…. and Safety Is It’s Name-O
George Pantos: Viking Range Uses Care Management Technology to Save on Health Costs
Kevin M. Doherty: Tennessee Overhauls Captive Insurance Law To Become National Leader
R. Scott Boots: Comparing the Caring.
Rick Lindquist: How Defined Contribution Health Benefits Help Employers Recruit and Retain Employees
Voluntary Benefits
Andre' Andropolis: Lost Work Time = Lost Revenue What are your employees legal and identity theft problems costing you and your company's bottom line?
Anne Harrington: Employer Assisted Care: Not Just for Children
Bill Brooks: Financial and Legal Wellness Bolsters Employee Productivity & Loyalty
Ed Mueller and Laura Spencer: Critical Illness Insurance
Hunter Whittington: 2011 Leadership Awards
John Lahr, OD, FAAO : Going Beyond Eye-Popping Entertainment: 3D Technology Can Lead to Early Detection of Vision Problems
Michael Brady: The Importance of Quality Dental Insurance
Nicole Ropiza: 4 Ways Brokers are Overcoming Commission Cuts with Ancillary Benefits
Stacey Sicurella: 5 Compelling Reasons Why to Start Now
Corporate Wellness
Celynn Erasmus: Eat For Energy
Courtney Cordero: The New Bankruptcy
Dennis Toohey: Improving Health Plan Cost and MLR Attainment with eProcurement Why eProcurement for Health Plans?
Jacquelyn Ferguson : Simplify Your Life to Reduce Your Stress
Dr. Jeffery Gero: Surviving the STRESS of Downsizing
Kelly Lavieri: The Year of Acceptance… Eating Well for Health & Happiness
Nancy Sansom: New Apps Improve Employee Wellness
Scott Leavitt : Creating a Culture of Wellness with Employee Outreach and Social Media
Todd McGuire: 10 Reasons Why Your Wellness Program Lacks Participation
Dr. Steven Hotze: A Revolutionary Approach to Corporate Wellness
Jamey Bednez: Medical Self-Care: We Can’t Afford to Ignore It Workplace Wellness not meeting its potential
Kathy Gruver, PhD: Energy Boosters
Mark Verstegen : Why New Year’s Should Be A Time for Corporate Wellness Resolutions
Stewart Levy: American Crisis - Health of our Nation's Truck Drivers
Dr. Roger Boger : Love Assurance: Employee Satisfaction and Workplace Wellness
HealthCare Reform Magazine Articles
Love Assurance: Employee Satisfaction and Workplace Wellness
Since the 1970’s, our nation’s companies have been instituting wellness programs following concepts that Asian companies have been using successfully.
American Crisis - Health of our Nation's Truck Drivers
In America, nearly 1 of every 15 people in the workforce is employed in the trucking industry, including over 7 million truck drivers on our roads.
Why New Year’s Should Be A Time for Corporate Wellness Resolutions
Around the country, motivation to train is never higher than on January 2nd. On-site company gyms are packed,
Energy Boosters
We’ve all observed children playing. We watch for a second and then say, “Gee, I wish I had their energy.”
Medical Self-Care: We Can’t Afford to Ignore It Workplace Wellness not meeting its potential
A comprehensive workplace wellness program can positively impact the wealth of businesses and nearly 60 percent have embraced this concept with aspirations to avoid the economic strain of the current health care crisis.
A Revolutionary Approach to Corporate Wellness
Getting older: It is an inevitable“disease” that plagues us all at some point, and for your executives,age can become their biggest competitor and your company’s biggest threat.
10 Reasons Why Your Wellness Program Lacks Participation
This is the first installment of a 4 part series on a model for designing and managing a wellness program that gets measurable results.
Creating a Culture of Wellness with Employee Outreach and Social Media
As more and more companies start to implement wellness programs to address the continued rise in health care costs and the need for healthier employees.
New Apps Improve Employee Wellness
Numerous studies show that improving employee wellness decreases employer healthcare costs. In addition, research directly correlates employee benefits with overall employee satisfaction.
The Year of Acceptance… Eating Well for Health & Happiness
Being healthy starts from within, which for most of us, self acceptance is hard to find. We can easily console our friends and family when a crisis hits.
Surviving the STRESS of Downsizing
In a rapidly changing economy, corporations may have to reduce the size of the full-time workforce.
Simplify Your Life to Reduce Your Stress
There's nothing simple about the typical American life. We work too hard, treat time like an enemy, amass too much stuff, and sit around too much watching TV while eating too much bad food.
Improving Health Plan Cost and MLR Attainment with eProcurement Why eProcurement for Health Plans?
eProcurement: A uniform and centrally controlled paperless, web-based enterprise process that tightly integrates procurement, accounts payable and accounting.
The New Bankruptcy
It is no secret that many people have contemplated bankruptcy due to the financial strain they are facing.
Eat For Energy
Are you battling to bounce out of bed bright eyed and bushy tailed? Looking for more get-up-and-go to make it through 2012? Many of us may fall into the trap of not eating at all for long stretches of the day, breaking for high sugar, high fat snacks and then ending off with a really large supper.
5 Compelling Reasons Why to Start Now
Companies that work hard to set themselves apart often attract and retain top talent by offering voluntary benefits such as health and wellness programs.
4 Ways Brokers are Overcoming Commission Cuts with Ancillary Benefits
Brokers do a lot more than just sell. They explain critical differences, explore benefit plans and insurance options, and find solutions for employees and employers.
The Importance of Quality Dental Insurance
Dental health refers to all aspects of health and functioning of our mouth, especially the teeth and gums.
Going Beyond Eye-Popping Entertainment: 3D Technology Can Lead to Early Detection of Vision Problems
Today, 3D technology is everywhere. From movie theaters and televisions, to gaming systems and mobile devices, our exposure to 3D technology is becoming commonplace.
2011 Leadership Awards
The Voluntary Benefits Association (VBA), in conjunction with the Voluntary Benefits Magazine (VBM),
Critical Illness Insurance
Based on statistics, we are more likely to survive cancer, heart attack, and stroke today due to advances in medical technology.
Financial and Legal Wellness Bolsters Employee Productivity & Loyalty
For employees, the state of the economy and the state of their
Employer Assisted Care: Not Just for Children
In 1971, Arnold Hiatt, the then CEO of the Stride Rite Corporation, opened the first on-site childcare center, and revolutionized the way people balanced their work life with their home life.
Lost Work Time = Lost Revenue What are your employees legal and identity theft problems costing you and your company's bottom line?
Legal and identity theft services are now prized voluntary benefits. In the past four years, voluntary legal and identity theft plans have increased rapidly in worksites in the United States.
How Defined Contribution Health Benefits Help Employers Recruit and Retain Employees
It costs a typical employer the equivalent of 6-9 months in salary each time they have to replace a salaried employee
Comparing the Caring.
I sat next to David’s bed in the AIDS hospice the last week of his life and told him that he was a beautiful man. “Thank you,”
Tennessee Overhauls Captive Insurance Law To Become National Leader
Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam signed a comprehensive overhaul of Tennessee's captive insurance law in June.
Viking Range Uses Care Management Technology to Save on Health Costs
In November 2011, an employee at Greenwood, Mississippi-based kitchen appliance and cabinetry manufacturer Viking Range Corporation, who suffered from type-2 diabetes,
B.I.N.G.O…. and Safety Is It’s Name-O
How many of us in corporate America have grown tired of workers compensation claims? How many of us grow weary of the reasons why people become injured?
Take Control of Your Health™ Employers Helping Employees Make Good on New Year’s Resolutions
How did the practice of making New Year’s Resolutions start? It seems to have begun in pre-Christian times with moral changes such as being good to others.
The Inspired Workplace
It starts at the top. In the Conference Room the large table is flanked with stability ball chairs and a large water-cooler for the company issued personalized refillable water bottles frequently seen everywhere.
Visual Estimation of Effort: RIP
The functional capacity evaluation (FCE) is the oft-overlooked segue to unwarranted diagnostic testing, extended and unnecessary treatment and indemnity awards that are not justified.
HSAs Vs HRAs –Self Funding Byline
The past few years have been tumultuous for both the economy and healthcare industry – and it seems it is not over yet.
The Baby Boomer Advisor as a Student
We are all familiar with the Baby Boomer Phenomenon and how it will affect the products and services needed for our clientele,
Consumption Plans That Work
As I write this article I imagine a think tank environment somewhere in Washington with some completely dissociated genius who will advise our lawmakers on the next silver bullet for healthcare…
Keep your Identity Safe in the New Year!
Each year millions of people are the victims of identity theft in the United States. Unfortunately, these crimes are rising drastically due to the economic crisis we are facing as a nation.
The Role of Education in Health and Wellness Programs
All across America, corporations are implementing Health & Wellness programs, seeing the immense potential in having a healthier, more productive workforce.
Strategies for Success for Multinational Corporate Wellness Programs
A Follow-up to the 3rd Annual Corporate Wellness Conference & 2nd Annual Global Benefits Conference’s 2011 Educational Session
Mental Health As Part of Corporate Wellness Programs
Today’s corporate wellness programs tend to focus on helping employees improve their health by creating clinical improvement initiatives around certain measures such as blood pressure,
A Healthy Government Workplace
Is that what people think when that phrase is mentioned? Why is that thinking so pervasive? Is the government the toughest fight yet for workplace wellness?
New Year – New Wellness Plan
Personal aspirations aside, what are your resolutions in 2012 as a wellness manager? You probably have some of the same ones as previous
Wellness: Personal Freedom or Employer Mandate?
Several recent industry surveys confirm that employee wellness plan implementation is on the rise, particularly the use of “results-based”
The Truth About Responsibility
Responsibility gets a bad rap. “Who is responsible?”, is often accompanied by the familiar tune of “Not me.”
Getting Desk-based Employees Standing Again: Establishing a Culture of Incidental Physical Activity in the Office Environment
The typical full-time desk based employee will be required to sit at a desk for approximately 80,000 hours during their working life.
New Communication Channels Can Help BAs Eliminate Voluntary Benefit Confusion
In today’s evolving health benefits industry, constant cuts are being made to help control costs. One area where resources are being added, however, is workplace voluntary benefits. In 2006,
NCFlex article for Voluntary Benefits Magazine, January 2012.
With the current state of the economy, today’s employees find themselves depending on voluntary benefits more than anytime in recent history.
New Resolve for the New Year Update your communication strategies for 2012
As 2012 is underway and employees’ new health benefits have taken effect, take a moment and reflect on this past year’s open enrollment efforts – as an employer, are you inspired
Getting Together: Inter-Company Marketing Group Finds Interest, Activity in Insurance Strategic Alliances
Two-thirds of life, health and benefits insurance market participants have added revenue to their firms in the past three years by engaging in strategic alliances.
Benefits Go Live in 2012
It was a fascinating year, as we shed light on the challenges and trends in Employee Benefits,
Collaboration with Payers: Critical for Accountable Care Organizations
This study intends to recognize the importance of Payer Collaboration for ACOs to gain the competitive advantage.
Private Health Exchange; Fad or Real Solution Predictions for Employers in 2012
As the New Year kicks off and as we reflect back on 2011, there is little doubt that health insurance remains a principal issue for employers.
Improving Health Plan Cost and MLR attainment with eProcurement
eProcurement: A uniform and centrally controlled paperless, web-based enterprise process that tightly integrates procurement,
Summary of Final Rule on Medical Loss Ratio
The Affordable Care Act enacted on March 23, 2010, requires that health insurance issuers provide rebates to enrollees when their spending for the benefit
Innovation in Healthcare
Healthcare Reform is underway in the United States. The rapid pace of this overhaul,
Santa, CEO
The holidays are among us. There is nothing like the smell of pine from your Christmas Trees, holiday cheer in the air and the return of Starbuck’s Peppermint Mocha.
How a Simple “Nudge” Could Increase Employee Wellness Engagement and Reduce Wellness Program Costs
In the drive to increase employee participation in health improvement programs, businesses have rapidly adopted financial incentives as a key strategy for jump-starting employee engagement.
Five Points to Consider Before Buying Medical Equipment Online
Self insurers have multiple options when it comes to arranging medical equipment for injured workers.
A Look into the Crystal Ball: Three Predictions for Healthcare Payors in 2012
If we had a crystal ball, we could look ahead to the end of 2012 and see the many changes that affected healthcare payors throughout the year.
Breathing Life (Insurance) Into the Forgotten Generation
Brokers and agents face a unique set of market dynamics, many of which pose a threat to their financial livelihood.
Medical Evacuations for Your Employees Who Travel Overseas: What You Need to Know to Save Lives
Medical evacuations overseas for those who have become ill or injured are often misunderstood. Often,
Using Social Media for Health Care
Everyone today in business is aware of the effects that social media has on business, especially if you are under the age of 30. If you are not taking advantage of web media sources like YouTube,
The Missing Headline: Where's the Patient in Patient-Centered Care?
Today's headlines reflect the impact of more than 133 million people living with chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and depression in a fragmented,
A Fresh Look At Voluntary Benefits
Employers face multiple challenges in providing competitive benefits – rising medical costs, a difficult economic environment, and uncertainty concerning the impact of last year’s health care reform law.
Uniting Disability Management and Wellness for a Healthier, More Productive Workforce
Employee absences, such as short- and long-term disability absences, leaves of absence (LOAs) and incidental absences,
Worksite Clinics – The Next Generation
A recent survey from Mercer found that work site clinics are becoming an increasingly popular way to control health care spending and even enhance employee productivity.
Health Tips for the Holidays and New Year in the Workplace
The holidays can bring a lot of joy, but they can also bring lots of stress! An already over-stressed workplace can be even more hectic,
Out with the Old! In With the New!
A new year provides the opportunity to look at and learn from the past; New Year’s resolutions offer us the opportunity to reach for our potential.
Don’t Let Holiday Chaos Over-stress You
Thanksgiving through New Years is a very busy time for most of us.
Unwrapping Credit Solutions for 2012
Holiday shopping has come to an end as the New Year approaches.
Developing Leadership in Medicine: The Importance of “Institutional Awareness” in Managing Change and Transforming Healthcare
Leaders grapple with constant change. Evolving societal needs, tastes and expectations, developments in science and technology, new and revised legislation,
Cake or Carrots? Using Incentives to Motivate Healthy Choices
Incentives motivate behavior change, yet there is a widening gap between those of us who use incentives to encourage healthy
Health Culture at Work Promotes Loyalty and Drives Savings
An increasing number of companies are implementing wellness programs in an effort to help employees adopt healthy behaviors,
The Reward in Risky Business
As I reflect on the excitement and growth of the 3rd Annual Employer Healthcare Congress, I think of a quote from one of our Keynote speakers, Bill Rancic,
Beware of Your Chair
If you are one of the millions of American workers who rush to work every morning just to sit down for 8 to 10 hours you might not want to “sit this one out.”
Defeating Depression with Resilience
A good way to reduce health care costs and increase vitality and productivity in your organization is to increase resilience to prevent or eliminate depression.
Improve Your ROI With a Wellness Diagnostic
The benefits of promoting healthy lifestyles in the workplace have been proven; good employee health boosts productivity,
The Challenge of Product Development for Voluntary Benefits
A speaker at a recent Voluntary Employee Benefits Board conference pleaded with attendees to take a fresh look at their product development processes and commit to significantly improve them.
Recruiting, Retaining & Rejuvenating Employees: Incentive Top Talent with Voluntary Benefits
Faced with uncertainty about the potential effects healthcare reform will have on employee benefits,
Will Employer Sponsored Insurance erode over time?
Last week, I read a few articles that were lambasting last quarter’s McKinsey Health care research study.
The Implications of Acetaminophen Overdose for Injured Workers
One of the most commonly used drugs to relieve pain and fever, acetaminophen is contained in a number of prescription medications and is a popular over-the-counter medication.
Midsize Firms Can Benefit From a Self-Funded Health Care Plan
It’s easy to understand why many large firms (1,000 to 5,000+ lives) opt for self-funded healthcare plans – they can be an effective way to mitigate the escalating cost of healthcare.
Educating Consumers about Healthcare Price Transparency is the Best Solution to Controlling Costs
Health reform won’t stop providers from overcharging for care, only consumers can do that.
Cross-Border Healthcare: A Creative Option for Texas Self-Insured Employers
One of the advantages of self-funding for employers in Texas is the ability to include cross-border healthcare.
Why Long Term Care Insurance?
When we examine the voluntary benefits landscape, certain features rise to the obvious. For example, few voluntary participants doubt the desirability,
US Health Insurance Medical Tourism Market Update
The industry had a lot of momentum in 2009 as many insurance companies moved forward with their plans,but was derailed when Obama brought HealthcarEReform into the picture which caused insurance companies to stop all new programs/initiatives and to focus on fighting for survival.
Healthcare Reform: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.
Now that the Patient Care and Affordability Act, otherwise known as healthcare reform, has been circulating for a while, we are seeing different aspects come to light – as the good, the bad and the ugly of health care reform begin to take shape.
Health insurance exchanges: Let’s do them right
Regardless of the ongoing debate, healthcare reform is now the law of the land, and we need to begin the process of developing meaningful consumer-oriented products and solutions.
Fund Your Rx Program
It's a fact. One of the key items an employer can realize by going into any kind of an ERISA self-funded employee benefit program is that the employer can control the benefits that are inherent to that program. And by controlling the benefits,
Pharmacy Benefit Manager Contract Language that affects Plan Sponsors Costs.
The pharmacy benefit management (PBM) industry is on the verge of significant transition. The PBM market place is being consolidated as two of the largest players merge to a form an organization serving over 100 million members.
Our Three Piece Solution
Self-funding is a great way to understand healthcare costs and provide a company the opportunity to benefit from any savings that a health care strategy might generate.
People Strategists’ Reveal Key C-Suite Secrets to Bend the Trend,
Since maximizing resources for enhancing worker capacity and sustaining a competitive edge is more important than ever before, HR professionals need to become \
Surviving Healthcare Reform:
Health care reform has America’s employers scrambling to ensure they will be in compliance, scratching their heads about certain provisions and secretly wondering if their company is prepared for what comes next.
Managing the Increasing Cost of Specialty Drugs
The specialty pharmaceutical market has grown substantially over the last decade. With the increasing number of patients using specialty drugs and the increasing number of specialty drugs approved for more common conditions, cost containment is a top concern for patients and plan sponsors.
Gain a Competitive Edge with Critical Illness
According to a 2009 study by Harvard researchers, 62 percent of personal bankruptcies in the United States in 2007 were caused by health problems and 78% of those filers had health insurance.
Open Enrollment Effectiveness Crucial in Curbing Workers' Costly Benefit Mistakes
Open enrollment this year might prove to be more confusing for workers than ever before and could result in added costly mistakes when it comes to benefit decisions.
Health Culture at Work Promotes Loyalty and Drives Savings
An increasing number of companies are implementing wellness programs in an effort to help employees adopt healthy behaviors, increase productivity and tame medical costs.
Comprehensive Wellness Management Changes Behaviors,
Joe Kuchera and fellow management at Western New York’s Unifrax I LLC knew not to expect an immediate return on investment when infusing nearly a quarter of a million dollars into a year-long workforce wellness program for employees plus their spouses.
Saving Lives: The Power of Health Risk Assessments
A chill shot up my spine when I read the e-mail from an employee who would have died had he not agreed to take a health risk assessment (HRA) during the annual company-sponsored health fair at the factory where he worked.
The Impact of the Affordable Care Act on Corporate Wellness Programs – Good, Bad or Unknown? Greg Justice, MA
One of the major thrusts of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) is an increased focus on prevention and wellness,
Corporate Wellness Agenda and Participant List Announced
This year we have worked extremely hard to totally redesign this years Corporate Wellness Conference and Employer Healthcare Congress.
The Importance of a Comprehensive Legal Plan
The list of incremental professional services required to solve a single legal issue can be extensive, often requiring months or years to resolve,
Medicare Supplement Insurance Now a Must-Have Voluntary Benefit for an Aging Workforce
In the U.S. today there are two factors at work--one demographic, one economic--that are making Medicare Supplement Insurance plans a must-have voluntary benefit.
Live Well and Be Well
The buzzword among employers, especially this year, is wellness. Many employers have put an employee plan in place that includes a wellness element. However,
Benefits That Really Matter: What Females Want
A shift is taking place in workplaces across America. Women are repositioning their careers in and in the process, are looking for something different.
Would You Pay Your Credit Card Bill Before Reviewing It?
Imagine receiving your credit card bill every month, and the only information you’re provided is an amount due and a “pay by” date of 48 hours from now.
Health Promotion versus Disease Management: A Corporate Lifestyle Approach
Have you ever wanted more time? More time to get things done and more time for you to live life? Just having an extra hour in the day or an extra day in the week would make life a bit easier wouldn’t it?
Health insurance exchanges: Let’s do them right
Regardless of the ongoing debate, healthcare reform is now the law of the land, and we need to begin the process of developing meaningful consumer-oriented products and solutions.
UTILIZATION REVIEW A Dependable Cost Cutting Tool in a Changing Landscape
Change is inevitable for self-insured employers. More control over insurance programs means keeping up with a fast-changing legislative environment that’s inherently out of an employer’s hands.
Pharmacy Benefit Manager Contract Language that affects Plan Sponsors Costs
The pharmacy benefit management (PBM) industry is on the verge of significant transition.
The New Wild West
In the days of the Wild West, pioneers set out to discover a new frontier. Ahead of them lay challenges, potential dangers and possible wrong turns.
SURVIVING HEALTH CARE REFORM
Health care reform has America’s employers scrambling to ensure they will be in compliance,
Tiny Steps, The Ripple Effect
I think one of the problems we are facing with the declining health of Americans is that we are trying to tackle the problem on too large of a basis;
Employer Funded Caregiving
Speak with a room of 10 or 15 people in their 40s and bring up the topic of caregiving.
Increasing Chronic Disease Costs Lowered with Digital Health Coaching
Given the continual steep rise in health care costs in an already challenging economic environment,
Innovative Smoking Cessation Programs Drive Solid Results
Ever since the first Surgeon General’s report was released nearly 50 years ago, the medical and financial consequences of tobacco use have become widely known.
Your Employees Will Be Global Healthcare Consumers — Are You Prepared to Communicate with Them?
A “perfect storm” of trends occurred about 10 years ago in the music industry, and it changed the landscape of that business forever.
July 2011 Employer Healthcare and Benefits Survey Released
The Voluntary Benefits Magazine, Corporate Wellness Magazine, Self Funding Magazine, and Healthcare Reform Magazine,
Good News in Alternative Supplemental Plans
Nearly a year and a half after the passage of health care reform, rising medical costs continue to beleaguer individuals and small businesses looking to purchase health insurance for their families and employees.
Using Remote Health Management Systems to Manage Critical Illnesses
An estimated 133 million Americans are currently living with one or more chronic conditions – a figure that is only expected to grow as the baby boomer generation ages.
Healthcare Reform: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Now that the Patient Care and Affordability Act, otherwise known as health care reform, has been circulating for a while,
Healthcare: Cheaper, Better & Faster is the “new” game
Revisiting an old management truism, a business must execute cheaper, better and faster to do well. But alas,
Healthcare: Cheaper, Better & Faster is the “new” game
Revisiting an old management truism, a business must execute cheaper, better and faster to do well. But alas,
Diabetes and Its Effect on Future Employer Health Costs - Guidance for Employers
Diabetes is a disease caused by elevated blood sugar with medical complications, which are costly and devastating.
Feds Set Explicit Goal to Eliminate Fee For Service in Self Funded Plans.
Federal reforms under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) and Centers for Medicaid Services (CMS)
HRAs Time and Money Well Spent
There is usually a grain of truth in most dissenting opinions regarding the proper way to manage an employee wellness program.
Inpatient vs. Outpatient/Observation Hospital Status
In an effort to detect and reduce Medicare waste, fraud and abuse, The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS),
Preventing Cancer through Healthy Lifestyle Choices: Fitness and Proper Nutrition
The mere mention of the word cancer strikes fear in all of us. Cancer can affect the young and old,
Market Based Patient Care
Health plans are expensive, because medical care is expensive. Will shopping across state lines for insurance fix that?
The Vision for a Strategic Alliance-Interview with Aetna & Allstate
Both James Reid, head of Aetna Voluntary Plans, and David Bird, President at Allstate Benefits, have genuine excitement and
Health Reform and the CLASS Act: Threat or Opportunity?
March 23 was the one year anniversary of President Obama signing into law the health care reform bill, which includes the Community
Rob a Bank for Healthcare- The Only Option in 2011?
This indeed did seem like the only option for Richard James Verone, a 59-year-old from North Carolina,
Social Media- Health IT - Behavioural Finance
We all know human is a social being , has emotions and is not always rationale in his decisions be it finances or health ,
Early Detection is Key ~ Breast Cancer Awareness
Breast cancer is the 5th leading cause of death among women over the age of 40.
What You Don’t Know about the Financial Effects of Healthcare Reform on Your Organization
With the first anniversary of national healthcare reform behind us, you’ve likely survived your first employee benefits renewal implementing the 2010/11 healthcare reform provisions affecting your organization, or you soon will.
Understanding the “Rules of the Game” in Healthcare Reform
United States’ medicine, once regarded as the best in the world, is in a sorry state of health. Although U.S.
Dependent Eligibility Under Healthcare Reform
Affordability Reconciliation Act (HCEARA) have changed the landscape of dependent eligibility for employer-sponsored health coverage.
Employer Sponsored Cancer Screening
With healthcare reform mandating coverage for many preventative services employers are taking a closer look at worksite health screenings.
Comfortable with Healthcare Reform
The dust is finally settling from healthcare reform. As an industry we are starting to see everyone understanding how healthcare reform works and will effect them and they
The Next Phase of CDHP…And What Reform of Healthcare in the United States Should Be…
Back at the advent of PPOs, health insurance deductibles were extremely low, the insured covered by a group health plan had very little out-of-pocket liability,
Healthcare: East or West – who is the best?
About 2 weeks ago, our dinner table conversation at home was around healthcare in general and the changing dynamics of U.S.
Why Property & Casualty and Life and Health Producers are turning to Legal Plans?
The effects of the biggest recession since the 1930s spread throughout the economy and every community. At least 25 court systems face budget shortfalls.
What will the health insurance market look like in 2020
If someone tells you they know how healthcare reform is going to impact the health insurance market, feel free to ignore them.
A New Wellness Intervention that Can Increase Cancer Screening Rates for Employers
As a component of corporate wellness programs, cancer screening provides one of the most direct and immediate health benefits.
US Employee Benefits Industry Players Head to Chicago
I am very excited at this year’s upcoming Employer Healthcare Congress, October 26-28th, 2011 in Chicago.
Give Me Drugs!
The pharmaceutical industry is big bucks…research, manufacturing, registration with the Feds, marketing, and sales.
5 Steps to Good Decision Making
Each day we are faced with situations in life that require us to make choices. Some of these choices are easy, and at times, some of them can be difficult.
How Brokers Can Find Opportunities in the Health Care Reform Era
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) are designed to bring benefits to millions of uninsured Americans by decreasing health care costs and premiums.
Reducing Narcotics Abuse in Workers’ Compensation Best practices a PBM can implement to reduce abuse and cost
On-the-job injuries often involve chronic pain for injured workers and long-term liability for workers’ compensation self-insured payors.
Workers’ Compensation Cost Escalation: Technology to Roundup the Usual Suspects
Self-funded workers’ compensation programs across the country are struggling to roundup the usual suspects that contribute to high program costs
Going Ahead of the CLASS: The Advantages of Private Long-Term Care Coverage
As Baby Boomers age and shoulder the responsibility for their parents’ deteriorating health,
Health & Care – Are they going in different directions?
Health is an indicator of well -being that has implications not only on the quality of life of an individual
UNIONS CHEAT MEMBERS OUT OF HEALTH AND WEALTH
Let’s start by saying that we are pro-member, pro-health and pro-wealth! Now that we’ve gone on record stating that we are not bias towards Unions,
Meaningful Thoughts Beyond “Meaningful Use”
Healthcare reform issues have frequently dominated the headlines over the past year.
The Costs of Doing Business
The health insurance industry is loaded with back-office costs from marketing to plan and rate maintenance to enrollment paperwork.
What is the Biggest Myth about Electronic Fund Transfers?
It is a common belief today, that if a claims administrator begins to send electronic payments (EFT) to healthcare providers it will lower their fulfillment costs
Reform Anniversary of a Scary Baby
Now that the Healthcare Reform Act has celebrated its first birthday,
Healthcare Reform a Welcome or Unwelcome Anniversary?
We just passed the one year anniversary of the Healthcare Reform law on March 23, 2011.
Innovations in Benefit Administration Leading
Employers today have benefited from an explosion of technology applications that can help them manage their employee benefit plans,
Health Risk Assessments: A Waste of Time and Money
When an employer is interested in beginning a wellness program the first thing that comes to mind is the implementation of a Health Risk Assessment (HRA).
The Environment of Change
The events and rhetoric leading to the inauguration of President Obama swept the mindset of the Nation in a tsunami of healthcare changes
“Medical Loss Ratio” Optimization ~ Another Reform Bullet
Around the country there is a deep concern. With an exponential rise in the medical cost do the consumers of healthcare get a high valued coverage for the money
Why Healthcare Reform is a “Perfect Storm” – and How Voluntary Benefits can Provide a Crucial Lifeline
MLR’s, Cadillac Plan taxes, grandfathering, higher deductibles and co-pays all are, increasing costs and premiums.
The Future of the Affordable Care Act Foreseen Challenges and Implications for Insurance Companies and Medicare Patients
The Affordable Care Act will have numerous effects on the healthcare industry.
Remaking Healthcare in Georgia
While many of the world's first ladies travel their countries to spotlight pressing issues, the first lady of the republic of Georgia,
Rhetoric of Politics in Our Industry
I normally try to stay out of politics. In fact isn’t that what everyone always tells you.
(Subheader)How to Play the Hand for You and Your Employees
To paraphrase Woody Allen, “managing benefits is like playing bridge.
Physician Shortage: Fact or Fiction? A Look Into the Rumors of a Shortage
So, you need to see a primary care doctor. You’ve had a nagging lump in your neck that is causing concern and you figure it’s time to get it checked.
A Wellness Partnership Well Worth Toasting
I have a job that makes me the envy of many people around the world: I am the CEO of a winery.
Potential Medical Insurance Solutions for Uninsured Individuals in New York
For those of you that have medical insurance and those that do not have coverage,
Transforming Transcription “Confessions of a CEO”
We are in the midst of arguably the most significant healthcare reform in our nation’s history.
Hey Doc! This ACO’s for YOU!
As the new regulatory and economic healthcare landscape continues to evolve,
Health IT: The ACO Backbone
Accountable Care Organization (ACO) is the new buzz word in the healthcare world. ACO,
Headaches, Heartburn and Healthcare Reform: An overview of healthcare reform mandates for businesses
This month, March 23, Healthcare Reform celebrates its first birthday.
The Time is Now – Ten Steps Organizations can Take to Successfully Comply with ICD-10
On October 1, 2013, the U.S. will join many countries in the international community by mandating the switchover in code sets for healthcare diagnoses and procedures from ICD-9 to ICD-10.
The Challenges for Accountable Health Organizations (“ACO’s)
In a June report to Congress, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) cited ACOs as a possible method of bringing about changes in the Medicare delivery system.
The MLR Provision: Unraveling the Mystery of Three Little Letters
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (the “PPACA”) provides that insurance carriers are required to satisfy certain medical loss ratio (“MLR”) thresholds;
HEALTHCARE BENEFITS INNOVATION: EMPLOYERS CREATING THEIR OWN CAPTIVE INSURERS
In today’s crippled economic and changing healthcare environment,
How obesity and workers comp is crippling companies
implementation of this torture you’d be a lot happier about it.
New Avatar of Value Based Benefit Design
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) stresses on increasing the coverage, providing preventive care and value based insurance design,
What is the future of the Health Insurance Agent?
You have probably planned a vacation in the past five years.
Medical Loss Ratios..Agent or No Agent..'Freedom to Choose'
Unknown to most consumers, a couple of days before Thanksgiving, coincidentally a historically slow news holiday,
Technology Innovation, US Healthcare and Health Reforms
Over past couple of decades, banking industry witnessed technology innovation in the form of credit cards,
Healthcare Reform Starts With You
Enough of the rhetoric. It’s time to cut to the chase and talk about how reform starts with you.
ICD-10 Benefits for Healthcare Providers
ICD-10 brings several benefit opportunities for healthcare providers across multiple categories which include Reimbursement,
Medical Discount Network, a Viable Alternative
Obamacare is a frightening word for employers and many Americans.
Learn the Ins and Outs of Healthcare Reform, Because it’s Here to Stay!
Some of you may be thinking, “Democrats lost control of the House, so I can stop worrying about healthcare reform, it will be repealed.”
Musings of an Old World doctor about the New World healthcare marketplace.
“Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him work with his hands, so that your daily life wins the respect of others and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.
AFFORDABLE HEALTH BENEFITS - A Thing of the Past?
In today’s radically changing healthcare industry, individuals and small employers have an almost impossible task of securing affordable healthcare.
Top must-haves in your EMR budget and ways to finance them
If you’re like many, chances are you are either 1) building a roadmap for EMR or 2) satisfied with pilot results and wondering how to accelerate rollout in 2011.
PHARMA REFORM AND WORLD TRADE
here is an industry that in the past has been more profitable than the commercial banking sector.
Health Care Reform and the Role of Wellness and Prevention
In 1735, Benjamin Franklin published a letter in The Pennsylvania Gazette, offering his now famous axiom,
A ‘Boon’ for Consumers May be ‘Bane’ for Brokers & Producers NAIC Adopts Medical Loss Ratio Model Regulation
On Oct. 21, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) adopted a model regulation concerning the calculation of medical loss ratios (MLR) under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).
The What, Why and How of Medical Loss Ratio
On November 22, 2010, The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released the interim final regulation (IFR) regarding medical loss ratio (MLR) implementation for health insurance issuers.
Darwinism Effect – Survival of the Fittest for Employee Benefits Consultants
PPACA (Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act), known by most in and out of the industry as “ObamaCare” is no longer something that agents can hope will not happen --- it is here, it has begun, and it is reality.
The Changing Face of Healthcare: Understanding the Medical Loss Ratio
The Affordable Care Act created a new regulation designed to bring down the cost of healthcare through the use of a new medical loss ratio standard.
Chronic Disease and Improved Healthcare Outcomes Through Telehealth Monitoring
As healthcare costs continue to increase, the government’s primary focus has been geared towards inpatient hospital stays for acute or chronic conditions.
A Formula for Successful Health Insurance Exchanges
I awaited the 2010 election before writing this article, as there was a possibility that the seven-month-old Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (the “Act”)
HIT $olutions for PPACA or Symbiosis between Telemedicine & PPACA
Notwithstanding the Republican House majority, health care reform is probably here to stay; at least as long as Mr. Obama is President.
Integrating Systems for Patient Centered Medical Homes
Achieving quality excellence in care coordination with controlled costs is one of the top most needs today and demands enhancing the relationship between patients and physicians.
Healthcare Reform – What will the next 2+ years look like?
Providers will need to be able to produce and leverage new CMS outcome information to win over hospital CxOs.
Healthcare Reforms: Today and Tomorrow- Part 2
This article is a continuation of the earlier article (Healthcare Reforms: Today and Tomorrow- Part 1
The Healthcare Game Get Engaged People!
In this age of Healthcare Reform and now mandated health insurance for all Americans,
Health Care Reform: Wellness and Prevention
Recent statistics prove that too many people in this country do not obtain the preventive health care needed to stay healthy or avoid or delay the onset of disease.
ObamaCare in the Republican Wave
In February of this year, the U.S. Congress passed a sweeping legislation called the Affordable Care Act, affectionately known as ObamaCare.
Health Care Reform Overview
President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law on March 23, 2010.
Healthcare Reform or Entitlement Program?
The PPACA is depending on a $500,000,000 cut to Medicare reimbursement that it now pays out to providers on an annual basis. From a political standpoint,
Taking Control
Now, more than ever, it’s time for benefits producers to take control of their future.
How Healthcare Reform Helps Savvy Pharmaceutical Companies Gain Access to Hospital Formularies
One of the provisions of the new Healthcare Reform officially known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA)
Redefining Healthcare through Health IT
For an efficient and effective healthcare delivery, the right information should be available at the right place, in the right way at the right time.
Small Business and Health Care Reform
Recently, HCS presented at the Healthcare Reform Conference of the Employers’ Health Congress.
Accountable Care Organizations and PPACA after November 2nd 2010
Health care reform or the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) began its journey on February 24, 2009,
The PPACA and Worksite Wellness: Opportunities and Challenges
How might the new Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) impact the field of worksite wellness?
Musings of an Old World doctor about the New World healthcare marketplace.
When Is Enough, Enough? Thoughts on access to healthcare. “Godliness, with contentment, is a means of great gain. ”
Affordable Care Act's Effect on Agents
It is largely believed by brokers and agents that selling medical insurance to large groups will not be effected by healthcare reform.
Joe the Plumber Doesn’t Need to Wait Any Longer
As American voters prepare to head to the voting booths for the upcoming November elections many small business owners are looking for relief with their health insurance premiums.
Shaken by Bloating Healthcare Costs, Corporate America Must Focus on Prevention - But How?
It’s no secret that a growing challenge for corporate America is how to slow rising healthcare costs.
What Kind of Risk Adjustment Systems Are Necessary for Health Insurance Exchanges?
States and organizations that are tasked to develop the exchanges should be prepared to deal with the imperfections in risk adjustment, set realistic goals
President Obama’s New Health Law – Laudable Goals and New Opportunities
On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed into law The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148) (“Act”)
Healthcare Reforms: Today and Tomorrow- Part 1
For the last 2-3 years, the whole country has been in the grips of the HealthCare reform changes. When one looks around,
Spend Analytics and Revenue Cycle in the Era of Healthcare Reform
Healthcare reform is unfolding and beginning to provide a glimpse into the future. Although the details of the reform bill will undoubtedly change between now and 2014
Where do we go from here? Voluntary benefits can help bridge the gap
For small- and mid-size business owners struggling to stay afloat in the face of a weak economy that’s been slow to recover,
Employers miffed at employees’ lack of health engagement? Get real.
A recent National Business Group on Health and Towers Watson report finds employers frustrated with their employees’
HITECH, Meaningful Use & Medical Device Integration: The Missing Link
Providers and patients alike may wonder why there has not been more significant traction in the use of technology to improve quality of care.
Seven Steps to Creating Affordable Healthcare
Since the passage of the PPACA, pundits and policy makers have been arguing over whether the Act will exacerbate or alleviate the rising costs of healthcare.
Burning the Candle at Both Ends
I recently attended a conference where, like many conferences around the United States, Healthcare Reform was the key topic.
Brokers: It's A Whole New Ballgame
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) is in many ways a significant step towards a more equitable health insurance system.
Health Care Reform: Key Observations & Direction for Plan Sponsors September 9, 2010
With the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) in March of 2010, plan sponsors have
Cost containment through Obama-care- A political illusion or reality?
The United States spends an estimated $2.5 trillion annually on healthcare expenses, more than any other industrialized country,
Healthcare Reform and Mental Health
Though there are few provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that directly address mental health issues,
Demystifying Plan Documents And Health Care Reform
By now, most organizations have faced the inevitable prospect of health care reform.
ACOs Will Need Automation Tools To Do Population Health Management
The rising interest in accountable care organizations (ACOs) springs from two factors: the Medicare shared-savings program for ACOs,
A First Look at “Pay or Play” Strategies for 2014
The first set of rules and regulations from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) has taken effect. What’s next on the horizon?
PLANT THE SEEDS OF INTEREST IN HEALTHCARE EARLY
Healthcare has seen its fair share of shortages. The lack of primary and specialty care doctors, nurses and physicians assistants has been
Why Most Employers Will (and Should) Retain Their Health Care Plan after 2013, Despite Rising Health Care Costs
Some analysts predict that a large number of employers will terminate their health plans in 2014 and simply pay the annual penalty of $2,000 per employee.
New Regulations to Help Consumers Appeal Decisions by Their Health Plans
On July 22, 2010, the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and Treasury released the interim final rules.
CARROTS NOW - POISON LATER
Establishing price controls through the Independent Medicare Payment Advisory Board(section 3403 of the law) and the Federal Coordinating
Participant List Released for Healthcare Reform Congress
I am very excited to announce we have released the most updated list as of September 7th for the upcoming National Healthcare Reform Congress and the Employer Healthcare Congress,
Free Preventive Services - Will Free Make A Big Enough Difference?
The individual faces a number of knowledge barriers including: knowing what benefits are available through their insurance policy,
Change is hard but necessary
Our industry faces change much like the dinosaurs faced extinction, whether it be getting the doctor to use tablet computers to put procedural notes in the exam room,
Owe No Man Anything Except to Love Him!
“Owe no man anything but to love one another. ” Paul, a Jewish rabbi and early Christian apologist.
Measures Worth Mentioning
With September 2010, new health care reform measures are set to be implemented. There are a few worth mentioning and discussing.
Healthier Employees, Fatter Bottom Line
How reducing employee stress lowers costs and increases profits in an out-of-control healthcare environment.
Payers and Providers Converge on Meaningful Use
Recently, four major commercial Payers announced programs aligning their Pay for Performance (P4P) initiatives with Meaningful Use (MU) compliance criteria.
UnitedHealth is Better Positioned Than Its Competitors for Federal Reform
In a talk at Yale University this year, I outlined our view of Reform’s impacts on managed care. Short of a new business model,
10 Things Every Employer Should Consider About Health Reform
While there are over 2,000 plus pages of rules and regulations associated with health care reform we have created a listing that will help identify some of the most important items employers should pay attention to over the next several years.
Grandfather Rules – Hard to Decipher and Harder to Meet
The Obama administration made a mantra of “if you like your plan, you can keep it.” But, the resulting health reform law added several caveats to the mantra.
Young Adults – Boon for Savvy Marketers, Thanks to Healthcare Reform
Young adults have just become a very appealing segment of the population for three reasons.
Building Fully Integrated ACO’s: Nuts & Bolts
According to Center for Medicaid and Medicare’s (CMS) Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, half of the population spends little or nothing on health care,
Health Insurance is Not Subject to Capitalist Principles
The Patient Protection and Affordability Act has received a lot of press, most of it negative. However, there are a few components to the legislation which are actually an improvement on the status quo for consumers.
What You’ll Wish You Had Known Now
Health-plan executives and employees are in a heads-down, reactive mode right now.
Game On: Part II (How Obamacare will cause employers to Game the system, and opt out of offering group plans to their employees.)
So....if you own a business, and your employee could purchase a benefit with HIS MONEY for around $4,000/year, would you ever spend $12,000 of YOUR MONEY to purchase that benefit for your employee? I highly doubt it.
Understanding the Impact of Medical Loss Ratio On Case Management and Other Direct Patient Services
A significant milestone was reached recently in the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act:
Lower Healthcare Costs Begin with YOU
The nation is quickly learning that healthcare reform will not be the answer for lower healthcare costs.
Healthcare Reform Network Magazine
Healthcare reform has been on the table of legislation for many years. We now have a “bill“ that has
January 2011 operational changes for healthcare providers and how to prepare for them
In line with our commitment to your revenue cycle management, especially the self pay portion, I have done extensive research on the affect the Health Care Reform legislation passed will have on your practices and operations beginning January 1st.
The Deadline Approaches, September 23rd, 2010, Are you complying with Healthcare Reform
September 23rd is a key date for healthcare reform and this deadline is fast approaching. Many parts of healthcare reform occur on or after September 23, 2010, and then the really major ones kick in January of 2014.
Comparative Effectiveness Research – a bright future for Patient Empowerment!
How often have you been prescribed a drug for which the brand name version has been deemed medically necessary and irreplaceable by the generic version? How often have you found yourself sitting in the doctor’s office required to choose between two treatment options
Grow up man! Thoughts on cooperating in ventures that are not necessarily to your liking.
“Please test us for ten days on a diet of vegetable and water. At the end of the ten days, see how we look compared to the other young men who are eating the King’s food.”
Health Care Reform’s Impact on Rewards Strategies.
Is it time to change the mix of compensation and benefits?
Some critics of health care reform predict that the low $2,000 employer mandate penalty will cause many employers to exit the employer-sponsored benefit (ESB) system and dump their entire workforces on the new Exchanges.
Preexisting Condition Exclusions & The New Health Reform Regulations
On June 28, 2010, the Departments of Labor, Treasury (IRS), and Health and Human Services jointly published interim final regulations on preexisting condition exclusions.
The Health Care Act Tax Credit: Another Battleground in the Employee/Independent Contractor Classification War?
So what’s in a name? Are they independent contractor or an employee? You say, “I’ve called some employees worse things,” (and vice versa).
The Financial Impact of PPACA’s “Dependent Eligibility” Provision on Mid-Sized and Large Employers
As a benefits administration software and services firm serving more than 5,000 employers across the country,
Keep the Old Grandfather(ed) Around or Not ???
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) gives American families and businesses more control over their health care by providing greater benefits and protections for family members and employees.
Is Prevention That Important For True Health Care Reform?
That is a quotation from Time Magazine from 2003. Seven, count ‘em, seven years ago.This is not new news; in fact, it is intuitively clear and inherently obvious to the most casual observer that prevention is worth more,
Bending the Curve(s)
Several Health Reform initiatives will take effect including bans on dropping coverage when people need it, rejecting children with pre-existing conditions, and imposing lifetime coverage limits.
Health Care Reform and the Voluntary Insurance Market
Now that health care reform is a reality, many small-business owners and human resources professionals are assessing what the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA)
Game On! How guaranteed issue coverage and PPACA will cause employers and individuals to cancel their coverage, and join the ranks of the uninsured.
If there is one thing the American people are good at, it is "gaming the system". That is, learning the rules of the game
Pursuing the Promise of Care Coordination With Qualified, Credentialed Professionals
Passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has put the spotlight on a key component of service delivery: care coordination.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act “Changes for 2010”
On 3-23-2010, President Obama signed into law the most comprehensive healthcare reform in the history of the United States, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).
Is it real or is it rhetoric
Healthcare reform has been on the table of legislation for many years. We now have a “bill“ that has passed through the congress and from what I understand, it is meant to make much needed changes to our healthcare system as we know it.
Ignoring Corporate America Yet Again
For the past 25 years I have dedicated my career to the healthcare profession as a physician at Johns Hopkins, as well as, in more recent years, an entrepreneur and business executive in the health information technology arena.
Healthcare Reform: What’s Next?
President Obama recently approved a healthcare reform bill that aims to extend coverage to 32 million uninsured people.
The Future of Health Insurance
If Health Insurance is to be affordable for everyone, enrollment of everyone must be required and the cost must be tax-deductible!
A Healthcare Puzzle
National Health Care Reform (HCR) feels a little like the federal government has given every household in the United States a puzzle in a box.
Health Care Reform and Wellness – nobody is leading, there’s no one to follow, so how about you get the government out of your way!
When I read about or watch discussions on television about the Health Care Bill, two famous people come to mind.
Accountable Care Organizations
As a starting point let’s look at the recent rules published by HHS, Department of Health and Human Services, who is charged in the Affordable Care Act (ACA), to develop the rules related to the start up, qualifications and operations of Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs).
Why isn’t anyone taking healthcare reform seriously?
This is the question I keep asking myself almost daily. I just don’t get it.
The Winners & Losers of Healthcare Reform—a Preliminary View
With much hand wringing health reform passed. Greater access to healthcare for all was achieved with the introduction of state health insurance exchanges.
Accountable Care Organizations: Lights! Cameras! But Where’s the Action?
One of the hottest topics in health care reform – indeed, the health care industry – is the Accountable Care Organization (ACO). Like a summer blockbuster movie, ACOs are being advertised as a solution of epic proportions,
Determining, Establishing and Maintaining Grandfathered Status Under Federal Health Reform
Federal health reform allows certain plans in existence on March 23, 2010 to remain unaffected by a limited number
What’s Next? A Brokers Survival Guide
Health insurance brokers had a tough 2009. The recession made life miserable. Everyone was looking for ways to cut costs,
Health Reform and Medicaid Expansion
Among all the changes and ramifications for health care forthcoming as a result of passage (and now law) of the PPACA
Planning for Healthcare Reform: Using the Balanced Scorecard Approach to Strategic Planning
Emerging from the recent global recession, the US healthcare industry remains dynamic and highly competitive. Hospitals,
Getting Over the New Normal
“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.”
US Health Care Reform (OMG!) It’s time for Business Owners to get Creative!
In the dead of night; under the cover of Christmas, the US Government dropped its Healthcare Reform Bomb on an unsuspecting people – its own!
Healthcare Reform, Part I – The Principles of a Risk-based Compliance Program
A risk-based compliance program is a program that is built on the effective and meaningful evaluation and mitigation of risk.
America’s HealthCare Crisis. Part III: To sue or not to sue, that is the question.
''The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers.'' (Shakespeare in Henry VI, part 2, Act IV, Scene II).
CLASS Act - Health Reform’s Most Daunting Challenge
The recent federal health care reform legislation includes a little noticed provision that creates a voluntary national insurance program for long-term care.
Healthcare Reform: Missing the Mark
After over a year of contentious debate President Obama signed into law the two bills collectively known as “healthcare reform”:
The Economic Evolution of Healthcare
In the early 1930’s, the Blue Cross/Blue Shield Organization led consumers to hospitalization coverage (Blue Cross) and medical coverage
“The Group Captive Meets Medical Expense”
Health Care Reform is debated in every news outlet, every day. Ideas for a government plan option stir debate along with other wide ranging suggestions on how to stop the runaway cost of health care.
Health Savings Accounts to Play Key Roles, Post Reform
Health plans that qualify participants to open a tax-advantaged Health Saving Account (HSA) have been widely available to groups and individuals since at least 2005, and after a rather slow start, they are finally taking off in a big way.
Can Reform Changes In Wellness Programs Impact Growing Obesity Problems Long Term?
It is now estimated that about two-thirds of American adults are overweight or obese and the prevalence has increased 61% in the last decade.
A Candid Interview with the Retiring Director of Pharmacy Affairs for the Public Health Service
On January 1st 2010, Jimmy Mitchell, Director of Pharmacy Affairs for the Public Health Service (PHS), announced his retirement. According to Mr.
File Structure and Codes Changes: Will Your Plan Administrator be Ready?
Over the next 3 years there will be significant changes in electronic file structures and code sets that are critical to the ongoing administration of health benefit plans.
Healthcare Reform Updates
I have been really amazed recently with the total lackadaisical attitude of many people in the health insurance industry who for some reason have like ostriches put their heads in the sand.
National Healthcare Reform Conference Announces Key Speakers
The National Healthcare Reform Conference™ is the 1st National Conference in the US to address in detail the recently passed healthcare reform bill,
The Urgent Care Sector of Healthcare & Its Impact on Healthcare Reform
Cost, access and quality are all major subjects, as governments (local, state and federal alike) focus on new ways to affect “healthcare reform”.
Extension of Coverage until Age 26 under Federal Health Reform
Under federal health reform, an employee’s child can remain enrolled as a dependent until he or she reaches age 26.
How to Reduce the Impact of ObamaCare
The Congressional Budget Office projected enormous cost increases under the current congressional plan for national health care.
Tips for Implementing Health Reform in Your Company
Health reform’s path from concept to signing into law has been emotional. Health reform is now the law of the land.
America’s HealthCare Crisis Part II: How much is that policy in the window?
Warren Buffet likes insurance companies. Take a look at his portfolio and you will find it loaded with several insurance companies.
The Future of Medicare in a Reformed Marketplace
Sweeping change to this country’s health care system and $940 billion in new expenditures translates into a massive opportunity – but as always, luck will favor the prepared and the nimble.
Drilling Into Health Reform for Dental Benefits
The early days of the debate on health reform had many in the dental industry worried. Now that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is law, its impact on dental benefits is still somewhat up in the air.
H.R. 3590: How to Increase Tax Revenue Without Raising Taxes
Is health insurance reform healthcare reform? Many who join this debate cannot answer this question because they are unable to differentiate between the meanings of insurance and healthcare.
Healthcare Reform and the “Long Goodbye”; The costs that Healthcare Reform forgot to Calculate
As the aging of America continues on a trajectory never seen before, led by the Baby Boom phenomenon, there is a cost that Healthcare reform fails to recognize as this enormous shift in US population occurs.
Health Care Reform: How will it affect business owners and executives?
Unless you’ve been taking a hiatus from the newspaper, Internet, radio or television, you have inevitably heard much in the way
The New Employee Communication Rules for Health Care Reform-
Extensive multi-year change is coming to U.S. health care programs; will your employees get it?
Prevention, Screening and Wellness Programs, A Sure Thing
We are all studying Health Care Reform Legislation and how it will affect our world. Hopefully, when the dust settles
Addressing Deficiencies in Private Health Insurance Schemes: The Role of Medical Savings Accounts
The recent global economic crisis has been an impetus for legislators to expeditiously implement policies that increase access and quality of health care.
The Future of Medicare in a Reformed Marketplace
Sweeping change to this country’s health care system and $940 billion in new expenditures translates into a disruptive event and
Four Trojan Horses
Of all the criticisms that have been leveled at “ObamaCare” over the past year, the four worst features of the legislation have been almost totally ignored — by Republicans in Congress, by the national news media and even by serious economists. So you’re seeing it here first:
When Congress Resets the Market, Understanding What the Life Cycle of the Post-Reform Healthcare Market Means for You
In April of this year Aetna Inc. became an unwitting example of what is to come for some health plans after reform. Because of its failure to meet regulatory requirements in the post-reform Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D Prescription Drug markets, the company has been sanctioned by Federal regulators and temporarily banned from enrolling new members into its Medicare Advantage and Part D plans.
The First Healthcare Reform Magazine is Launched
The Healthcare Reform Magazine’s purpose is to provide everyone in the industry who is affected by healthcare reform,
Healthcare Reform – Accept It, It’s Here to Stay
Healthcare Reform has passed. Whether you love it, like it, are apathetic or absolutely hate it, it doesn’t matter.
In the Midst of Change Preparing Carriers for Success in a Post-Reform Environment
This article focuses on what we currently know about health care reform, how the changes may impact carriers, and how Internet technology can increase carrier success with closing sales and decreasing administrative costs.
America’s Health Care Crisis: Part 1 Whose responsibility is it anyway?
The “Health Care Reform” bill may have just become law, but even its most ardent supporters agree that it is far from perfect.
Healthcare Reform – Challenge or Opportunity?
So, a major question for all of us. What exactly does it mean now that healthcare reform is a reality? What does it mean for the country,
The Perfect Storm in the looming Healthcare Human Capital Crisis
Just as our country has endured an unprecedented economic crisis in the past 24 months, the United States will soon be in an unprecedented healthcare HUMAN CAPITAL crisis that will catch many off guard,
CEOs and Wellness
No matter what all is in the healthcare reform bill (and what it all means), the fact remains: Employers are still paying the bills.
The Secret to the Health of a Working Nation: The Wellness Program
It has become clear, especially with recent events in Washington D.C., that health care in this country is an issue that needs to be dealt with. For decades, time and money have been spent on care post-illness rather than investing those resources into prevention.
The Roller Coaster of Healthcare Reform
As a broker who specializes in employee benefits for small businesses, the past year has been a roller coaster of emotional highs
Health Insurance Exchange Basics
Over the past year, America’s attention has been increasingly focused on the reform of health care and health insurance.
The Three R’s of ObamaCare- Repeal, Redo, or Redesign?
Now that Health Care Reform has passed and is known as ObamaCare; what should an employer do?
