How Bundled Payments Just Might Save Health Care From Itself

In the 1960s, Texas Instruments developed the first handheld calculator. It could display up to 12 digits while performing addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. And it cost $2,200.

Since then, the calculator has come a long way. Competition forced continuous innovations, and today’s models are more lightweight, have longer battery life, are capable of performing more complex computations –all at a dramatically reduced price point.

That’s the typical cycle in virtually every sector of the American economy. Innovations are introduced, competition forces design improvements and cost reductions and products are continually improved until the next big thing comes along to start the process over again.

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Corpus Christi Independent School District To Select Health Plan

Monday, 29 November the Corpus Christi Independent School District is having a Special Called Meeting to select a health plan administrator for their self-funded employee welfare plan – http://echalkweb.ccisd.us/www/CorpusChristi/site/hosting/Board%20of%20Trustees/2012%20Agendas/10-29-12%20ENHANCED%20Special.pdf

Finalist are Blue Cross, Humana, Group & Pension Administrators and Mutual Assurance Administrators. The current plan administrator is Meritain, an Aetna owned third party administrator. Meritain did not make the short list.

Editor’s Note: Molly Mulebriar, ace investigative reporter on assignment in Nueces County, says rumors are that one of the deciding factors in awarding the contract this year will be based on local provider contracts between Christus Spohn and HCA.  Smart money has Group & Pension Administrators getting the nod this year. However, Mulebriar hedges her bet and says Blue Cross may be the wild card.