Dental insurance giant Delta Dental of California is facing mounting criticism for paying its CEO exorbitantly, flying board members and their companions to Barbados for a meeting……
Archive for January, 2019
Nonprofit Dental Insurer Under Scrutiny For ‘Flagrant’ Spending
Thursday, January 31st, 2019Man Robs Bank, Demands To Be Sent To Prison
Wednesday, January 30th, 2019“I’ve never heard anyone rob a bank so they can get to prison so they could get health care,” James Griffin, the assistant district attorney prosecuting Gallagher……………..
Solution To High Health Costs: Abolish Health Insurance!
Wednesday, January 30th, 2019Health Insurance Agent Reacts to News
Raging Left Coast Democrat vows to eliminate all private health care insurance for approximately 150 million Americans………………………………….
A Cure For Cancer?
Tuesday, January 29th, 2019A small team of Israeli scientists think they might have found the first complete cure for cancer…….
Brownsville ISD Seeks Insurance Consultant
Tuesday, January 29th, 2019The Brownsville Independent School District (BISD) in deep South Texas is seeking an insurance consultant in a competitive request for proposal process.
Medical Industrial Complex Fights Back
Tuesday, January 29th, 2019A new group wants to raise $2.5 million to fight State Treasurer Dale Folwell’s plan to reduce health care spending for about 720,000 state employees and retirees…………….
School Superintendent Accused of Insurance Fraud
Tuesday, January 29th, 2019Superintendent used her own health insurance to seek medical treatment for a sick student…….
Spectrum Equity Leads Majority Recapitalization of Payer Compass
Sunday, January 27th, 2019Investment positions Payer Compass to continue its rapid growth………to date the company has grown to serve over 125 payer customers, representing nearly 1,000 employer groups and over two million covered lives………………….
On Fire!
Friday, January 25th, 2019We were excited to be featured on the CBS Evening News and CBS This Morning earlier this week!
Health Insurers Support Single Payer System?
Thursday, January 24th, 2019As the support for a single-payer, “Medicare-for-All” health care system in U.S. grows, so do the contributions from the health insurance industry………………
Americans Mad As Hell About Cost of Health Care
Wednesday, January 23rd, 2019Poll: 56 percent of public supports ‘Medicare for all’
BY PETER SULLIVAN – 01/23/19
A majority of the public supports a single-payer health insurance system, often called “Medicare for all,” as the idea gains steam among Democrats, according to a new poll.
The poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation finds that 56 percent of the public supports a single-payer plan, compared to 42 percent who oppose the idea.
Progressives are pushing the new Democratic House majority to move forward on the idea, and many Democratic presidential hopefuls have signed on to the idea as well. More centrist Democratic lawmakers remain opposed to the proposal, however.
What’s Your RBP Sweet Spot?
Monday, January 21st, 2019The State of North Carolina’s Reference Based Pricing sweet spot is 177% of Medicare. “The new rates for various categories of services will average out to 177% of Medicare’s fees, down from a current (PPO) average of 213%, North Carolina Treasurer Dale Folwell (R) told The Wall Street Journal. …………………………”
Another Vendor Enters Reference Based Pricing Marketplace
Sunday, January 20th, 2019Another vendor, touting a NEW strategy to reduce health care costs, enters the Reference Based Pricing arena. They, along with the rest of their competitors are 35 years late in identifying the concept. Back in the early 1980’s J Patrick Rooney (1927 – 2008) contended that authoritative research showed that Medicare plus 25 percent is the reasonable amount for hospitals to charge. Then, of course, there is J.P.Farley (www.jpfarley.com)who has actually been implementing Reference Based Pricing plans since the 1990’s……………………….
The Only Way to Pay Less for Health Care Is to Pay Less for Health Care
Friday, January 18th, 2019Wellness Programs Expected To Hit New Highs
Friday, January 18th, 2019Wellness Consultants Cheech & Chong
Attention HR Directors! Take your Wellness Program to a high & reap the rewards of a happy and mellow workforce!
Health Insurance Brokers Identify Key Cost Drivers?
Thursday, January 17th, 2019“Brokers are also seeing high demand for benefits communication, employee engagement and transparency as a way to address the rising cost of healthcare…..” REALLY? How in the world will this reduce health care costs?
Are Rising Drug Cost Destroying Group Health Plans?
Thursday, January 17th, 2019“The primary villain in the multi-year erosion of the value of the employer-provided health benefit, and private insurance generally, has been drug costs.”
Court Case Addresses Cross-Plan Offsetting
Thursday, January 17th, 2019“The court strongly hinted that the practice violated ERISA’s fiduciary duty rules, including the requirement that plan assets of one plan be used for the ‘exclusive purpose’ of benefiting individuals covered by that plan.”
Texas Teachers Giveth Raises – Health Insurance Taketh Away…………
Thursday, January 17th, 2019A RETIRED TEXAS SUPERINTENDENT ON WHY TEACHERS ARE QUITTING IN DROVES: “UPS starts people with no experience (HS diploma or GED) at $13 per hour plus full benefits. Within a couple of years you can graduate to a route where drivers make six figures after five years. In 7 years you can make over $100k delivering packages. In contrast, my wife is in her 25th year as a teacher with a Masters degree. She makes $57k and has some of the worst insurance in the country”
What Can We Do About The Cost Of Health Care?
Wednesday, January 16th, 2019RBP Vendor Fees In An Evolving Competitive Market
Wednesday, January 16th, 2019As Reference Based Pricing (RBP) strategies take hold in the market, with more vendors entering the fray for market share, the inevitability of increasing competition becomes evident. That is good news for plan sponsors……………………
PBM Consultants Know More Than General Benefits Consultants
Wednesday, January 16th, 2019
“Find help from experts—do not use a general benefits consultant—this is tricky stuff!” That is a true statement. Most general benefits consultants don’t know squat about the PBM world and simply make recommendations off spreadsheets. “This one is the best because they are offering AWP-28%!”
Health Care’s Most Needed Next Step
Tuesday, January 15th, 2019January 14, 2019
By Brian Klepper
It seems inevitable that, in the near future, an innovative health care organization is going to seize the market opportunity, gradually cobble all the pieces together, and demonstrate to organizational purchasers that it consistently delivers better health outcomes at significantly lower cost than has previously been available.
Oversight Committee Launches Sweeping Drug Price Investigation
Tuesday, January 15th, 2019“The goals of this investigation are to determine why drug companies are increasing prices so dramatically, how drug companies are using the proceeds, and what steps can be taken to reduce prescription drug prices.”
Public Entities Address Rising Retiree Health Insurance Costs
Monday, January 14th, 2019The following article can be summed up as follows: Changing from a Defined Benefit Plan to a Defined Contribution Plan saves money…………………….
Robbing Peter To Pay Paul
Monday, January 14th, 2019The majority of recoupments are taken at the expense of self-insured plans to the benefit of fully-insured plans………………..
Hospital Transparency? Good Luck
Monday, January 14th, 2019“There is “sobering evidence” that the level of price transparency is actually getting worse…….
No Benefit Waiting Periods for All Americans!
Sunday, January 13th, 2019Most group health insurance plans have a 30, 60, or 90 waiting period before coverage starts. We know of one that has an even longer waiting period…………..
Is Health Care A Right or A Commodity?
Saturday, January 12th, 2019The master of reason and logic explains……………………..
This Week’s Savings Shenanigan Story……
Friday, January 11th, 2019It pays to shop for health care. A $40,000 drug for 1/10th of that……………..This broker is worth her weight in gold. Is yours?
Want To Know The Price? Go Fuck Yourself!
Friday, January 11th, 2019WELCOME TO OUR MODERN HOSPITAL WHERE IF YOU WANT TO KNOW A PRICE YOU CAN GO FUCK YOURSELF……………………………….
Proposed Expansion of HRA’s A Game Changer
Thursday, January 10th, 2019Employers of any size may offer HRAs to reimburse employees for the cost of their premiums for individual health insurance coverage…………….
North Carolina’s Brewing Battle Over Health Care Value
Thursday, January 10th, 2019“We’ve got 9 million taxpayers and 720,000 participants in this plan who understand that they aren’t consuming health care, it’s consuming them.” — Dale Folwell, N.C. Treasurer
Payer Compass Success Was Inevitable……………
Tuesday, January 8th, 2019Karmac The Magnificent predicted the eventual emergence of a more competitive market with multiple vendors competing for business. Now we see a growing and dynamic market with more competition, lower costs and many vendors. And the market leader appears to be Payer Compass……………..
School District Fails To Address Rising Health Care Costs?
Tuesday, January 8th, 2019Houston Independent School District is in financial hot water. There are many reasons for this. One is the Robin Hood effect wherein HISD must transfer local taxpayer money to the state for re-distribution to poorer school districts. Another is the rising cost of health care, Houston ISD’s second largest budget item.
You Want How Much!
Monday, January 7th, 2019Rural Texas Hospital Defies The Odds
Monday, January 7th, 2019Is Payer Compass The # 1 Reference Based Pricing Vendor?
Sunday, January 6th, 2019“We are extremely proud of the success Payer Compass has achieved to date as we have grown the company to serve over 125 payer customers, representing nearly 1,000 employer groups and over two million covered lives.” – Greg Everett
How Do You Measure Savings?
Thursday, January 3rd, 2019Why Are Employers Embracing Reference Based Pricing Plans?
Thursday, January 3rd, 2019Primary Care Is An Investment – The Rest of Health Care Is A Payment
Thursday, January 3rd, 2019The end objective is a better health care delivery model with an alignment of “enlightened self-interests” and a balance between rewards and value for the employer, employee, and provider……..
Tuesday, January 1st, 2019
Confessions of a Reformed Health Insurance Broker – From Innocence To Darkness
Slowly we saw the rise of third party administrators, the evil purveyors of self-funded employee health & welfare plans…..
Christus Health Publishes Something
Tuesday, January 1st, 2019Oh, this makes sense! Everyone knows what 1100000003 is. Last time I had a 1100000003 was last year and my insurance paid only $1,654 for almost a 50% discount. Oh-My-Gosh, 1100000027 looks really competitive………! I’m going to Christus Health next time!