Continue reading Chinese Flu Creates Opportunities for TeleMedicine
Month: March 2020
Request For Proposals – Third Party Administrator (TPA)
PCA is publishing RFP 3-215-19 Third Party Administration and Insurance Services, 125 Cafeteria Plans, and Related Items.
Continue reading Request For Proposals – Third Party Administrator (TPA)
Guide to Combating Medical Debt
Doctor Claims 100% Success Against Chinese Flu
Dr. Vladimir Zelenko has now treated 699 Chinese Flu patients with 100% success using Hydroxychloroquine Sulfate, Zinc and Z-Pak. Dr. Zelenko claims he saw the symptom of shortness of breath resolved within four to six hours after treatment…………………..
Continue reading Doctor Claims 100% Success Against Chinese Flu
“Free” Cafeteria Plan Administration
By Molly Mulebriar
Brokers should be cautious yet most don’t seem to be as evidenced by the prolific offer and acceptance of “free” Cafeteria Plan administration services, especially among Texas public school districts.
5 Minute Coronavirus Test Announced By Abbott
Continue reading 5 Minute Coronavirus Test Announced By Abbott
China Boasts of Coronavirus Lung Transplants
Organ Donor Faces Medical Review Committee
A majority of China’s organ transplants reportedly come from harvesting those of non-consensual “donors”…………….
Continue reading China Boasts of Coronavirus Lung Transplants
Dentistry, Aerosol and COVID-19
By Darrell Pruit, DDS
If my suspicion is correct – that aerosol driven from the mouths of patients by dentists’ high speed handpieces can carry the COVID-19 virus – we could be witnessing an alarming increase in dental office closures due to occupational illnesses in the weeks following Easter Sunday services, or even an official “all clear” signal much later.
Buyback Deductible
“A buyback deductible, also called a deductible buyback, can be an add-on to an existing insurance contract or may be purchased separately.” For example, it can be a method to buy down a high deductible health plan specific to certain specified conditions.
Former Harlingen Car Salesman Turned Insurance Industry Legend
He entered the insurance industry in 1964 when he was lured away from selling cars in Harlingen, TX……
Continue reading Former Harlingen Car Salesman Turned Insurance Industry Legend
School District Improves Benefits & Reduces Costs 50%
School district cuts healthcare spending in half while reducing employee cost-sharing by $1,000. More evidence size doesn’t matter, smart risk management does…………….
Continue reading School District Improves Benefits & Reduces Costs 50%
Virtual Primary Care – Useful Access To Care in Today’s Pandemic
Getting quality care just got a whole lot easier
Forget what you know about traditional primary care: the inconvenient scheduling, long wait times and increasing expenses. 98point6 is pioneering a new approach to primary care, using technology to bring affordable, on-demand access to everyone—because we think that’s the way it should be.
Continue reading Virtual Primary Care – Useful Access To Care in Today’s Pandemic
Healthcare’s Looming Financial Implosion
America needs to establish a Hospital System Super Fund immediately of $300 billion-$600 billion……….
BCBS Seeks To Cultivate Relationships With Brokers Assigned To TRS ActiveCare Accounts?
Sun Tzu
Could having a local representative on the ground disguised as a punching bag, gauging and influencing perception and needs among members be the motivation?
PBM Sends RiskManagers An Unsolicited Kickback
As a fee based insurance consultancy, you can imagine our surprise when we opened a letter sent to us in February 2020 from a PBM and found an unsolicited commission check made payable to RiskManagers.
Continue reading PBM Sends RiskManagers An Unsolicited Kickback
Austin, Texas Company Announces Home Chinese Flu Test
The First U.S. Company Has Announced an Upcoming Home COVID-19 Test
Continue reading Austin, Texas Company Announces Home Chinese Flu Test
Health Insurance Primer For Idiots
Health Insurance 101
Chapter 1 Correlation Between Provider Reimbursement & Rate Setting
Chapter 1 Takeaway: GREEN IS GOOD, RED IS BAD
By Molly Mulebriar
Provider reimbursement difference between a traditional Managed Care plan (PPO) and a Reference Based Pricing plan is illustrated in the graph above.
Cost Impact of Chinese Flu
“Anyone know what the COVID-19 (Chinese Flu) Medicare CPT codes U0001 and U0002 Medicare payment rates are?” – Bill Rusteberg
“Bill, it’s our understanding those are old codes and fees. They have been updated and there are new fees. We’re trying to get confirmation, but it looks like Medicare will pay $305 for the test. We’ve heard hospitals will charge anywhere from $900-$3,000” – Physician
“Wow our TPA is already seeing cost of test between $2,000 and $3,600. We did decide to go ahead and cover testing under preventative so it is free for employees with our insurance” HR Director
“Our director of health services seem to think the test will run $295″ – HR Director
Plan Sponsors Discover Penny Lane
By Bill Rusteberg
Why do some plan sponsors settle balance bills for their members when they don’t have to in the first place? And when they do why do they often agree to pay significantly more than warranted in medical debt market rates?
Chinese Flu Hits Yoakum, Texas
YOAKUM, Texas- A male patient was seen on March 7th at the Yoakum Community Hospital who presented mild flu like illness, returning a couple days later (specifics of date was not given) with shortness of breath prompted emergency position on call for the patient to be transferred to an Austin facility to be tested for COVID-19 resulting in a positive testing……………..
Society of Actuaries Research Brief: Impact of Coronavirus COVID-19
“Transmission rates for diseases, and the intensity of an outbreak, are highly dependent on how the pathogen travels between people. Coronaviruses generally can travel up to six feet from an infected person, as they move through respiratory droplets produced through sneezes, coughs or conversations………..”
Continue reading Society of Actuaries Research Brief: Impact of Coronavirus COVID-19
Book Release: The Great American Healthcare Scam
Hello again everyone!
My book The Great American Healthcare Scam: How Kickbacks, Collusion and Propaganda Have Exploded Healthcare Costs in the United States is now available for purchase on Amazon Kindle.
Continue reading Book Release: The Great American Healthcare Scam
Don’t Leave Fox Guarding Employer Plan
A cautionary tale where a self-insured employer health plan implemented a reference-based pricing mechanism…………………
Down But Not Out – Legal Battle Over North Carolina Allegations Continues
Greg Lindberg and his consultant are continuing to fight allegations that they promised to make improper campaign contributions to the re-election campaign for the North Carolina insurance commissioner.
Continue reading Down But Not Out – Legal Battle Over North Carolina Allegations Continues
Hurry, Eliminate Coronavirus for Only $300
“Let’s say it hasn’t been tested on this strain of the coronavirus, but it’s been tested on other strains of the coronavirus, and it has been able to eliminate it within 12 hours.”
Texas Company Claims To Have Developed Coronavirus Vaccine
Texas-based company claims to have developed coronavirus vaccine. The vaccine will first need to be tested on animals, but could be available by the end of the year.
Continue reading Texas Company Claims To Have Developed Coronavirus Vaccine
Liability Needle For RBP Lawsuits
By Bill Rusteberg
Reference Based Pricing plans have been around for many years now. Fear of lawsuits by medical caregivers, particularly hospitals, is a concern for middle and late adapters of the model, causing many to pay a premium for protection. The cost to do so can be significant and out of proportion to the risk assumed.
One Man’s Gain Is Another Man’s Loss
Cigna and Houston Methodist (New Best Buds) announces a long-term agreement…………..But UHC says Houston Methodist is driving up the cost of health care for the people of Houston………..
Zero deductibles and $5 copays?
Employers are slashing deductibles and copays so more workers will go to primary care doctors — and avoid unnecessary trips to the emergency room………………..
Doctors Push Back As Congress Takes Aim At Surprise Medical Bills
This is a fight between doctors and insurers over rate-setting and reimbursement………….
Continue reading Doctors Push Back As Congress Takes Aim At Surprise Medical Bills
TRS ActiveCare Addresses District of Innovation Concerns
TEACHER RETIREMENT SYSTEM OF TEXAS MEETING BOARD OF TRUSTEES AGENDA February 20, 2020 – 8:00 a.m. February 21, 2020
Receive an update on TRS-ActiveCare district participation, including the potential consequences to TRS-ActiveCare of participating Districts of Innovation (DOI) offering competing health care coverage to their employees and protecting the stability of TRS-ActiveCare – Katrina Daniel
Continue reading TRS ActiveCare Addresses District of Innovation Concerns
TRS ActiveCare Dumps Aetna, Embraces BCBS
Beginning Sept. 1, 2020, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) will serve nearly 1,100 TRS-ActiveCare school districts, plus half a million employees and their families across Texas. Hopes are to increase value by building a primary care health delivery based plan.
7 Reference Based Pricing Guarantees
By Molly Mulebriar
Believe it or not, most consumers and plan sponsors don’t know anything about Reference Based Pricing strategies and those that think they do have all kinds of misconceptions.
Walmart Sees Big Opportunity in Cash Based Medical Services
(Walmart) could very easily become a dominant player in cash based medical services very quickly…….
Continue reading Walmart Sees Big Opportunity in Cash Based Medical Services
Insurance = Unequal Distribution of Assets
Insurance schemes benefit fewer than many. An earned benefit is not without a loss so the net benefit is less than the earned benefit. All parties to the scheme suffer losses, whether its an indemnified loss or cost-of-risk loss.
Paralyzing Pandemic Strikes Texas School Districts
An unreported pandemic strikes Texas school districts. Austin based doctors recommend the ostrich approach to health care management………………..
Continue reading Paralyzing Pandemic Strikes Texas School Districts
Case Study: Printing Money
In the fall of 2018, a 300 employee industrial graphics and printing business was referred to our team to help take back control of their health plan. Over the course of the next 12 months, the client realized a reduction in health care spending of over 40%, or about $4,000 per employee per year, without watering down their benefits design. Here’s how…
City of McAllen, Texas RFP Group Health & Rx Plan
City of McAllen
03-20-S27-293
EMPLOYEE HEALTH AND PHARMACY PLAN
Continue reading City of McAllen, Texas RFP Group Health & Rx Plan