Blog Entry
No “Silly Season” When it Comes to Healthcare
Our political “silly season” should be nearing an end soon. The political debates have finally taken on a more serious tone; questions no longer resemble tabloid fodder. The future of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) gets significant attention and each candidate has a strong position on what it will look like during his or her [...]
Blog Entry
Make Your Move to a Private Exchange
What do some corporate retirement planners know that you don’t? There’s gold in them there private health exchanges! Savings to US Companies who move their retirees to private health care exchanges could be in the trillions, according to some analysts. Just over a year ago the concept of moving employees and retirees to a private [...]
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Health Care Exchanges Good for the Consumer
If the Affordable Care Act disappeared tomorrow there would be two significant and impactful results – a better educated health care consumer and a shift towards defined contribution plans and private exchanges. We’ve long suggested that a shift to smarter consumers is a direct result of the Affordable Care act. Consumers are shopping around, switching [...]
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The Sky is Not Falling…
The sky is not falling… at least not any time soon. The announcement recently that Aetna would be acquiring Humana has put some industry analysts into a tailspin. This, they say, is just the beginning of what will ultimately lead to just a few behemoth companies left in the health insurance space. Other merger rumors [...]
Blog Entry
Want to Compete? Go Private.
What’s the first question a job candidate might ask you during an interview? It’s not about their hours, your culture, or even your management style – it’s about your benefits package, specifically, healthcare coverage. Savvy candidates know that employer sponsored health care programs are changing and shifting. Savvy employers know that to compete, they must [...]
Blog Entry
Jump! It’s Time! Private Exchanges are Here to Stay
It’s time. We’ve been as patient as possible and so have your employees. That little inkling that you’ve had in the back of your mind that maybe it’s time make a bold move, to be a part of that movement? We know what it is. It’s that little voice that says “jump” NOW so that [...]
Blog Entry
Healthcare Cost Transparency Has Finally (maybe) Come of Age
It used to be that finding out the cost of basic healthcare procedure was nearly impossible. We’ve long called for transparency in costs and hoped that 2015 would be a year of transparency. It turns out that we may get our wish, or we may at least gain some significant momentum. From proposed state legislation [...]
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This Week in Tweets 1/6/15
Uninsurance rate down 25% for working adults, 31% for low-income workers since Sept. 2013 http://t.co/TJMS2msa1h #ACA pic.twitter.com/QCZ3iL5CIP — Urban Institute (@urbaninstitute) February 4, 2015 How does employer responsibility work under the #ACA? See our infographic: http://t.co/7ncOFtOOhA — Kaiser Family Found (@KaiserFamFound) February 5, 2015 Is increasing #healthcare data transparency the key to achieving overall health [...]
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This Week in Tweets 1/23/15
Infographic: The #ACA's impact on #healthcare access and affordability http://t.co/gd4SXWynmB pic.twitter.com/C0i1v5LGsQ — Commonwealth Fund (@commonwealthfnd) January 16, 2015 Study: Nearly all large employers offer wellness programs, but few tie financial incentives to meeting health goals http://t.co/bkeC7hOK2U — Kaiser Family Found (@KaiserFamFound) January 16, 2015 New privacy concerns over government's health care website http://t.co/LAxHTcbLet #HIX #ProtectData [...]
Blog Entry
Are You Part of the Eight Percent?
Most New Year’s resolutions are abandoned by Valentine’s Day. In fact, only about 8% of people achieve their resolutions each year. Right now the gyms are crowded, the stores are out of kale and everyone is miserable. Why do they fail? Mainly because people set unrealistic goals and the initial elation quickly fades when the [...]
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This Week in Tweets 1/9/15
First month of #HIX open enrollment figures are out from @HHSgov:http://t.co/Jnsk2P6SzK #CHSCurrent #OE2 — Deloitte Health Care (@DeloitteHealth) January 7, 2015 #Healthcare in Congress this week: House passes bill to change #ACA definition of full-time work from 30-40 hours: http://t.co/GriJeaWz5t — Health at Brookings (@BrookingsMed) January 9, 2015 Health Insurance Brokers: Top 7 Resolutions You [...]
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This Week in Tweets 12/19/14
Poll finds 6% of employers in a #privateexchange and 41% consider doing so before 2018 http://t.co/eJIcXoDHwY pic.twitter.com/LLReAVZdin — CieloNEWS (@CieloStarInc) December 17, 2014 Today’s #ACA FAQ on Health Reform: http://t.co/gkCT7cls03 #OpenEnrollment pic.twitter.com/IYOk5DNdH8 — Kaiser Family Found (@KaiserFamFound) December 18, 2014 Variation in state approaches to auto-renewing #ACA health plans may affect consumers’ finances http://t.co/SrzqVT27aD — [...]
Blog Entry
All I Want for Christmas is… Transparency
‘Tis the season to start predicting healthcare trends for 2015. PWC has issued its top ten healthcare issues to watch in 2015 and we particularly like number six: New transparency initiatives targeting clinical trial data, real-world patient outcomes and financial relationships between physicians and pharmaceutical companies will improve patient care and open new opportunities. Is [...]
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This Week in Tweets 12/5/14
Insurance carrier participation in state-based marketplaces http://t.co/XlxjPRQXvk #ACA pic.twitter.com/NBDcadsW1C — Commonwealth Fund (@commonwealthfnd) December 2, 2014 “Top 10 #healthcare issues to watch in 2015” http://t.co/BbYP3rcxkY via @HFNewsTweet #NowReading — Aetna (@Aetna) December 5, 2014 Could defined contribution health benefits be the norm by 2025: http://t.co/Dt5g3JoG31 via @donnabail and @FoxNews #HIX #privateHIX — CaliforniaChoice (@CAChoice) December [...]
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This Week in Tweets 11/26/14
"No News is Good News – Why Private Exchanges Won’t Be Making Any Headlines" http://t.co/po83hghNTp by @cielostarinc pic.twitter.com/UUqHAvTz88 — CieloNEWS (@CieloStarInc) November 23, 2014 A deductible is the simplest measure of a health plan's generosity. Our look at 2015 #ACA marketplace plans http://t.co/iMtd5Lm44j — Kaiser Family Found (@KaiserFamFound) November 26, 2014 If you bought insurance [...]