Anthen Threatens to Leave Health Exchanges if Subsidies are Halted

Reed Abelson of the New York times recently reported that Anthem threatened just yesterday that it would consider leaving some federal health care marketplaces or even raise their rates significantly if the government does not continue subsides to help low income people.

Anthem's CEO explains, Joseph R. Swedish, has set a deadline of early June for a decision on the subsidies, saying Anthem would weigh increasing rates by at least 20 percent next year.

There's much more information on this headline in the full article HERE!

HORIZON Health Ventures is a healthcare cost management solutions company used by insurance brokers, employee benefit consultants, third-party administrators, insurance companies, and associations, to bring proven thought leadership and strategy to the management of their clients healthcare costs. To learn more about HHV and their services, please visit http://horizonhealthventures.com/      

Stricter Chargemaster Regulations Needed to Rein in Healthcare Costs

Today's blog features an important article courtesy of Modern Healthcare where writer Alex Kacik explains the detriments to chargemasters. Kacik explains, "Many states don't regulate chargemasters, which has led to increasing healthcare costs and drastic variations in procedure prices."

This is a scary epidemic. Lisa Blackstock, a patient advocate families suffering from these costs states, "There are no boundaries to what they can and can't do. I think it's terrifying." She also added that one of her clients was charged $1,174 for an antibiotic.

To learn more please read the full article HERE! 

HORIZON Health Ventures is a healthcare cost management solutions company used by insurance brokers, employee benefit consultants, third-party administrators, insurance companies, and associations, to bring proven thought leadership and strategy to the management of their clients healthcare costs. To learn more about HHV and their services, please visit http://horizonhealthventures.com/      

High Drug Price Blame Game

Today's blog features the CNBC video where Mark Merritt, PCMA CEO and Stephen Ubl, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) President and CEO discuss who is responsible for high drug pricing. 

Check out the full video HERE! 

HORIZON Health Ventures is a healthcare cost management solutions company used by insurance brokers, employee benefit consultants, third-party administrators, insurance companies, and associations, to bring proven thought leadership and strategy to the management of their clients healthcare costs. To learn more about HHV and their services, please visit http://horizonhealthventures.com/     

Ballooning Bills: More U.S. Hospitals Pushing Patients to Pay Before Care

Today's blog features the Reuters Health article written by Jillian Mincer that highlights the new payment procedure for patients that requires them to pay their bill before care is even administered.

Mincer writes, "Since U.S. hospitals do not want to end up footing the bill, they are now experimenting with pre-payment strategies for patients, with a growing number requiring payment before scheduled care and offering no interest loans, according to interviews with more than two dozen hospitals, doctors, patients, lenders and healthcare experts." 

Patients can expect this new trend only to rise, as many U.S. hospitals are in serious debt. Learn more in the full article HERE!

HORIZON Health Ventures is a healthcare cost management solutions company used by insurance brokers, employee benefit consultants, third-party administrators, insurance companies, and associations, to bring proven thought leadership and strategy to the management of their clients healthcare costs. To learn more about HHV and their services, please visit http://horizonhealthventures.com/    

States Moving More Medicaid Patients to Managed Care

Today's blog features the Forbes article, "States Moving More Medicaid Patients to Managed Care" where contributing editor Bruce Japsen writes how private health insurance companies are seeing big reward through the Medicaid business as the states continue to deal with smaller budgets and increased spending on medical care.

"More states are moving away from the fragmented care of the antiquated fee-for-service model towards the capitated coordinated care model of managed care organizations,” said Jeff Myers, president and CEO of Medicaid Health Plans of America. “We expect this trend to continue, especially as more states consider Medicaid expansion: states will realize that such a move can only successfully be made with the budget predictability that managed care provides."

Read the full article HERE!

HORIZON Health Ventures is a healthcare cost management solutions company used by insurance brokers, employee benefit consultants, third-party administrators, insurance companies, and associations, to bring proven thought leadership and strategy to the management of their clients healthcare costs. To learn more about HHV and their services, please visit http://horizonhealthventures.com/    

ACA Individual Insurance Market Improving, But Still Fragile

Today's blog features the Modern Healthcare article that highlights the status of the individual insurance market under the Affordable Care Act. Shelby Livingston writes contrary to some sources stating that the market is in a current death spiral, it's actually improving.

The article is able to make these claims per the ratings firm, S&P Global that took a look at the financial performance of 32 Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies that have sold coverage in the individual insurance market since the ACA took effect in 2014.

Check out their findings in the full article HERE! 

HORIZON Health Ventures is a healthcare cost management solutions company used by insurance brokers, employee benefit consultants, third-party administrators, insurance companies, and associations, to bring proven thought leadership and strategy to the management of their clients healthcare costs. To learn more about HHV and their services, please visit http://horizonhealthventures.com/    

Express Scripts CEO Discusses Rising Drug Prices

Today's blog features Express Scripts CEO, Tim Wentworth discussing the rising cost of drug pricing on Bloomberg Daybreak. Check it out HERE! 

HORIZON Health Ventures is a healthcare cost management solutions company used by insurance brokers, employee benefit consultants, third-party administrators, insurance companies, and associations, to bring proven thought leadership and strategy to the management of their clients healthcare costs. To learn more about HHV and their services, please visit http://horizonhealthventures.com/    

Why Healthcare Reform Won't Be Rushed

Today we're bringing you an article out of Forbes Health where contributing author, Steve Brozak weighs in on the status of the Affordable Care Act. The article highlights the recent failure of the bill and what he believes the House should plan to present during the next go-around, if the opportunity arises.

Brozak comments, "What was missing from the conversation, however, was an assessment of how the AHCA could also adversely affect revenue generation within the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. While the legislation did not specifically address drug manufacturers–Republicans had hoped to deal with this issue of drug pricing in their third tranche of healthcare reform–many of the largest biopharmaceutical firms would have been impacted directly through changes within the Medicaid system and the projected loss of up to 15 million beneficiaries by 2026."

This is an interesting read that we encourage you to take a closer at. Find the full article HERE! 

HORIZON Health Ventures is a healthcare cost management solutions company used by insurance brokers, employee benefit consultants, third-party administrators, insurance companies, and associations, to bring proven thought leadership and strategy to the management of their clients healthcare costs. To learn more about HHV and their services, please visit http://horizonhealthventures.com/