A Nation in Pain: The Medicaid Opioid Crisis

Today's blog features the Express Scripts recently published article that takes a deeper look into the Medicaid opioid crisis our nation faces. ESI completed an analysis of opioid use of 3.1 million Medicaid members, examining age and gender factors as well as usage patterns across enrollment groups.

An alarming statistic, "Drug overdose now leads the cause of accidental deaths in the United States — more than 15,000 people fatally overdosed on prescription pain killers in 2016 — making drug overdoses the leading cause of accidental deaths in the United States." 

There's so much more on this topic. 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/     

Pharmacy Benefit Manager Launches Program for Lung Disease and Multiple Sclerosis

Today's blog highlights the recently published article out of the American Journal of Pharmacy Benefits that features Express Scripts' two new programs that are designed to improve care for patients living with lung disease and multiple sclerosis. 

Laurie Toich writes, "The SafeGuard Rx programs – The Pulmonary Care Value Program (PCV) and The Multiple Sclerosis Care Value Program – integrate a personalized care model strategy with a goal of overcoming adherence issues common among patients with asthma, COPD, and MS, according to the pharmacy benefits manager (PBM)." 

To learn more, 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/     

The Small Business Healthcare Relief Act

Today's blog features the Small Business Healthcare Relief Act, a law that both Democrats and Republicans can agree on. This new bill allows small businesses with fewer than 50 employees to offer stand-alone health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) to their staff.

Chris Byrd writes, "At a time when small employers face few options to help their workers pay for health insurance, an HRA can be just the tonic. The funds in HRA accounts can be used by employees to offset health insurance premiums and/or pay for out-of-pocket expenses, potentially changing the health care picture for the better for millions of Americans." 

To read the full article, please click 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/     

1 in 4 Americans Skip Medical Attention Because of Cost

Today's blog features an important article out of Benefits Pro that continues to highlight the rising costs of healthcare. So many Americans that have insurance are still forgoing a trip to the doctor because of the high out-of-pocket costs and many are fearing that soon that they will be priced out of the market entirely.

"More than half of Americans (56 percent) are worried they might not have affordable health insurance in the future. Generation X, ages 37-52, are most concerned (64 percent), followed by baby boomers (58 percent), millennials (56 percent) and the silent generation (35 percent)."

Learn more on this growing problem by reading 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/    

Selling Opioid Prescriptions Garners Four-Year Sentence

Today's blog features the latest when it comes to the fight against opioid abuse. A Buffalo woman was recently just sentenced to a four-year prison sentence after intending on selling a variety of different opioids. Investigators have discovered that the woman was selling to at least two other people.

This has become a massive headline across the entire healthcare industry where lawmakers are quickly trying to come a resolution. To read more on this article, please click 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/    

Rising Health Care Costs Threatening Employees' Financial Goals

Today we're bringing you a relevant and informative article out of Benefits Pro that highlights the amount of financial stress companies are finding their employees under due to healthcare costs.

Marlene Satter writes, "As more employees find themselves shelling out more from their own pockets to pay health care bills — 69 percent of workers said so in 2015, but 79 percent said so in 2016 — it’s no surprise to hear that health care costs are up 10 percent since 2015. No wonder they’re stressed; salaries certainly haven’t risen to match." 

Satter also explains how this issue has taken a toll on employee's productivity at work and physical health levels. Read more 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/