Providing Security in a Time of Rising Costs

Today's blog features the Express Scripts article that addresses the topic of aligning retiree prescription needs with employer budgets. Employer sponsored plans must manage both the costs of providing healthcare coverage while offering high-level service to their retirees. They have to constantly battle between their own financial obligations and the commitments they have made to these retirees and their families.

"Part D plans spent close to $3,700 per member per year (PMPY) on prescription drugs for Medicare beneficiaries in 2016 – more than three times the PMPY spend seen in commercial, Medicaid and Exchange populations. This illustrates just how costly retiree drug coverage has become to maintain." 

Read the full article on this topic 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/     

Climbing Healthcare Costs Predicted to Eat Up Retirement Funds

With the constant headline of rising healthcare costs, there is now a real threat that these costs will begin to eat away at retirement funds.

"A 65-year-old couple retiring this year will need $275,000 to cover health care costs throughout retirement", Fidelity Investments said in its annual cost estimate, out this morning. This is startling news, and there doesn't at this point, seem to be a real solution. What's even more startling is that that number is 6% higher than it was just last year. 

Read more on this trend 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/    

2017's Best and Worst States for Healthcare

Today's blog features the WalletHub article that presents this year's best and worst states for healthcare. Although more Americans have access to healthcare, that doesn't mean that same quality stays the same from state to state.

Richie Bernardo states, "Today, the average American spends nearly $10,000 per year on personal health care, according to the most recent estimates from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and that figure is expected to increase over time." 

How did each state stack up? Check out the full article HERE to learn more. 

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/    

Helping Doctors, Protecting Patients

Today's blog features the topic of advanced opioid management. It's more than just utilization management. Patient education and care, proper disposal of unused medication, and using data to monitor for, and intervene in, and suspected patterns of abuse are other areas that need to be watched.

"There is no shortage of staggering statistics to illustrate the seriousness of our country’s opioid epidemic. The data tell a frightening story about the problem and what behaviors contribute to it." 

Learn about this data mentioned 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 to Limit Opioids

At HORIZON Health Ventures we feel a need to keep shedding light on the topic of opioid overdose and abuse. The Associated Press just released an important article that reports that Express Scripts will soon be limiting the number and strength of opioid drugs prescribed to first-time users as part of a wide-ranging effort to curb an epidemic that's affecting millions of Americans.

Jim Salter of AP writes, "An analysis of 106,000 patients in the pilot program showed a 38 percent reduction in hospitalizations and a 40 percent reduction in emergency room visits, compared to a control group. The program is scheduled to take effect nationwide on Sept. 1 for Express Scripts members whose employer or health insurer has enrolled to participate." 

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/    

3 Way to Beat Health Care Reform Chaos

Today's blog is courtesy of Benefits Pro that highlights how brokers can advise clients on how to improve or develop comprehensive benefits plans. The uncertainty of the health care reform bill has left lots of employers focusing on insurance and taking a more of a wait-and-see approach to benefits.

Steve Hesler writes, "Waiting to see what happens with one heavy-hitting benefit is keeping some companies from implementing health care cost reduction techniques as well as building comprehensive programs now that can attract and keep top talent, an increasingly important skill during today’s relatively low unemployment rates." 

Check out the full article HERE to learn more. 

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/    

Large Employers Anticipate Cost Of Healthcare Plans Will Rise By 5% In 2018

According to NAHU's most recent newsletter, large employers anticipate that by 2018 healthcare plan costs will rise by 5%. This increases can be attributed to expensive specialty drugs along with individuals with high medical costs. 

NAHU also claims that recent data also shows that “employers will shoulder approximately 70 percent of those health costs, leaving employees on the hook for an average of $4,400, through premiums, out-of-pocket costs and contributions to health savings accounts.”

To stay updated on these topics, please visit NAHU's website 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/    

Consumers Buying Off-Exchange Health Plans

Today's blog features a recent article published by Modern Healthcare that highlights the recent trend of consumers passing on premium subsidies by buying off-exchange health plans.

Harris Meyer writes, "Nearly 41% of the 6.3 million people who bought off-marketplace plans in 2015 had incomes from 100% to 400% of the federal poverty level, according to a new study in Health Affairs." 

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/    

Physicians with High-Risk Patients Struggle Under Value-Based Model

According to a new study, Maria Castellucci writes that physicians who serve low-income patients with complex conditions are more vulnerable to financial losses in value-based payment models.

The report, published Tuesday in JAMA, found that "physician practices with a large proportion of high-risk patients were likely to receive a penalty in the CMS' Physician Value-based Payment Modifier program because they reported low quality outcomes and higher costs." 

To learn 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/    

The Digital Healthcare Revolution is Just Beginning

Today's blog is brought to you courtesy of Employee Benefit Advisor that highlights just how much the healthcare industry has changed due to the exponential growth of technology. Raj Bhavsar of EBA believes we'll start to see an even higher growth rate in the following areas: integrated technology and smart devices, greater health-related intelligence, rapid technological advancements and digital payments.

Learn more about this trend by checking out 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/