Trust in Health Insurers at an All-Time Low

We're not shocked to see this headline in today's news. Transparency is key in healthcare, and that is something that continues to lack drastically with health insurance companies.

Marlene Satter of Modern Healthcare writes, "Health care marketing and communications agency ReviveHealth's 11th Trust Index report indicates that the lowest level of trust comes from health system execs, whose level of trust in health plans dipped to a score of 52 out of 100 this year, compared to 54.1 in 2016. Behind them come physicians, who scored health plans at 55.8 on the trust index, essentially unchanged from last year." 

There's many more interesting findings they found throughout this survey. To learn more, 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/      

87% of Healthcare Execs Rank Telehealth as a Priority

Today's blog features the recent article out of Healthcare IT news that highlights the overwhelming patient approval of telemedicine.

Bill Siwicki writes, "Fifty-one percent of the executives and caregivers Reach Health surveyed, in fact, said telemedicine is a high priority." Outcomes are continuing to improve across the board including engagnement and satisfaction, efforts to reduce costs and reducing readmissions. 

To read the full article, 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/      

CVS Health Increases Restrictions on Opioids

Today's blog features the recent article out of Forbes Health that highlights CVS's new plan to tighten up restrictions to aid in the the fight against opioid abuse. Bruce Japsen writes, "CVS, which also operates one of the nation’s largest pharmacy benefit managers in Caremark, said it will roll out an “enhanced opioid utilization management approach for all commercial, health plan, employer and Medicaid clients as of February 1, 2018 unless the client chooses to opt out."

Japsen continues, "CVS said its program will include “limiting to seven days the supply of opioids dispensed for certain acute prescriptions for patients who are new to therapy; limiting the daily dosage of opioids dispensed based on the strength of the opioid; and requiring the use of immediate-release formulations of opioids before extended-release opioids are dispensed.”

To learn more, check 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/     

Exchange Members Resemble Commercial Counterparts

Express Scripts recently published an article that highlights new medication therapies for newly treated conditions for the maturing population. These new therapies closely mirror that of commercial health plan members. ESI designed an infographic to illustrate this concept. 

To learn more, 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/     

Pharmacy Benefits Ripe for Transformation

Katie Kuehner-Hebert of Benefits Pro recently wrote an article that highlighted pharmacy benefits as one area of the health care value chain ripe for transformation.

“In theory, a drug should function like any other product in a rational consumer purchasing transaction, but it does not. Requirements related to the distribution of products, patient safety and clinical efficacy have pushed the industry to develop a complex chain of middlemen that deliver point solutions and are interdependent on one another, resulting in a longer and more complex channel.” 

This complex problem is brought on by an aging population, a continued rise in chronic disease and the accelerated commercialization of innovative drugs that carry a very expensive price tag. 

There's much more on this topic, so please be sure to 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/     

Providers Reduce Waste to Work Around Ballooning Drug Prices

Today's blog features another informative health care industry article courtesy of Modern Healthcare. Alex Kacik writes that Cleveland Clinic is one of the biggest users of the heart drugs, nitroprusside and isoproterenol. Over the past three years these prices surged 30-fold and 70-fold and caught the provider's attention. These drugs are commonly used in life-threatening situations.

Kacik continues, "Valeant Pharmaceuticals acquired the rights to the off-patent drugs in 2015 and drastically increased the prices."

You need to be a member of Modern Healthcare to read more, so if you are, 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/     

Emergency Preparedness for Prescription Medications

With hurricane Irma making headway towards the coast of Florida, it's important to think about your prescriptions as part of your emergency plan. Lost or damaged medications can be a life-threatening situation for storm victims. Express Scripts created a comprehensive list full of tips that will leave you prepared in the wake of disaster. 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/     

Open Enrollment 2017: Getting the Most out of Telehealth Benefits

Health insurance brokers currently have their hands full during this open enrollment season. Telemedicine is undoubtedly a part of health care's future, so it's important that brokers understand exactly what this service is in order to properly advise their clients.

"When implemented properly, telemedicine can help brokers, HR admins, business owners, and their employees." 

Learn more on this topic 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/