 |
| Sep 30, 2009 |
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CDHP adoption rate rose among big employers, despite the economy |
| Sep 16, 2009 |
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Employees like their health plans, despite gaps in understanding |
| Sep 10, 2009 |
|
Obama proposes controversial employer mandate, public option |
| Sep 1, 2009 |
|
Hospital cracks down on ER visits |
| Aug 20, 2009 |
|
COBRA enrollment soars, reports Hewitt |
| Aug 11, 2009 |
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NY law seen as harbinger of more state health reform |
| Aug 4, 2009 |
|
Near-term health trends familiar, irrespective of reform |
| Jul 21, 2009 |
|
Employers lukewarm on public-plan option, survey shows |
| Jul 17, 2009 |
|
House committee approves health reform bill |
| Jul 15, 2009 |
|
Senate committee passes health reform bill |
| Jul 7, 2009 |
|
‘Pay or play’ not as painful as originally thought |
| Jul 1, 2009 |
|
Five costly conditions to watch |
| Jun 30, 2009 |
|
Americans go online for health information |
| Jun 23, 2009 |
|
Pennsylvania passes mini-COBRA law |
| Jun 16, 2009 |
|
Health benefits taxation takes center stage |
| Jun 8, 2009 |
|
Obama alters stance on health reform proposals |
| May 28, 2009 |
|
Mail trail shows health insurers readying for reform |
| May 19, 2009 |
|
Health care costs hit women harder |
| May 7, 2009 |
|
To see a doctor, get in line |
| May 1, 2009 |
|
Considering the exit ramp: Employers rethink offering health benefits |
| Apr 23, 2009 |
|
Hard times tighten ‘use-it-or-loss-it’ bond to health benefits |
| Apr 13, 2009 |
|
COBRA subsidy expected to be costly |
| Apr 6, 2009 |
|
Workplace wellness bill reintroduced with greater support |
| Mar 24, 2009 |
|
New COBRA model notices released |
| Mar 10, 2009 |
|
Twelve ways to slash medical bills |
| Mar 1, 2009 |
|
Self-insuring is a way for employers to get 'a whole lotta cannoli' |
| Feb 23, 2009 |
|
Employers turn to eligibility audits, voluntary benefits to control health care costs |
| Feb 11, 2009 |
|
Senate, House debate COBRA subsidy |
| Feb 3, 2009 |
|
Dems optimistic on comprehensive health reform |
| Feb 1, 2009 |
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How's this for an incentive? You get to keep your health insurance |
| Jan 27, 2009 |
|
Medicare reimbursement shakes things up |
| Jan 20, 2009 |
|
Health benefit costs continue to rise, survey shows |
| Jan 13, 2009 |
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N.Y. proposes policy requiring employers to extend dependent coverage |
| Jan 1, 2009 |
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Health care reform to take center stage this year |
| Dec 16, 2008 |
|
Employees cut back on health costs - for better or worse |
| Dec 1, 2008 |
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Moderating health care costs could signal trouble ahead |
| Nov 25, 2008 |
|
Tobacco addiction costs employers $167.5 billion a year |
| Nov 18, 2008 |
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Benefits professionals favor drastically reworked employer-based systems in new administration |
| Nov 11, 2008 |
|
Employers urged to flex muscle on health care reform |
| Nov 4, 2008 |
|
Obesity epidemic remains a battle |
| Nov 1, 2008 |
|
Evidence shows positive outcomes from greater investment in primary care |
| Oct 21, 2008 |
|
Losing sight of wellness program goals |
| Oct 14, 2008 |
|
DOL seeks comments on how health plans use genetic data |
| Oct 1, 2008 |
|
More patients heading to the emergency room |
| Sep 23, 2008 |
|
BFE: Up your FMLA ante with these helpful tips |
| Sep 15, 2008 |
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Companies combat high HMO premiums with aggressive strategies |
| Sep 8, 2008 |
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Steady support for wellness and disease management |
| Sep 1, 2008 |
|
Chronic conditions afflict more than half of Americans |
| Aug 12, 2008 |
|
HHS wants wellness program advice |
| Aug 1, 2008 |
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Attention all shoppers: How to be a smart PBM shopper |
| Jul 15, 2008 |
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Parties stand far apart on health care reform |
| Jul 10, 2008 |
|
Benefits to protect— and add— during economic downturns |
| Jul 1, 2008 |
|
Seven Self-Insurance Myths |
| Jun 24, 2008 |
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Growth of employer medical costs projected to accelerate |
| Jun 15, 2008 |
|
Pushing the envelope: Zero tolerance on tobacco use |
| Jun 1, 2008 |
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A new direction for health care reform and HMOs |
| May 27, 2008 |
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What's next for health care reform? |
| May 20, 2008 |
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Ohio, W.Va. and Pa. say no to CDHPs, survey reports |
| May 6, 2008 |
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Health plan study shows performance varies region to region |
| May 1, 2008 |
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Benefits finance: Is a self-insured health plan right for your company? |
| Apr 29, 2008 |
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HHS Secretary Leavitt backs value-based health care |
| Apr 22, 2008 |
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Obesity costs employers $45 billion a year |
| Apr 10, 2008 |
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Want to reduce sick days by an average of 41%? The solution is easy. Just walk. |
| Apr 1, 2008 |
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Robust incentives may improve retention rates in wellness programs |
| Mar 25, 2008 |
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Mercer Report: Employers focus on generic and specialty drugs to reduce Rx costs |
| Mar 11, 2008 |
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How to make your PBM more accountable |
| Mar 6, 2008 |
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Americans alarmed by gaps in quality health care delivery |
| Feb 21, 2008 |
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PBMI launches career center for drug benefit industry |
| Feb 12, 2008 |
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Business group wants to reduce health disparities among minorities |
| Feb 5, 2008 |
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Using incentives for health risk appraisals |
| Jan 31, 2008 |
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Mid-size employer turns to "hybrid" CDHP model |
| Jan 15, 2008 |
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Employees take advantage of wellness resources - when they're available |
| Jan 8, 2008 |
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Consumers are in the dark on health insurance terminology |
| Jan 1, 2008 |
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Checking the label: Transparency, generics utilization key components to effective PBM relationship |
| Dec 18, 2007 |
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Group counters belief that benefits sky is falling |
| Dec 4, 2007 |
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Touting large-scale ideas for health reform |
| Nov 20, 2007 |
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Health benefit costs still outpace the rate of inflation |
| Nov 8, 2007 |
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Toolkit outlines best practices in health coverage for mothers, children and adolescents |
| Nov 1, 2007 |
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Communications, wellness prove challenging for HR |
| Oct 15, 2007 |
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HealthMarkets charged with misleading customers and denying required care |
| Oct 4, 2007 |
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Is your company prepared for a pandemic? |
| Sep 25, 2007 |
|
Focus on health plan design paying off for employers |
| Sep 15, 2007 |
|
iPhone puts consumers' health records in the palm of hand |
| Aug 23, 2007 |
|
Health insurers are starting to focus on value-driven plans |
| Aug 9, 2007 |
|
California to produce first PPO report card |
| Aug 1, 2007 |
|
Chicago museum makes walking exhibit grounds cornerstone of successful, no-frills wellness program |
| Jul 24, 2007 |
|
Health care costs top employer concerns |
| Jul 12, 2007 |
|
Benefit professionals react to Moore's depiction of health care |
| Jul 1, 2007 |
|
Creating wellness incentives that resonate with workers |
| Jun 21, 2007 |
|
Health insurance inflation is slowing down |
| Jun 15, 2007 |
|
On the contrary: Employers not looking to shift costs |
| Jun 1, 2007 |
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Can't we all just get along? Achieving successful benefits integration with multiple carriers |
| May 17, 2007 |
|
Employers shift focus to prevention |
| May 17, 2005 |
|
Employers shift focus to prevention |
| May 8, 2007 |
|
Fortune 500 firms push for health reform |
| May 2, 2007 |
|
Biotech drug costs skyrocket |
| Apr 26, 2007 |
|
Experts help small firms with health plans |
| Apr 18, 2007 |
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Group says health premium jumps should be justified |
| Apr 5, 2007 |
|
HMOs more cost-effective in California |
| Mar 20, 2007 |
|
CVS buys Caremark |
| Mar 6, 2007 |
|
Americans value e-health services |
| Feb 22, 2007 |
|
Top-rated hospitals have lower mortality rates |
| Feb 5, 2007 |
|
Participation in wellness programs grows |
| Jan 25, 2007 |
|
Country reacts to Bush health care proposal |
| Jan 16, 2007 |
|
FMLA ruling protects subsidiaries |
| Jan 10, 2007 |
|
Latest CDH trend may be plan attrition |
| Jan 3, 2007 |
|
Tool helps employers keep up with the "Joneses" |
| Dec 20, 2006 |
|
Majority unaware of medical costs |
| Dec 13, 2006 |
|
Bill makes HSAs more flexible |
| Dec 5, 2006 |
|
Half of CDHP users would switch plans if possible |
| Dec 1, 2006 |
|
Health inflation lower, but worries grow over "fraying benefits" |
| Nov 30, 2006 |
|
NBGH launches free guide to preventive care |
| Nov 16, 2006 |
|
Medical costs may show double-digit increase in 2007 |
| Nov 7, 2006 |
|
Most workers do not use FSAs |
| Oct 25, 2006 |
|
PBMs keeping up with Wal-Mart |
| Oct 17, 2006 |
|
Consumers prefer generics to brand drugs |
| Oct 11, 2006 |
|
Workers worried about future of health benefits |
| Oct 1, 2006 |
|
Dental providers embark on new ways to offer benefits |
| Sep 20, 2006 |
|
Questions remain about provider quality programs |
| Sep 15, 2006 |
|
Cheaper Zocor throws generic market a curveball |
| Sep 6, 2006 |
|
HSA assets surge over past six months |
| Sep 1, 2006 |
|
Consumers get more tools to gauge medical costs, quality |
| Aug 31, 2006 |
|
Workers motivated by richer benefits |
| Aug 24, 2006 |
|
Bush compels price and quality transparency in health care |
| Aug 17, 2006 |
|
Workers uneasy about pay, health care |
| Aug 9, 2006 |
|
HMOs account for one quarter of insurance market |
| Aug 1, 2006 |
|
Generics influx drags prescription drug trend to seven-year low |
| Jul 25, 2006 |
|
Depression costs related to health care access |
| Jul 12, 2006 |
|
Research shows effects of quality ratings for surgeons |
| Jul 6, 2006 |
|
Employers portend scaling back retiree medical benefits |
| Jun 20, 2006 |
|
Tips for CDHP roll-outs |
| Jun 15, 2006 |
|
Ohioans recoup $6.5 million in health claims |
| Jun 8, 2006 |
|
Not-so-great expectations for health costs |
| Jun 1, 2006 |
|
Vermont latest state to pass health reform |
| May 30, 2006 |
|
Study gauges health data gap |
| May 17, 2006 |
|
Most employers do not offer DM, wellness, but they want to |
| May 10, 2006 |
|
Declining employer-sponsored health plans documented |
| Apr 27, 2006 |
|
Workers build muscle with incentives |
| Apr 25, 2006 |
|
Change coverage to lower pregnancy cost |
| Apr 20, 2006 |
|
Health experts face off on access vs. innovation |
| Apr 15, 2005 |
|
Target draws bead on consumer-driven health care |
| Apr 11, 2006 |
|
Female employers worry about skyrocketing health costs |
| Apr 5, 2006 |
|
Mental health benefits add value, not cost |
| Mar 27, 2006 |
|
Validate your health ROI to the CFO |
| Mar 21, 2006 |
|
Variety of strategies needed to curb health costs |
| Mar 9, 2006 |
|
Managers doubt CDH will make workers healthier |
| Mar 1, 2006 |
|
Health care to account for 20% of GDP by 2015 |
| Feb 23, 2006 |
|
Higher co-pay differentials increase generic fill rates |
| Feb 14, 2006 |
|
Consumer advocates worry about health data privacy |
| Feb 7, 2006 |
|
Cost and talent issues challenge benefit professionals |
| Jan 25, 2006 |
|
More than half of seniors stay away from Part D |
| Jan 15, 2006 |
|
Mind the Meds: Top 10 pharmacy benefits management strategies for 2006 |
| Jan 2, 2006 |
|
Put your health care eggs in many baskets |
| Dec 14, 2005 |
|
CDH participants dissatisfied but frugal |
| Dec 8, 2005 |
|
Health care banking gets the Blues |
| Dec 1, 2005 |
|
Generic drugs offer employers untapped savings |
| Nov 29, 2005 |
|
Care management, cost-shifting reduce health costs |
| Nov 17, 2005 |
|
Pay-for-performance generates quality improvements |
| Nov 15, 2005 |
|
Employers should examine full impact of obesity |
| Nov 3, 2005 |
|
US CEOs more health care cost conscious |
| Nov 1, 2005 |
|
Health cost relief takes center stage at BMF&E |
| Oct 25, 2005 |
|
Wal-Mart extends lower-cost health insurance |
| Oct 11, 2005 |
|
Large companies find lower health care hikes since 1999 |
| Sep 21, 2005 |
|
Cost-shift trend is also costing brokers |
| Sep 15, 2005 |
|
Financial incentives touted as health care cost fix |
| Sep 8, 2005 |
|
PBM mail-order pharmacies deliver cheaper drugs |
| Aug 31, 2005 |
|
A spoonful of compliance helps health costs go down |
| Aug 18, 2005 |
|
AutoNation claims UnitedHealthcare overpaid by $10 million |
| Aug 16, 2005 |
|
Consumers elevate HMOs over PPOs |
| Aug 9, 2005 |
|
Medical cost containment depends on changing habits |
| Aug 2, 2005 |
|
Employers could see relief in benefit costs |
| Jul 26, 2005 |
|
PBMs scoop up specialty pharmacies |
| Jul 15, 2005 |
|
Off and running: Self-funded employers may have head start in push for wellness |
| Jul 5, 2005 |
|
Walgreens says drug costs rose 7.2% in 2004 |
| Jun 28, 2005 |
|
More than half of employers concerned about wellness |
| Jan 21, 2005 |
|
Benefit managers offer best ways to ease health costs |
| Jun 14, 2005 |
|
UnitedHealth has a million in consumer-driven plans |
| Jun 9, 2005 |
|
Uninsured worsen medical inflation for workers |
| Jun 1, 2005 |
|
New study puts medical costs into focus |
| May 24, 2005 |
|
Disease management has become the norm |
| May 10, 2005 |
|
Unions found to have better access to health insurance |
| May 4, 2005 |
|
Employers don't lie down for higher premiums |
| Apr 28, 2005 |
|
Mandatory health insurance rejected in California |
| Apr 21, 2005 |
|
GM says health costs partly to blame for first-quarter losses |
| Apr 12, 2005 |
|
Group launches program to buy health insurance in bulk |
| Apr 7, 2005 |
|
Maryland considers bill that mandates benefits spending |
| Mar 25, 2005 |
|
Many would sacrifice choice for lower health costs |
| Mar 15, 2005 |
|
State health mandates scrutinized |
| Feb 9, 2005 |
|
Scandals may prompt more online insurance bidding |
| Jan 19, 2005 |
|
Employers should investigate disease management math crimes |
| Jan 12, 2005 |
|
Clients tackle medical inflation roots |
| Jan 8, 2005 |
|
Employees prefer work-based insurance |
| Dec 21, 2004 |
|
Automated Systems For Drugs Examined |
| Dec 14, 2004 |
|
Companies Rapidly Cutting Health Benefits |
| Dec 2, 2004 |
|
40 Percent in U.S. Use Prescription Drugs |
| Nov 1, 2004 |
|
Your New Health Plan |
| Sep 27, 2004 |
|
Health costs rising faster than incomes, study says |
| Sep 13, 2004 |
|
Employers slow shift of health care cost burden to workers |
| Aug 10, 2004 |
|
Health care costs employers more than paid leave |
| Jul 15, 2004 |
|
Health insurers lost $85 billion to fraud last year |
| Jul 22, 2004 |
|
Health and productivity management intrigues firms |
| Jun 4, 2004 |
|
Rising benefit costs hurt small businesses' financial health |
| Feb 28, 2004 |
|
Strike-weary grocery workers eye new offer |
| Feb 28, 2004 |
|
Experts ponder limitations of cost-sharing |
|
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Moderating health care costs could signal trouble ahead
Health care cost increases are projected to moderate next year for most types of coverage, according to the 2009 Segal Health Plan Cost Trend Survey.
Increases in per-capita medical claims costs, once heavily influenced by both price inflation and patient utilization, now are more closely tied to price inflation.
Trends in patient utilization have decreased across hospital, physician and prescription drug services. These lower rates may reflect a number of factors, including the impact of cost-shifting to employees through higher deductibles, copays and coinsurance, as well as the personal financial effects of this year's economic downturn.
If the latter is true, this development could manifest itself in future declines in health and increasing medical costs for companies, employees and their families.
Plan sponsors should look for early signs of underutilization of medical services for patients with chronic conditions that could put them at risk of deterioration in their health status and ultimately fuel future cost increases.
What the numbers reveal
The prescription drug cost trend is projected to fall from 10.7% in 2008 to 9.8% in 2009. The cost trend for physician visits is expected to be 8.9%, down from 9.9%, and the trend for hospital services is projected to drop to 10.9% from 11.3%.
The increase in utilization rates, a key component of cost trend, is expected to decelerate. Segal's utilization trend rate for hospital services is projected to fall from 3.2% this year to 2.5% next year, while the utilization trend rate for physician services is predicted to drop from 5.5% to 4.3%.
The largest slowdown in the utilization rate is expected in the prescription drug arena, which is projected to drop almost two percentage points to 2.9%. This drop comes mostly from less use of brand-name prescription drugs.
Segal's findings are supported by other surveys that are documenting declines in health care utilization. In July, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners reported that 22% of U.S. consumers said they had reduced the number of times they see a doctor as a result of the economy, and 11% had cut the number of prescription drugs they take or reduced the dosage of those medications to make the prescriptions last longer. According to market research firm IMS Health, the number of prescriptions filled in the United States fell 0.5% in the first quarter of 2008 and almost 2% in the second quarter, compared to the same periods for 2007. These were the first negative quarters in at least a decade. IMS Health also reported that the number of physician office visits declined 1.2% between July 2007 and July 2008, the most recent month for which data is available.
Also documenting a decline in health care utilization, a Sept. 22 report in the Wall Street Journal noted that the medical data-mining company D2Hawkeye Inc. found that knee replacements per 1,000 people fell 18.6% between March 2007 and March 2008, while Pap smears dropped 6% and dispensed prescriptions for antidepressants declined 29%. Meanwhile, the clinical lab-testing company Laboratory Corporation of America reported that the number of blood tests and other types of lab work for uninsured customers fell 8% in the second quarter of this year, compared to the 1% growth it usually sees.
At one Segal client, Hemoglobin A1c testing declined from 34% of diagnosed diabetics to 29% during the most recent analysis period. At another company, beta-blocker usage after a heart attack dropped from 66% one year to 61% the next.
Why this bears watching
Segal believes that the slowdown in utilization may be cause for concern. Although it is not yet clear how much of this drop is simply a reduction in the overuse of unnecessary services, it could also mean that some people are deferring essential medical care because of higher copays and the personal financial effects of the economic downturn. In some cases, patients with chronic conditions may not be getting the proper treatment needed to avoid future complications.
What should employers do? The first step is to understand what is driving the cost of the coverage through credible, data-driven analyses. It makes sense to analyze the group's claims experience to make sure the health plan is supporting the right treatments.
People who put off medical treatment and regular physicals increase their risk for future problems. Moreover, delaying treatment will eventually increase overall health costs as people are forced to seek more aggressive and costly treatment after the condition worsens to a crisis point. An environment in which people fail to seek regular care will only increase health care costs later on.
Another possible solution is to explore total health management strategies as a vehicle to contain health care costs. THM strategies address the root causes of medical cost escalation: consumer health habits, waste in the health care system, poor quality care and poor preventive care.
By analyzing cost and utilization trends with precision, plan sponsors can improve incentives and raise provider and patient awareness to improve patient treatment compliance at the early stages of illness and reduce the inflationary impact of catastrophic health events. In addition, plan sponsors need to use laser surgery, rather than an axe, when reengineering plan provisions to reduce wasteful spending, eliminate barriers to care and provide incentives to workers to get the most value from their health benefits.
By Eileen M Flick
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