by Tom Barrett | Jun 26, 2018 | Employer Issues, General Health, General Insurance Issues, Health Policy, Healthcare Costs, Healthcare Issues, Healthcare Reform, Medicare Medicaid, National News, News and Events, Providers
(Note: In keeping with our 2 Minute Drill mantra, we’ve broken this into two parts. Today in Part 1 we’ll highlight Gawande’s view of the three big systemic problems with healthcare. Tomorrow in Part 2 we’ll summarize his vision for the ABJ-HCE.) Last week...
by Tom Barrett | Jan 19, 2018 | Employer Issues, General Health, General Insurance Issues, Health Policy, Healthcare Costs, Healthcare Issues, Healthcare Reform, Insurance, Medicare Medicaid, National News
Job-based health insurance is the largest single source of health care coverage in the U.S. 1.) Employer-sponsored insurance covers more than 157 million workers and their dependents. 2.) The next largest source of coverage, Medicaid, insures less than half as many,...
by Tom Barrett | Dec 8, 2017 | Employer Issues, General Health, General Insurance Issues, Healthcare Issues, Insurance, Managed Care - Group Health, National News, News and Events
In a letter to the broker community Aetna CEO Mark Bertolini provided a glimpse of where the combined CVS/Aetna entity hopes to head once everything is completed. If approved, the blockbuster transaction is expected to close late in 2018. Here’s what Bertolini had to...
by Mike Barrett | Nov 6, 2017 | Employer Issues, General Health, General Insurance Issues, Healthcare Costs, Healthcare Issues, Insurance, Pharmacy Costs, Pharmacy, PBMs and Pharma Costs
This is an example of one Ohio company adjusting how they administer coupons people use at the pharmacy. The program helps make sure members’ out-of-pocket cost for prescription drugs are properly applied to deductibles and maximum out-of-pocket amounts. The benefit...
by Tom Barrett | Oct 25, 2017 | Employer Issues, General Health, General Insurance Issues, Healthcare Costs, Healthcare Issues, Insurance, Medicare Medicaid, National News
With more and more folks remaining in the workforce past age 65, we are often asked by clients to help explain Medicare eligibility and options to those employees on the cusp of turning 65. This article from Kaiser Health News (reprinted with permission) provides...
by Tom Barrett | Feb 17, 2017 | General Insurance Issues, Healthcare Issues, Insurance, Medicare Medicaid, Uncategorized
Can’t tell you how many calls and emails we get from panic-stricken employees nearing that magic 65th birthday and Medicare eligibility. It happens a lot. A whole lot. Some folks think if they don’t sign up three months before they turn 65 they’ll be in trouble....