| Upcoming Events |
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Holiday Luncheon -
Dec. 8
Executive Committee Conference Call - Jan. 8
M & M - Jan. 19
Board of Directors Meeting - Feb. 9 |
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Save the Date!
SCBCH 4th Annual Meeting
Tuesday May 11,
Hyatt Regency,
Main Street
Greenville
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| American Diabetes Month |
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November is American Diabetes Month. Diabetes is a serious disease that can lead to potentially life-threatening complications such as heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, blindness, and amputation.
According to the American Diabetes Association:
- 24 million children and adults in the United States live with diabetes
- 57 million Americans are at risk for type 2 diabetes
- 1 out of every 3 children born today will face a future with diabetes if current trends continue
The American Diabetes Association is launching a national movement to Stop Diabetes. They can provide medical, lifestyle and motivational information to prevent this disease from taking control of your life and the lives of those around you.
Please click here for more information.
Source: American Diabetes Association |
| Fall Panel Workshop |
On October 21st the Coalition held its Fall Panel Workshop entitled, Employer Tools and Resources to Effectively Manage Diabetes, with guest speaker, Robin Foust, BS, PAHM of Zoe Consulting. Robin gave a presentation on engagement strategies in health and disease management. She provided practical strategies for maximizing the effectiveness of health and disease management programs and best practicing on increasing employee participation.
There were 2 panels of hospital representatives, health plan representatives, and pharmaceutical representatives that discussed the tools, resources, and programs that are available to employers to assist them in better managing their diabetic population.
We would like to thank Robin and all of our panelists for participating in this workshop!
Please click here to obtain more information from some of the panelists. |
The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA)
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On October 7, 2009 the U.S. Departments of Labor, Treasury and Health and Human Services (HHS) formally published interim final regulations implementing Title I of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) of 2008, including restrictions on the use of health risk assessments (HRAs) in employee group health plans. At the same time, HHS also formally published proposed regulations modifying the HIPAA Privacy Rule to implement GINA's requirements with regarding the privacy and confidentiality of genetic information.
Title I of GINA and the interim regulations prohibit employer-sponsored group health plans and health insurers providing group and individual health insurance from restricting enrollment or adjusting premiums based on genetic information or requiring or requesting genetic testing. These interim final regulations for the group market apply to group health plans and group health insurance issuers for plan years beginning on or after December 7, 2009 (January 1, 2010 for calendar year plans).
There is significant concern within the employer, health plan, labor, wellness and the chronic disease management communities that the interim final regulations prohibit the use of an HRA (health risk assessment) to determine whether a participant is eligible for a disease management program if the HRA collects family medical information. This prohibition holds even if the HRA does not otherwise contain a financial reward or incentive.
As written, the interim final rule leaves health plans, employers and others with two unworkable options: 1) end incentives for completing an HRA that collects genetic information (including family medical history) or 2) remove questions about genetic information from the HRA. In the former case, participation in wellness and disease management programs will decline, as studies have shown incentives significantly improve wellness program participation; in the latter, the effectiveness of the HRA will be severely diluted, as family history and other genetic information are valuable indicators of chronic disease risk.
Benefit Managers can learn more about this and other topics at the January 19th Mentoring & Management Session.
Source: NBCH |
| Health Care Reform |
House Passes Major Health Care Legislation: In the most significant vote on health care policy since the adoption of the Medicare program in 1965, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962), by a vote of 220 to 215 late on the evening of November 7.
One Republican, Representative Joseph Cao (R-LA), joined 219 Democrats in supporting the bill, while 39 Democrats joined the rest of the Republican caucus in voting against the measure. Speaker Pelosi barely met the required number of votes needed, 218, to pass the bill. Adoption of an amendment restricting public funding of abortions secured the votes of a number of Democrats who had indicated that they would otherwise oppose the overall bill. This was the only amendment on which a vote was permitted on the legislation.
Click here to access the full article.
Source: NBCH |
| Great American Smoke Out |
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Every year, on the third Thursday of November, smokers across the nation take part in the American Cancer Society's Great American Smoke Out by smoking less or quitting for the day. The event challenges people to stop using tobacco and helps make people aware of the many tools they can use to quit for good.
Research shows that smokers are most successful in kicking the habit when they have some means of support, such as:
- nicotine replacement products
- counseling
- stop-smoking groups
- telephone smoking cessation hotlines (1-800-227-2345)
- prescription medicine to lessen cravings
- guide books
- encouragement and support from friends and family members
Using 2 or more of these measures to help you quit works better than using any one of them alone. Support is out there, but the most recent information suggests that fewer than 1 in 4 smokers reports having tried any of the recommended therapies during his or her last quit attempt.
Please click here for more information.
Source: American Cancer Society |
| Should Healthcare Come With A Warranty? |
 How health care providers get paid has implications for the delivery of care and cost control; the topic is especially important during an economic downturn with persistent growth in health spending. Adding "warranties" to care is an innovation that transfers risk to providers, because payment includes allowances for defects.
How do such warranties affect patient care and bottom lines? We examine a proposed payment model to illustrate the role of warranties in health care and their potential impact on providers' behavior and profitability. We conclude that warranties could motivate providers to improve quality and could increase their profit margins.
Click here to access the full article.
Source:
Health Affairs 28, no. 4 (2009): w678-w687 (published online 16 June 2009; 10.1377/hlthaff.28.4.w678)
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If you have any questions or comments about the newsletter or have suggestions on ideas for articles, please e-mail them to wsimmer@scbch.org
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