 Agent and Consultant Briefing
October 2009 |
|
|
On My Mind: The (Political) Science of Health Care Policy |
|
By Cheryl DeMars
The Alliance Annual Meeting is fast approaching on Wednesday, October 21. In addition to our annual business meeting, we are featuring a special session, The (Political) Science of Health Care Policy.
The session will feature James A. Klein, President, American Benefits Council (ABC) who will provide a nonpartisan update regarding the current state of Washington health care reform efforts, along with a bit of humor! Melissa Duffy, our health policy consultant whom many of you have met before, will then provide some insights about what current events mean for members of The Alliance. Finally, we'll hear from a panel of Alliance members who serve on the health policy committee to share their views. This is the current state of health care reform, customized for Alliance members.
I look forward to seeing you in a few weeks.
|
Significant Discounts on Stop-Loss Rates |
|
Members of The Alliance are able to access discounts on stop-loss rates. We are able to bring members this preferred pricing by leveraging the collective purchasing power of our cooperative.
More than thirty-five carriers have agreed to offer discounts for employers that are members of The Alliance. The discounts are based on a thorough evaluation of our contract effectiveness with health care providers and facilities. For a list of carriers that recently evaluated The Alliance, visit our Preferred Pricing page at the Employer Resource Center.
If you don't know your password to the Employer Resource Center, call Melanie Cannon, 800.223.4139, x 6637, and she will be happy to assist you. For more information on stop-loss discounts, please contact Tierney Jensen, 800.223.4132, x 6642. |
| BabyLove for a Healthy Baby |
|
Preparing for a baby is a very special time. That's why The Alliance offers BabyLove, a special program to help those at member companies start their pregnancy off the healthy way.
The best part is members don't have to do anything to offer BabyLove. To use the program, their employees simply call 608.276.7584, Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The program includes:
- A free, confidential health risk screening, conducted by a registered nurse. The nurse provides coaching on what to be aware of during pregnancy and if a pregnancy may be high risk.
- General self-care information to promote good health during pregnancy.
- Information about other resources.
- A free copy of What to Expect When You're Expecting, What to Expect-The First Year, or What to Expect the Toddler Years.
For more information, visit the BabyLove Toolkit.
|
| Health Solutions, Ltd® Partnership |
As mentioned last month, The Alliance recently partnered with Health Solutions, Ltd.® to offer a complete suite of wellness solutions. They were chosen through a group purchasing process led by Alliance members.
The committee first identified 20 criteria to compare potential vendors against one another. These were turned into a request for information (RFI) which was sent to different wellness vendors. Of those that responded, four were chosen as finalists. The finalists made presentations to the committee and their references were checked.
In the end Health Solutions, Ltd.® was chosen for a number of reasons, including strong references. Committee members valued their complete package at what was considered a reasonable price. One other factor was that they are headquartered in Wisconsin, allowing them to interact more directly with organizations and their employees.
Health Solutions, Ltd.® coaching staff, which all have at least a minimum of a bachelor's degree in a health or wellness field, was seen as another positive. Coaches include health promotion and wellness experts, Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES), physical trainers, and RNs and are certified by the American College of Health Coaches.
Other positive mentions by references included:
- Web content
- Ability for participants to self-report biometrics when filling out the health risk assessment (HRA) form.
- Availability of coach to come onsite to introduce themselves to participants before telephonic coaching begins
- "Health Solutions identifies the three largest health issues with the company and helps coordinate programs on the three largest risk factors."
- Ability to offer a paper HRA
- Availability to come onsite to address employee concerns with privacy.
- Very responsive and adaptable to organizations needs.
We have negotiated the best pricing in the market for our members and our partnership allows you to offer Health Solutions, Ltd.® to mutual clients at a 15 - 25 percent discount. For more information about Health Solutions, Ltd.® visit our Web site or call Bobbi Jones, 800.223.4139, x 6638.
|
| New Spanish Resources from AHRQ |
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has added a new monthly online health advice portal for Spanish-speaking consumers, Consejos de Salud Para Tí (Health Advice for You. The column will provide evidence-based tips on preventive health, safe and appropriate use of medications and other medical therapies, ways to get better health care, and other key health care issues.
We have added a link to Consejos de Salud Para Tí from our Employer Resource Center Web-based Resources section. To access this area, log-in to the Employer Resource Center and click on the Wellness Planner graphic in the lower right-hand corner. On the next screen, click on Web-Based Resources in the lower left box. If you don't know your password to the Employer Resource Center, call Melanie Cannon, 800.223.4139, x 6637, and she will be happy to assist you.
|
| News You Can Use |
The Alliance highlights health care and benefit management news for employers in News You Can Use with a link to take you to the original story or report.
- Health Care Spending for Obese U.S. Adults
Spending on health care for obese Americans age 18 and older increased 82 percent between 2001 and 2006, rising from $167 billion to $303 billion, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
Back to top |
| Quality Counts ™ for Employees |
-
Quality and Cost in
Hospital Care: Separating the Truth from the Fiction
Sometimes what we think and
what's true isn't the same. When it comes to your health, knowing what's real,
as opposed to what you think is, can make a big difference. Knowing the real
truth can help you make better choices about where to go for your health care.
|
| Alliance Provider Update |
The Alliance encourages employers to distribute the Provider Update listing to their employees.
 Just a reminder - always check the online provider directory for the most current provider information! |
| About the Agent and Consultant Briefing |
Each month, The Alliance Agent and Consultant Briefing delivers the latest news to insurance agents and consultants about Alliance services, programs and events as well as information on health benefit trends, issues, and ideas of interest to our mutual clients. Subscriptions are available on a complimentary basis. To subscribe, please send an e-mail message with your name and agency to the Marketing and Member Services Department. Read past issues of this newsletter on-line at http://the-alliance.org/agentresources.aspx. Reader comments, suggestions, and topics are always welcome.
Cathy Lanser, Editor
Melanie Cannon, Designer
Diane Loram, Business Development Manager | |
|
|
|
|
|
The Alliance encourages employers to distribute the