FORUM East · May 9-10, Atlanta
EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION IS OPEN!
ISSUE || September/October 2012
Rules of Engagement
Personalized Messaging Key to Getting Employees’ Attention How Targeted Employee Communication Can Increase CDHP Adoption Rate Reducing Health Care Costs and Energizing Employees
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INSIDE 30 Rules of Engagement: Personalized Messaging Key to Getting Employees’ Attention From mid October to December brokers are making their sales pitch and benefit managers are trying to educate their employees about the newest products coming down the pike. However, a lot of times these words, words, words, fall on deaf ears. By Todd Callahan
35 How Targeted Employee Communication Can Increase CDHP Adoption Rates Savvy employers appreciate the power of consumerdirected health plans (CDHPs). However, these plans still haven’t achieved significant traction. A widening group of experts believes this failure is a function of ineffective education, impacted by low health plan literacy and insufficient consumer engagement. So how can employers better educate and engage their employees to make better health care decisions? By Roger Travis
39 Reducing Health Care Costs and Energizing Employees In late 2010, facing a 60 percent price increase in its traditional health care plan, FitLinxx decided to move to a consumer-driven health plan (CDHP) with a health savings account (HSA). While that alone would have benefited the company, it was by combining an incentive-based health and wellness employee program with the CDHP that ultimately made the change a winwin for employees and for FitLinxx. By Andrea Newman
COMING UP NEXT: The Institute for HealthCare Consumerism and its official publication, HealthCare Consumerism Solutions, present the 2012 HealthCare Consumerism Superstars. The annual awards issue showcases the top innovative professionals in health care and benefit management, who go the extra mile as creative problem solvers in the arena of health care consumerism. This year also debuts the HR Visionary of the Year Award, sponsored by Transitions Optical Inc. ON THE COVER: An employee of Con-way Inc., an industry leader in the transportation and logistics industry, secures his payload prior to making deliveries. The driver is one of 28,500 the Ann Arbor, Mich., based company employs. With the majority of employees traveling across the country and some living in their trucks, it makes benefit communication to employees a huge challenge. www.TheIHCC.com I HealthCare Consumerism Solutions™ I September/October 2012
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INSIDE
DEPARTMENTS
6-7 What’s Happening at The Institute 8
21 Regulatory & Compliance
Editor and Publisher’s Letter
It’s Never too Early to Start Thinking About IHC FORUM 2013
Determination of Full-time Employees under PPACA By Ron Bachman
11 Guest Commentary
Ways ObamaCare Will Change Your Health Care By Nick Tate
12-14 CDHC Solutions FORUM West Review t -FBSO .PSF UIBO "UUFOE *)$ '036. 8FTU t $POOFDU 4IBSF 4FTTJPOT IBWF 4VDDFTTGVM %FCVU BU -BT 7FHBT '036. t 4IBSF &NQMPZFFT OPU POMZ "UUFOEFE '036. CVU UIFZ BMTP 1BSUJDJQBUFE JO UIF 1SPHSBN
23 Private Exchanges The Future Health Insurance Purchasing Model Has Arrived By Nick Severino
15 Save the Date 16-19 People on the Move 16-18 Briefs/Innovations
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46 Who’s Who Profile
25 Rewards & Incentives Financial Incentives: The Desired ‘Carrot’ for Healthy Behavior Change By Tom Abshire
27 Population Health Management Analytic Strategies that Drive Cost, Quality and Wellness Improvement By Pete Wagner
50 Resource Guide/Ad Index
Events The 2013 IHC FORUM East www.theihccforum.com For a fourth year in a row, IHC FORUM East returns to the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta on May 9-10, 2013. The only conference series 100 percent dedicated to innovative health and benefit management has an expanded preconference selection, 24 informative breakout sessions and five general sessions featuring the top innovative thought leaders in this health care consumerism megatrend. The theme for the 2013 conference series is “Making HealthCare Consumerism Work.� Registration is now open. Come LEARN, CONNECT and SHARE with the top thought leaders in the rapidly growing health care consumerism megatrend.
29 Benefit Communications The ROI for Engaging Employees: Five Steps for a Successful Wellness Program By Connie Gee
43 Ask the Broker The Future of Employer’s Role in Health Insurance By Josh Hilgers
Become a Member and Reap the Rewards Have you become a member of The Institute for HealthCare Consumerism (www.theihcc.com) yet? Why wait? Visit The IHC website today and sign up for a membership. Got a story to tell about an innovative health and benefit program or best practices in health care consumerism? Share it with fellow members of The Institute or post a blog at www.theihcc.com. Members of The IHC also receive special discounts to attend Institute events, such as IHC FORUM.
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September/October 2012 I HealthCare Consumerism Solutions™ I www.TheIHCC.com
44 Executive Spotlight Paul Amos II: The Man Behind the Duck By Todd Callahan
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WHAT’S HAPPENING AT THE THE CEO’S DESK members speak out The industry is currently at a tipping point where we’re seeing the rapid adoption of health care consumerism across the marketplace regardless of health care law developments. Within The Institute for HealthCare Consumerism you will find yourself at the forefront of the latest updates regarding health care law and how it may or may not impact your business and the industry as a whole. All of this is happening within our 24-7, collaborative online environment where all facets of this industry are currently learning, connecting and sharing. If you’re reading this magazine and have not yet signed up for your membership to The Institute for HealthCare Consumerism online, you’re missing out on being part of the one place that aggregates all stakeholders within the health and benefits management industry and allows you to connect with your peers, brokers, advisors, consultants and solution providers with a quick log-in. Through articles, white papers, surveys, member contributed blog posts, forum discussions, video content and HealthCare Consumerism Radio, you’ll immediately benefit from a collaborative environment that speaks to health care consumerism related growth, best practices and pain points. Sign up today for your Membership to The Institute for HealthCare Consumerism at: theihcc.com/membership Sincerely, Doug Field Founder & CEO, The Institute for HealthCare Consumerism Publisher, HealthCare Consumerism Solutions Magazine
spotlight Whole Foods Co-founder and Co-CEO John Mackey is a zealot when it comes to the concept of health care consumerism. It is one of the reasons he was honored as the recipient of the inaugural John J. Robbins Senior Memorial Leadership Award in 2011.
service hours. This company-funded account helps cover the costs of out-ofpocket allowable health care expenses. Employees are able to access the account through a special debit card and any of the unused funds are rolled over at the end of the year.
An avid blogger and supporter of free market principles and empowerment, Mackey has instituted his beliefs in a robust takeover of the health care system and is putting the decisionmaking power back in the hands of the individual, believing that strategy will help lower health care costs for everyone. At Whole Foods, employees are eligible for a personal wellness account, which works similar to a health savings account
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September/October 2012 I HealthCare Consumerism Solutions™ I www.TheIHCC.com
John Mackey, Co-founder and Co-CEO Whole Foods
To learn more about this year’s Superstar Awards and to nominate someone please visit www.theihcc.com. 2012 issue will be released in December.
INSTITUTE?
LEARN. CONNECT. SHARE.
online exclusives Wal-Mart Moves Health Care Forward Again Wal-Mart’s sheer size makes almost any of their initiatives newsworthy. That said, despite being a lightning rod for care, it has introduced initiatives with far-reaching impacts. Its generic drug program began in September 2006—more than 300 prescription drugs for $4/month or $10 for a 90-day supply— and was widely emulated, disrupting retail drug markets and to a lower middle class diabetic who had been paying more than $120 per month for medications, and suddenly could get them for about $24. Wal-Mart announced “enrolled associates”—covered workers and their family members—needing heart, spine or transplant surgeries could receive care with no out-of-pocket cost at six prominent health systems around the country…
Oregon Wellness Program Differs From Other States, Garners High Participation Rate Oregon state workers might not love paying on their health insurance premiums, which started this year, but it might be of some comfort to realize that the premiums Oregon workers pay are considered a reward in South Dakota.
plan, and workers there pay premiums of about $1,325 per year, or $110 per month. If they complete their wellness program, they
DISCUSSIONS Employers Opt for Medical Tourism In priceless, I hazarded a guess that employers could cut the cost of hospital care in half by engaging in medical tourism. It’s a variation on what is sometimes called “value-based purchasing” or “reference pricing.” In its pure form, the employer picks a low-cost, high quality facility and covers all costs there. If the employee chooses another hospital, the employee must pay the full extra cost of the more expensive choice. In priceless, I argued that to take full advantage of the opportunities available, the patients must be willing to travel.
Health Care and You With all the debate over the election and over the ACA and whose going to win and repeal or uphold what when, I thought it might be nice to take a step back from the the U.S.
The Health Care Debate the emerging consensus is that Romney was strong
Some Employers Offer Aid to Retirees After Cutting Their Health Insurance In the
discussed yet is the fact that it’s well past time to put Jim
past 20 years, the number of companies that provide retiree health coverage has dropped
particular let Romney grab much of the airtime.
implications. but a move by some employers is softening the blow. They are contracting with companies that operate insurance marketplaces, called exchanges, where Medicareeligible retirees can enroll in plans to replace what they used to get from the employer….
N.C. Blues Teams With Walgreens on Telehealth blue Cross and blue Shield of North Carolina, Durham, is offering telehealth services to its employees through a partnership with Walgreens Take The health insurer, which has thousands of employees in North Carolina, said in a news release the program will allow it to offer more convenient and cost-effective care. Close to 40 percent of N.C. blues employees are enrolled in a consumer-driven health savings account plan….
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events 2013 Register Now and Save
The calendar may say 2012, but we are already planning for our Forum conference series in 2013. Don’t miss the opportunity to be at the forefront of the continued growth of health care consumerism. Registration is now open for IHC FORUM East in Atlanta on May 9-10. Register today to take advantage of Early Bird rates.
May 9-10 Cobb Galleria Centre Atlanta www.theihccforum.com
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LETTER
EDITOR & PUBLISHER
www.theihcc.com VOLUME
NO. 6 SEpTEMbER/OCTObER 2012
published by FieldMedia LLC 292 South Main Street, Suite 400 Alpharetta, GA 30009
CEO/
Doug Field @ MANAGING DIRECTOR
Brent Macy
As we close the book on a successful 2012 IHC FORUM season, which saw more than 700 combined attend our events, we turn our attention to 2013 and anticipate even larger crowds for our East Coast and West Coast events. As the health care consumerism megatrend continues to gain momentum, The Institute for HealthCare Consumerism continues to be the destination for employers trying to get a grip on changing legislation, compliance issues with the health care law, and more importantly, trying to curb escalating health care costs. In fact, employers are not only coming to the forums to LEARN about the latest trends and best and better practices in health and benefit management, they also are becoming part of the program. Since its creation in September 2011, the IHC has focused on being the online destination where people can come to learn connect and share about health care consumerism. At IHC FORUM West in Las Vegas on Sept. 6-7, employers, brokers and health plan providers shared the stage in SHARE Sessions. Of the 24 breakout sessions, five were titled SHARE Sessions, with three featuring employers discussing rules of engagement, development of a wellness program and how to take the first steps on the road to consumerism. The more than 300 attendees at FORUM West, held at the Red Rock Resort, Spa & Casino, flocked to these informative and interactive SHARE Sessions. The panelists featured employers from RJ Young Company, Staples, Pitney Bowes, Boeing and many others. This magazine features highlights from one of the SHARE Sessions, which showcased best and better practices in effectively engaging and communicating with your employee population. “It was a pleasure to share our experiences with consumer-driven health care as a panelist, the high-level of participation was great,” said RJ Young Chief Financial Officer Sam Shallenberger, a participating panelist. The IHC is finalizing it show for FORUM East in Atlanta on May 9-10 at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta. This is the fourth year in a row we have held our event at this venue. Registration is open at www.theihccforum.com. You also can submit proposals and a call for speakers by contacting a member of The IHC staff. Final Call for Superstar Nominations The deadline is fast approaching to submit your nominations for our upcoming HealthCare Consumerism Superstars 2012 issue. The magazine will be published in December, and the deadline for nominations is the end of October. This year we will be debuting the HR Visionary of Year Award, which is sponsored by Transitions. Other awards for the annual issue are: John J. Robbins Senior Memorial CEO Leadership Award; CEO Leadership Award; Most Innovative Plan Design Award; Most Effective Plan Implementation Award; Most Innovative Employee Education/Communication Award; Most Innovative Employee Empowerment Award; Most Effective Population Health & Wellness Award; Public Policy Leadership Award; Most Effective Solution Provider Award; Most Innovative Partner-Consultant Award and Most Innovative Broker Award. Time is quickly running out, visit www.theihcc.com to nominate your health care consumerism superstar today.
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Jonathan Field
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Kim Adler, Allstate; Diana Andersen, Zions bancorporation;
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Karen Raudabaugh
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September/October 2012 I HealthCare Consumerism Solutions™ I www.TheIHCC.com
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legal advice is required, the services of a professional adviser should be sought. The magazine is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or photographs. Send letters to the editor and editorial inquiries to the above address or to
WHAT SHOULD YOUR BENEFITS LOOK LIKE? THE ANSWER CAN BE FOUND IN YOUR COMPANY’S DNA. Your company or organization is like no other. What about your benefits? At Cigna, our philosophy is simple: we approach each employer and its employees on an individual basis. It’s a custom approach designed to help keep your workforce healthy and reduce costs. Lower your medical cost trend by up to 16% in the first year with one of Cigna's consumer driven health plans — delivering sustainable savings year over year*. Healthier employees and a healthier bottom line. That’s in every company’s DNA. Visit us at Cigna.com.
*Cigna Choice Fund Sixth Annual Experience Study, February 2012 “Cigna” and “Cigna.com” are registered service marks and the “Tree of Life” logo and “GO YOU” are service marks of Cigna Intellectual Property, Inc., licensed for use by Cigna Corporation and its operating subsidiaries. All products and services are provided by such operating subsidiaries, including Connecticut General Life Insurance Company and Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company, and not by Cigna Corporation. 859400 08/12 © 2012 Cigna
BY NICK TATE AWARD-WINNING JOURNALIST & EDITOR
I
n the two years since it was signed into law, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has generated literally millions of news reports and millions of hits on search engines. Yet, after all this time—and all those words—many Americans are still wondering: What’s in it for me and how will it change my health care? But one thing is certain: ObamaCare will restructure the way health care is delivered in significant ways we will all feel. Change is coming your way. In fact many provisions are already in place, or soon to roll out. Here are the following five key ways that will alter health care for many Americans.
1. Medicare Changes Under ObamaCare Medicare reductions would add up to $716 billion in 10 years, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. That figure is identical to Paul Ryan’s 2013 budget proposal. Health care experts believe those reductions will largely leave Medicare unchanged for Americans 55 and older. But the real changes come in 2022. Predictably perhaps, Republicans and Democrats have different ideas about how to preserve Medicare down the road. Those reductions in reimbursement to hospitals, insurers and the Medicare Advantage program (by about $68 less per month, according to the Congressional Budget Office) could lead to cuts in benefits and services for some seniors, even though ObamaCare does not specify what they might be. Medicare changes also close the so-called “donut hole” in drug coverage, giving seniors a break on their out-of-pocket costs for medications. But other changes could occur to Medicare as a result of the new health care law that could affect their care and costs.
2. Price Controls ObamaCare aims to cover uninsured Americans by expanding Medicaid and the “individual mandate” requiring everyone to have insurance or pay a tax. Those moves could hold down health care costs over time because many of the 37 million uninsured Americans seek care through hospital ERs for dire problems that are more costly to treat than prevent or manage (such as heart attacks, infections and complications from chronic conditions). Costs are now borne by taxpayers and people with insurance. ObamaCare proponents have argued people who have insurance are more likely to work with their doctors to manage chronic conditions – such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer—in ways that are less expensive up front than hospital care and may help head off serious problems down the road. But since the law’s signing in 2010, costs and premiums have been increasing. Health insurers also have projected premiums will continue to rise— at least 2-3 percent per year—and nothing in the law bars insurance companies from passing along those increases to policy holders. But the true acid test may be found in Massachusetts. Under the RomneyCare plan, the template for ObamaCare, signed into law in 2006, the number of uninsured residents dropped to the lowest level in the country (3 percent), but insurance premiums have risen to the highest cost of any state in the nation for a family of four, according to the Commonwealth Fund.
GUEST COMMENTARY
3. Doctor Practices One unanswered question about ObamaCare that could affect consumers: Will the law drive changes in doctor practices that could worsen physician shortages? Polls of doctors suggest the answer may be yes. A survey of 2,400 physicians conducted in 2010 for the Physicians Foundation found 40 percent would “retire, seek a non-clinical job in health care or seek a job unrelated to health care” during the next three years. Investors Business Daily predicted as many as 360,000 physicians could leave the profession, based on a 2009 forecast survey of 1,300 doctors. ACA supporters have argued the survey is not a true measurement of physician sentiment, since it came at the height of national debate over ObamaCare. But the truth is no one can predict how the medical profession may respond to the coming changes. One thing is clear, however: the nation is already experiencing a doctor shortage.
4. Unwritten Provisions Some impacts of the new law are unpredictable simply because many provisions have yet to be written and Congress must still authorizing funding for some of them. For instance, federal health officials have yet to identify “essential health benefits” that insurers will be required to provide. Although experts expect those benefits will be comparable to what is now offered through typical employerbased health plans (that now cover about 150 million Americans), the details have not been determined. It’s also unclear how effectively the states—or federal government—will be in expanding Medicaid and creating new “health care exchanges” designed to allow millions to purchase affordable, high-quality individual plans.
5. Independent Payment Advisory Board One controversial aspect of ObamaCare involves the creation of a presidential commission called the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB). This board of 15 experts—chosen by the president and approved by the Senate—will be empowered to cut Medicare spending and make other health care decisions independently, unless counteracted by a three-fifths “supermajority” vote in Congress. The driving idea behind the IPAB’s creation is the board would be able to make tough budgetary decisions that might be politically difficult for Congress or the president to implement (such as additional Medicare reductions). But because the IPAB won’t be elected, critics argue the board could wield enormous powers and increase government control over of the nation’s health care system. As is true with many aspects of ObamaCare, the devil will be in the details of the law’s implementation. And, like the IPAB itself, ObamaCare is very much a work in progress.
www.TheIHCC.com I HealthCare Consumerism Solutions™ I September/October 2012
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MORE THAN 300 ON THE ROAD LEARNING, CONN
LEARN.
A crowd of more than 300 human resources professionals, C-level executives, health insurance brokers and solution providers arrived at the Red Rock Resort -
BY TODD CALLAHAN » EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
given insights on how to implement these consumer-driven solutions, effectively communicate the policy changes to their employee consumers and comply with current health care laws. connect and share” with industry professionals from across the country. and shared the stage with Dr Wendy Lynch, co-director of Altarum Center
FORUM West conference. In its second year hitting the West Coast, the event continued to be the only national conference solely dedicated to innovative health and
and CEO of Cielostar.
Consumerism,” purposed to help businesses of all sizes navigate the everlearning connecting and sharing about health care consumerism. sored health plans, involves putting health care decision making and purchasing power into the hands of employees. This may include the adoption rate wellness programs—all of which have been proven to cut health care costs and boost employee wellbeing. FORUM attendees were
sessions, including former policy advisor to president George W. bush, dent of consumerism for Cigna, population health management expert Dr. Dee Edington, Jon Comola, and Don Weber. “Every year, we strive to bring value by featuring the foremost innovators in the health care consumerism space,” Field said. In addition to familiar faces, attendees got to learn, connect and share with other established thought leaders in the health care consumerism space such as: Adam bosworth, CEO and founder of Keas; Chief
Another popular session, which proved again to be informative, was
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September/October 2012 I HealthCare Consumerism Solutions™ I www.TheIHCC.com
TO HEALTHCARE CONSUMERISM: ECTING SHARING THE INSTITUTE FOR HEALTHCARE CONSUMERISM
Employees Not Only Attended FORUM, They Participated in Program
and more than 40 attended the inaugural event. participating in the informative and interactive discussion panel in
in Las Vegas continued the trend, as City of Las Vegas, Station Casinos and Target paid a visit to the Red Rock to learn, connect and share. Some of the employers also became part of the program, including Sam
Jim Chase, the president of MN Community Measurement and Michelle
products dealer in the United States. Shallenberger participated in one of
Empower the Individual” and more than 20 attended the event.
to connect during the ample network breaks with our 36 venders in the grand ballroom. “I made valuable connections at the forum, including providers of an employee offering for my next renewal,” Shallenberger said. “It was a pleasure to share our experiences with consumer-driven health are as a panelist. The high-level of participation was great.” Leaders dinner where the top thought leaders met to discuss the state of the health care consumerism megatrend and ways to increase employee engagement in becoming better consumers of health and wellness. During the dinner conversation, guests connected on three questions:
The valued takeaway points were: Simplify health care language Leverage technology to help educate consumers about health care, and provide health care professionals with tools to help them interact with consumers.
CONNECT.
roadshows, which involved breakfast and a discussion panel, focusing on consumerism and event was held Oct. 2 at The Westin Minneapolis
www.TheIHCC.com I HealthCare Consumerism Solutions™ I September/October 2012
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SHARE.
Share Sessions Have Successful Debut at Las Vegas FORUM
Making its debut at FORUM West 2012, Share Sessions received much
share, Share Sessions provided an authentic collaborative environment where employers such as boeing, Staples, Con-Way, Tesla Motors, pitney bowes; and health plan
round-table feel for attendees as they engaged with these thoughtleaders on a conversational level; promoting education, and even networking. “For this FORUM we wanted
“All in all, the debut of our Share Sessions was a huge success, as well as our entire rundown; I’m looking forward to FORUM East 2013.” something different, hence the creation of Share Sessions,” Field said. “Attendees had the chance to sit and talk with employers who are making workshop leaders left attendees with valuable takeaways and actionable solutions that’ll have an immediate impact on their companies’ bottom lines. All in all, the debut of our Share Sessions was a huge success, as well as our entire rundown; I’m looking forward to FORUM East 2013.”
Ready to cut health care costs, engage your employees and get the skinny on current health care legislation? Don’t miss another opportunity to LEARN. CONNECT. SHARE. Register today for IHC FORUM East in Atlanta on May 9-10. www.theihccforum.com 14
September/October 2012 I HealthCare Consumerism Solutions™ I www.TheIHCC.com
EAST & WEST
2013
Formerly CDHC Solutions FORUM
SAVE THE DATE .BZ
ATLANTA
Cobb Galleria Centre
/PWFNCFS
TBA
2013
JOIN THE INSTITUTE AND GET A DISCOUNT TO THE FORUMS WWW.THEIHCCFORUM.COM
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BRIEFS
PEOPLE ON THE MOVE
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HEALTHCARE CONSUMERISM SOLUTIONS
Aflac Launches Vision Now Enhanced Vision Insurance Plan NowÂŽ. The new individual vision insurance plan will offer enhanced and vision correction procedures with no premium increase. Vision impairment is a serious public health concern among adults, affecting more than 2.9 million people in the U.S. In fact, more than 150 million Americans use corrective eyewear to compensate for refractive errors, spending more than $15 billion each year on eyewear. Maintaining healthy vision goes beyond purchasing necessary eyewear. Approximately the U.S., highlighting how critical it is to take preventative steps for eye health.
policy year.
Nine Small Iowa Communities Named Blue Zones Project Demonstration Sites; 12 Large Towns Finalists for Selection
populations of less than 10,000 citizens to be named and include: Algona, Woodbine.
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" ' - " $ Âť 8 & - - . " 3 , Âť 4 1 & $ * " - 5 : 1 ) " 3 . " $ * & 4 Âť burlington, Cedar Rapids, Clinton, Davenport, Dubuque, Iowa City, Marion, Muscatine, Ottumwa, Oskaloosa and Sioux City. The selected communities will receive assistance from experts to develop and implement a blueprint for making permanent environmental, social and policy changes that transition people into healthier behaviors that can lead to longer, happier lives.
Specialty Pharmacies Positioned to Play Valuable Role in Growing ACO Marketplace More than 100 new CMS Shared Savings accountable care
population can improve health outcomes and lower health care costs. As ACO providers search for partners to achieve better population health, specialty pharmacies are positioned to collaborate and bring targeted expertise in ensuring drug regimens are properly managed—for better health outcomes and lower costs. Spending on specialty drugs topped $50 billion in 2010, and is expected to represent 40 percent of health plan drug spending by 2020. one that costs more than $600 per month. Specialty drugs also may be rare conditions; special handling required; and the need for patient counseling in their use. With these highly specialized drugs comes the need for a more specialized pharmacy to manage the demanding clinical and patient safety aspects required for their safe and effective use.
Digital Insurance to Launch One of Nation’s First Private Insurance Exchanges for Small- to Medium-sized Businesses
demonstration site communities in Iowa with populations greater than 10,000 citizens.
populations of more than 10,000 citizens are moving forward in the
As broker behemoths scramble to create private exchange strategies
These communities submitted applications in August in the second and only agency, is rolling out a SMb solution supported by an infrastructure
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September/October 2012 I HealthCare Consumerism Solutions™ I www.TheIHCC.com
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# - 6 & $ 3 0 4 4 " / % # - 6 & 4 ) * & - %  ) & " - 5 ) 8 " : 4  - * ' & 7 & 4 5 ) & " - 5 )  1 3 & . * & 3 ) & " - 5 ) $ " 3 & & 9 $ ) " / ( & Digital’s private exchange, in partnership with the Vermont Chamber
employer groups. Its product portfolio enables access to a myriad of
participating employers simply designate the amount they want to
coverage requirements of its clients while ensuring the deepest discounts available.
The exchange empowers employees to prioritize insurance needs and choose from an online marketplace the types of insurance and coverage that best meets their needs.
LifeVest Health Debuts Personal Health Investment Program at Health 2.0
Teladoc Joins Blue Shield of California to Bring Tele-health Solution to 350,000 Members in California announced a new health care initiative this year with blue Shield of California to provide tele-health services for California public Employees’
Conference in San Francisco.
members now have around-the-clock access to Teladoc’s network of
patterson and CSO Mike Logsdon. The three bring together a diverse
offers affordable health care consultations for routine medical issues via phone, any time, day or night, allowing members to save time and
Cooper, patterson and Logsdon presented their new value-based health incentive program that works like a stock tied to your individual health, creating an innovative carrot and stick approach to improving health.
declines result in a loss of value.
a week. During the last eight years, blue Shield has focused great attention on the unique needs of CalpERS, resulting in new innovative approaches to health care delivery such as Teladoc. Further innovations are constantly being developed and considered by blue Shield to extend the value of their health plans. The service may be used when a member is unable to visit their
anyone interested in the program to try it free of charge for charity by visiting their website at www.lifevesthealth.com. Employers and health plans also can use the system to enhance wellness initiatives, adding their own incentives to the program as needed for each employee.
primary care physician. Teladoc’s network of physicians treat nonemergency medical issues, such as allergies, bronchitis, pink eye, sinus problems and ear infection for adults and children. Teladoc physicians also may write short-term prescriptions for non-controlled substances if medically appropriate.
PHXÂ Acquires NHBC
Health Insurance Brokers Partner with Zane Benefits to Offer New Defined Contribution Solutions
select how much money to invest in their own health. Over the course of three months, users update their health data regularly. At the end, if their
announced a new broker partner program available to health insurance tionships for a broad base of clients, including third party administrators, insurance companies, health maintenance organizations and self-funded
solutions. The program provides brokers with free ongoing training, sales
www.TheIHCC.com I HealthCare Consumerism Solutions™ I September/October 2012
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BRIEFS
PEOPLE ON THE MOVE
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HEALTHCARE CONSUMERISM SOLUTIONS and implementation support along with customized sales and marketing materials. New studies predict U.S. businesses are gearing up to abandon a result, health insurers are already dusting off their once-ignored individual market product lines to appeal to individuals as well as employees. And, businesses of all sizes are looking to health reimbursement arrangeand retention up. Experts predict group health insurance costs to hit an all-time high this renewal period due to key health care reform provisions taking effect.
Evolution1 Named to 2012 Marcum Tech Top 40 List Tech Top 40 list of the 40 fastest growing technology companies in Connecticut. Through the awards, Marcum LLp, one of the nation’s
Connecticut based on revenue growth over the past four years. Evolution1 is the nation’s largest electronic payment, on-premise, and cloud computing health care solution that administers reimbursement Transit plans. With its partners, Evolution1 saved its customers and their employees more than $2 billion in 2011 through annual health care cost reductions and tax savings. Additionally, Evolution1 saved its partners more than $43 million in annual operating costs through claim and payments automation.
employees are able to buy individual policies for less than the monthly amount funded by the company. The allowance also can be used for eyeglasses, dental care and other medical expenses.
FSAstore.com Closes More Than $2 Million Financing
HealthNow New York Inc. Selects Inovalon’s Prospective Advantage Solution
Originate Ventures, includes investment from previous investors point Judith Capital and Columbia business School Lang Fund, as well as additional angel investors. The funding will be used to accelerate sales, marketing and development initiatives, as the company continues to expand to meet growing consumer demand for its products and services. FSAstore.com
Inovalon Inc., a leading provider of data-driven health care solutions,
AdvantageŽ solution. Inovalon’s prospective Advantage solution combines advanced health care data analytics with coordinated patient and provider encounter facilitation and support to identify and proactively close gaps in quality, care, assessment, documentation and risk score accuracy. Analytics provide meaningful insight for all forms of patient outreach and intervention—from print materials and call center interaction, to webenabled decision support platforms and wireless tablets for in-community member assessment optimization. This data-driven approach helps health plans determine and achieve the right intervention for the right member, in the right venue, at the right time, resulting in improved quality and healthcare outcomes, as well as
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September/October 2012 I HealthCare Consumerism Solutions™ I www.TheIHCC.com
FSAstore.com, the only e-commerce site exclusively stocked with
dollars to purchase more than 6,000 health care products and browse hundreds of services directly from the website. FSAstore.com partners products, tools, and services directly available to FSA holders. “We are thrilled that Originate Ventures, a leading early stage investo expand our operations to meet the rapidly growing demand for our products and services,� said Jeremy Miller, FSAstore.com founder and president.
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Give Your New Employees a Healthy Start Educating your new employees about health insurance within their first year at your organization helps motivate and retain them. It can also bring them up to speed much more quickly and help them become more productive members of your staff sooner.
Introducing Health Insurance 101: An Orientation This online course provides your new employees with a basic foundation of health insurance knowledge. It’s broken into bite-sized modules making it easy for people to fit it into their busy lives. Students move through the materials at their own pace and in the sequence they choose, maximizing both interest and comprehension. Make It Your Organization’s Orientation Course If your organization has unique training needs or you wish to supplement the course with your exclusive products and services, we will work with you to mold the course into one that’s designed specifically for your employees.* * For bulk purchases only
Want to Know More? For answers to your questions about the course curriculum, visit www.ahip.org/courses, contact our Support Team at 800.509.4422, or e-mail Support@AHIPInsuranceEducation.org. Learn. Achieve. Succeed. www.ahip.org/courses 800.509.4422
For questions about customization and bulk pricing, e-mail Lindsey Miranda Canaley at LMirandaCanaley@ahip.org.
Support@AHIPInsuranceEducation.org Content and Design AHIP—All Rights Reserved: © AHIP 2012
BY RONALD E. BACHMAN FSA, MAAA CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD THE INSTITUTE FOR HEALTHCARE CONSUMERISM
REGULATORY & COMPLIANCE
Determination of Full-time Employees under PPACA Who: An employer whose workforce exceeds 50 full-time employees for 120 days or fewer during a calendar year. When: beginning Jan. 1, 2014, employers with 50 or more fulltime workers are required to provide health coverage or incur applicable penalties. At least through the end of 2014, employers may rely on the: 1. safe harbor method for ongoing employees, 2. rule for new employees reasonably expected to work full-time, 3. safe harbor method for variable hour and seasonal employees, and 4. safe harbor based on Form W-2 wages. Employers will not be required to comply with any subsequent IRS guidance that is more restrictive until at least Jan. 1, 2015. What: Determining the ppACA legally recognized number of fulltime employees is critical to establishing compliance with aspects of ppACA requirements and exposure to certain coverage penalties. A full-time employee with respect to any month is an employee who is employed on average at least 30 hours of service per week. To determine the number of full-time workers can be complicated. 1. who have been employed by the employer for at least one complete standard measurement period. 2. offer coverage to employees for the initial three months of employment. 3. that the employee is reasonably expected to work on average at least 30 hours per week. 4. on a seasonal basis, and retail workers employed exclusively during holiday seasons.
an employer to determine whether the employee averaged at least 30 hours per week. If the employee were determined to be a full-time employee during the measurement period, then the employee would be treated as a full-time employee during a subsequent “stability periods.”
Potential Penalties: 1. for employers who fail to offer all full-time employees the 2. $3,000 per affected worker is for employers who offer minimum essential coverage that is not affordable to a worker and the worker elects to receive a premium subsidy tax credit when purchasing coverage through a health insurance exchange. Coverage is considered affordable if the employee’s required contribution does not exceed 9.5 percent of the employee’s household income. The penalty is assessed only on those employees receiving a subsidy tax credit through an exchange. a penalty if the coverage offered to an employee is affordable based on the employee’s Form W-2 wages. This is often referred to as the affordability safe harbor. In addition, use of any of the safe harbor methods described above are not required, but optional. Actions: Employers will need to calculate the number of full-time workers related to ppACA requirements. It may be necessary to consider employment contracts and work schedules during 2013 in preparation for this 2014 requirement. Employers will need to be in compliance or incur penalties. Employers should check with their compliance and legal teams, insurance brokers, agents, consultants and insurers in preparation for the changes to be implemented in 2014.
Executive Summary: The IRS has put out guidelines for the calculation of full-time employees. It is not as easy as one might assume. In addition there are safe harbor and transition rules that apply. There are two safe harbor options allowed when determining an employee’s full-time status: 1. Employers are given three months or, in certain cases, six months, without incurring a penalty, to determine whether a variable employee is a full-time employee. 2.
Rnald E. Bachman FSA, MAAA, is president and CEO of Healthcare Visions Inc. He is a senior fellow at the Center for Health Transformation, the Georgia Public Policy Foundation, the Wye River Group on Health, and the National Center for Policy Analysis. Bachman is the chair of the editorial advisory board of The Institute for HealthCare Consumerism and can be reached at ronbachman@healthcarevisions.net. www.TheIHCC.com I HealthCare Consumerism Solutions™ I September/October 2012
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BY NICK SEVERINO DIRECTOR OF MARKETING FLEXIBLE BENEFIT SERVICE CORPORATION (FLEX)
PRIVATE EXCHANGES
Private Exchanges: The Future Health Insurance Purchasing Model Has Arrived
P
rivate health insurance exchanges or “private exchanges” have been
annual health care spending and evaluating plan utilization, employers are quickly migrating to private exchanges.
2010. While private exchanges did exist prior to the ACA, the health care reform law gave them new life—one that is on pace to be a prominent Under the ACA, “public exchanges” are required to be offered at the state level. The public exchanges are governed and operated by each state and/or with the assistance of the federal government, and are required to be operational before 2014. A key difference is the public exchanges will provide consumers with mandated plan options and the subsidized premiums for eligible consumers, while the private exchanges will offer a wide variety of plans from private insurance companies.
care budget and provide employees with funds that can be used to help pay for their own health care expenses.
deductible and insurance premiums are tax-free expenses.
What Is A Private Exchange?
Piecing It All Together
Simply put, a private exchange is an online marketplace where employees, or “consumers,” shop for insurance. A private exchange offers a variety of insurance plans for consumers to choose from, including health, dental, Medicare, vision and more. The concept is similar to travel sites where consumers shop for airfare, hotels and rental cars all at one web site.
The private exchange concept is holding greater appeal to employers throughout the United States, and this will continue, as the public exchanges become a reality in 2014. In order to properly coordinate all of the employer and employee functions within a private exchange, it is ideal to work with a vendor to integrate all components within one environment. The following features are optimal for a successful private exchange: 1. funding model and work with them to establish an annual health care budget. 2. 3. process. 4. Decision support tools to assist employees with their shopping experience. 5. Online insurance resources for employees to directly apply for the coverage they need. 6. Integrated support staff to assist with all inquires, including education, insurance shopping, reimbursements and more.
elements integrating employers and their employees: were directed to go there by their employer. These consumers are shopping for the insurance coverage traditionally offered by their employer. the added bonus of providing them with employer contributions, which can be used to help employees pay for health care expenses.
equally to employees. The funds can be used by the employees to pay for such expenses as dental, health, Medicare and vision insurance premiums, among other health care expenses. transactional resources, including plan comparison tools, decision support technology, application submission resources, a call center with licensed insurance representatives and more.
Why Is A Private Exchange Appealing to Employers? This trend is unsustainable for most employers. Many employers have been shifting more health insurance premium costs to employees for several years now, forcing employees to look for individual insurance on their own or select the least expensive group plan offered by their employer. Rather than shifting more costs, assessing
consumers showed stronger interest in a private exchange versus a public exchange. The notion of allowing employees to shop for individual health insurance is glaring, but with the appropriate private exchange environment and resources, the experience can be very rewarding. With all of the new regulations and increasing costs of health care, why would an employer want to continue to offer the traditional group experience can make all past employer issues and concerns seem like a bad dream that was long forgotten. Nick Severino, Director of Marketing, Flexible Benefit Service Corporation (Flex) Flex owns and operates the InsureXSolutions™ private health insurance exchange. Based in Rosemont, Ill., Flex has been working with employers throughout the U.S. since 1988. www.TheIHCC.com I HealthCare Consumerism Solutions™ I September/October 2012
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THEY JUST MIGHT WHISTLE WHILE THEY WORK Positivity is contagious. So create some good vibes with Reward Zone® Incentive Points, which allows you to easily motivate, thank and reward your employees. There’s an online tool that allows you to manage and track your account as you award Best Buy® Reward Zone points in amounts of your choosing. It’s easy for you to use and easy for them to love. Learn more at RewardZoneIncentivePoints.com/CDHC.
© 2012 BBY Solutions, Inc.
INCENTIVE POINTS
BY TOM ABSHIRE SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING AND MEMBER ENGAGEMENT VIRGIN HEALTHMILES
REWARDS & INCENTIVES
Financial Incentives: The Desired ‘Carrot’ for Healthy Behavior Change
O
using a range of incentives with their programs—from cash and gift cards, to premium discounts and health
rganizations are increasingly implementing employee health programs to create healthier, more effective workforces. There’s good reasoning for this important strategy. An economic study of the impact
and more. To effectively design your incentives strategy, it’s imperative to tied to the behaviors you want to encourage.
more years unless they can increase their prices or productivity. The most
Driving Employee Engagement and Outcomes With Incentives
Companies competing in today’s global economy simply can’t afford to that’s taking a hit. Employees also are paying more out of their pockets year after year for higher premiums. With more companies turning to prevention as a key strategy to surveyed
program participation. Nearly 39 percent of employers offer incentives for a combination of program participation and outcomes. Nearly 26 percent offer employers offer only outcomes-based incentives. To understand more, organizations were asked how they position the incentives they offer. More than 6 percent of employers say they position
wellness strategies and programs. The results highlighted the growing use incentives as a desired “carrot” for healthy behavior change.
Incentives: A Key Component of Employee Health Initiatives Leading employers recognize the value of prevention-based efforts. They want to keep their employees healthy and out of the health care system before care costs. At the root of these conditions are personal behaviors—like not getting
Likewise, Employees had an overwhelmingly positive view toward reward, versus only 5 percent viewing them as a punishment. Incentives are proving to be a strong motivator in driving employee a “very important” factor in their participation in the health and wellness participate in health and wellness programs to improve their health, and only 20 percent said they participate solely to avoid incurring penalties.
“reducing health care costs” as the organization’s top priority when it comes to investments. It’s clear employers view incentives as a key component of
Conclusion Until recently, employers were still asking, “Do I really need to pay for health insurance incentives to have employees take better care of
engage in their health and wellness programs. Incentivizing employees to make better health decisions makes business sense. So how do employers best ability to truly measure impact, drive high employee engagement and bring When I say “incentives,” I’m not talking about t-shirts or water bottles. Traditional wellness programs, centered on those sorts of perks, have proven to be ineffective at sustaining employee engagement or driving long-term behavior changes.
need to focus my employees and programs to improve the health outcomes and my costs.” And offering incentives is a proven strategic approach.
effective incentives-based employee health programs. We often see clients www.TheIHCC.com I HealthCare Consumerism Solutions™ I September/October 2012
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BY PETE WAGNER SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT EMPLOYER SOLUTIONS VERISK HEALTH
POPULATION HEALTH MANAGEMENT
Analytic Strategies that Drive Cost, Quality and Wellness Improvement
T
he health care landscape is changing dramatically and costs continue
and intervention centered around near-term events such as likelihood to be hospitalized or to visit the emergency room. These trigger points create
trillion. Contributing to these costs are hundreds of millions of dollars lost
High/Moderate Risk: Quality Improvement coordination, and unnecessary or duplicative services.
The Trends has already begun to have a considerable impact on employers, payers, providers and consumers. With the introduction of health insurance exchanges, commercial health plans will be forced to compete in both business and consumer environments. Employers will now be weighing their health care options across private plans, self-funding, and exchanges. providers will bear more risk through accountable care organizations and will place more emphasis on care coordination at the point of care.
The Solution formulating and executing a clear population health management plan will ensure you are always on the best path to improving health care quality and
This middle segment of the pyramid had substantially more members. While lower in relative risk, this group still had average predicted costs of more than $5,000 per member per year and multiple gaps in care such as a 40 percent statin gap rate among diabetics. This high/moderate relative risk segment offered opportunities to focus on quality improvement among members with chronic conditions emphasizing a longer-term approach and a lower intensity program than would be appropriate for the very highest risk members. The prevalence
network providers, including benchmarking against the network overall as well as a normative database, providers could see their performance and engage members proactively to close gaps in care. Simultaneously, the prioritization of member-focused outreach efforts based on those with multiple opportunities to improve quality of care.
Low/Very Low Relative Risk: Engagement and Wellness and measure population health management initiatives. Through the complans, providers and employers can transform data into concrete actions. To demonstrate how analytics can drive comprehensive population health management across the continuum of risk, we used a pyramid conwas to stratify the population around opportunities for near-term cost savings.
Very High Relative Risk: Near-term Cost Savings The smallest segment of the pyramid contained approximately 6,000 members with predicted costs for the next year of $25,000 per member per year. Of those members, 42 percent had coronary artery disease year. This is a very large cost attached to a small group of members, a
analysis from other data sources to identify CAD-related gaps in care and recent patterns of utilization that may be driving near-term risk. Further modeling can be applied to rank these highest risk members for outreach
The bottom segment of the pyramid represented the largest but relatively lowest risk segment of the population. The goal for this group was to heighten awareness around prevention and lifestyle risks and more actively engage those members in their health and in their health opportunities around access to primary care, early detection efforts and a prevalent conditions in this segment were mainly non-chronic in and more. These members tended to use services infrequently and therefore generated fewer claims from which to derive insights.
The Conclusion The health care landscape is changing. Don’t be afraid to change with it. Developing and implementing a clear population health management plan fueled by health care analytics will ensure you are always on the best Through the combination of member-centric clinical analytics and risk into concrete actions.
www.TheIHCC.com I HealthCare Consumerism Solutions™ I September/October 2012
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EAST & WEST
2013
Formerly CDHC Solutions FORUM
CALL FOR SPEAKERS .BZ
ATLANTA
Cobb Galleria Centre
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TBA
2013
SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION TODAY WWW.THEIHCCFORUM.COM FieldMedia LLC is the parent company to The Institute for HealthCare Consumerism, THEIHCC.COM, HealthCare Consumerism Solutions magazine, EmployersWeb.com, and The Institute for HealthCare Consumerism FORUM (formerly CDHC Solutions Forum). 292 South Main St., Ste 400, Alpharetta, GA 30009
BY CONNIE GEE VICE PRESIDENT MED-VISION
BENEFIT COMMUNICATIONS
The ROI for Engaging Employees 'JWF 4UFQT GPS B 4VDDFTTGVM 8FMMOFTT 1SPHSBN
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standards of living. It’s getting to the point where we cannot afford to get sick, which is why it’s critical to start changing the attitudes and
three times more than the rate of wages. During the past 10 years, premiums
instead of increased wages. In 2012, the cost for family coverage exceeds $15,000, with workers this revenue from being used to grow the company and hire more staff. The numbers tell us it’s time for a better approach to employee health care.
Enhance Health Care by Engaging Employees The goal of wellness programming is to encourage truly meaningful lifestyle changes, resulting in stronger workforces. The process for achieving this goal includes a focus on engaging employees to commit to personal responsibility and long-term results. Employers can produce effective plans that establish health awareness initiatives, mechanisms to encourage participation, health education programs and workplace policies for promoting a healthy environment. but
foundation of all behavior change activities. This answers the questions of “why” and “what” of programming and measures the achievement of expectations. If these questions cannot be answered, then there is little likelihood of successful engagement. program. Working with an experienced wellness professional is an important component to getting a return on your investment.
Promote Participation Through Targeted and Customized Programs programs need to be relevant to issues workers face. Most employer groups are diverse populations. What is relevant to one segment is probably not relevant to another segment. The programs and the delivery of programs should therefore be as diverse as the populations. Communication materials should be created based on demographic data and delivered with consideration for the way individuals are accustomed to receiving communications. Other considerations should include worksite
At the heart of an effective employee wellness program is the wellness committee. This team should be as diverse as the population. Essentially, it
be sustainable.
individuals who are action oriented, people oriented, and problem solvers. Utilized effectively, the wellness committee can be the key to effectively engaging employees and perpetuating the program’s progress.
and to create wellness strategies meeting the needs of both the organization and the individuals. One example would be to identify individuals who have high blood pressure but are not compliant with their plan of treatment.
Tracking Mechanism and Evaluate Results and Successes
are not compliant. Discover why they are not compliant—what is their perception of their condition—and how does it make them feel when they are not compliant.
Plan a Comprehensive Business Strategy A written strategic plan serves as a roadmap and validation for a wellness program. A strategic program is not “cookie cutter” in nature with occasional events or random programs. A true employee wellness program is designed to be a long-term behavioral program, building a culture of wellness. The communications plan should use available resources, address the purpose of the communication, the type of audience and the type of response requested to reach optimum participation and engagement levels.
Remember change requires measurement. On-going evaluation is essential to answer what is working to engage employees—what is not working—and what needs to improve as evidenced by data. positive outcomes will impact continued support of the program, and negative outcomes will determine what the next steps are for improvements. On-going assessments to provide better outcomes must be applied to each component of the program, and each component should be monitored. The application of process improvement includes planning, organizing and managing resources, tools and time. enhance engagement, employers are on track to lowering health care costs and improving quality of care for employees.
Consult With Experts to Perform an Analysis and Define Objectives Change requires measurement, and the value of numbers cannot
connie.gee@med-vision.com www.med-vision.com www.TheIHCC.com I HealthCare Consumerism Solutions™ I September/October 2012
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RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
Personalized Messaging Key to Getting Employees’ Attention
I
n Act 2, Scene 2 of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Polonius stumbles upon the troubled young prince, who is consumed with a book. Polonius asks the lad what he is reading. “Words, words, words,” says Hamlet, who in his description of the text adds, “…They have a plentiful lack of wit.” Perhaps the Danish prince was reading your company’s associated with open enrollment. “Though this be madness, yet there is method in’t,” adds Polonius, describing Hamlet’s odd behavior, but he also could have been speaking about the chaotic months in the fall that has nothing to do with conference play in college football or layaway From mid October to December brokers are making their
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September/October 2012 I HealthCare Consumerism Solutions™ I www.TheIHCC.com
BY TODD CALLAHAN » EDITORIAL DIRECTOR THE INSTITUTE FOR HEALTHCARE CONSUMERISM
their employees about the newest products coming down the pike. However, these words, words, words, frequently fall on deaf ears. While your employees may not express, as eloquently as Shakespeare, their distain toward the abundance of paper work and educational material provided during the madness of open enrollment, their importance need to be stressed. More so than ever, the 2012 open enrollment period is arguably the most critical time frame when it comes to the future employee.
families, who are usually on the outside of the decision process, when it comes to becoming better consumers of health. As Harry Gottlieb, the founder of The Jellyvision Lab, revealed during a workshop titled,
consumerism advocates in the nation. A key learning point was the art of engagement, and a reoccurring theme of all the workshops, focusing on engagement and engagement tools, was personalized messaging.
HEY YOU, YEAH YOU The entertaining and engaging Gottlieb was dead on as he spoke to the packed conference room. Most people do not care about their They are more concerned with making a crucial sale; meeting a tight deadline with a proposal or making sure productivity continues However, if they knew the importance of being a smart, educated consumer of health and making the right decision when it comes to one’s health care plan is as vital to the company’s and the individual’s bottom line as increased productivity on the assembly line.
When you check the mail and an envelope says dear resident or preferred customer, those are probably being tossed in the trash. However, if your name appears on the envelope, it is more than likely getting your attention, and you will take action. The same is true in the messaging of ee,” is not going to cut it. You might as well will either go in the trash or in someone’s desk drawer, never seeing the light of day. While this strategy is more time consuming than the blanket, “Dear employee,” envelope, it is more cost-effective in the long run.
A key learning point was the art of engagement, and a reoccurring theme of all the workshops, focusing on engagement and engagement tools, was personalized messaging. Open enrollment should be an opportunity for employers to help save the bottom line of the company as well as help preserve and improve the human capital of the organization. teams perform a 15-minute spiel about what is different this year. Usually this means the company has switched providers or is adding a new wellness program. They offer brochures, pens, stuffed novelty items and forms to the employee and announce they will be back in two weeks to enroll employees into the new plan. The key factor on the ee, “Sign here, here and here.” That is what we call open enrollment. It’s neither engaging nor effective when it comes to educating the employee population and their
ENGAGE ENGAGE ENGAGE As with any product, if nobody buys it then it doesn’t matter how good it is or how much money it saves the consumer. This is where
And who says it has to be printed material. With a diverse workforce, there are several options in delivering the targeted message, either through printed material, email, snail employee population.
enrollment. This requires more than a 15-minute spiel and a return trip in two weeks to collect the enrollment forms. Education and engagement is a yearly process. This helps gain the trust of the employees and makes them feel the company cares about the well-being of each employee and their family. Once the trust is established, getting the employee population engaged becomes an easier process.
WHAT OTHERS ARE DOING You are not alone. With the added pressure of remaining compliant with regulations put economic recovery and a diverse workforce in age and culture, companies of all sizes are trying be better consumers of health.
largest, most diverse companies in the world— www.TheIHCC.com I HealthCare Consumerism Solutions™ I September/October 2012
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Bowes and Staples Inc.—participated in an interactive share session focusing on effective engagement and communication. A packed room listened to the quartet of panelists, moderated by Kim Buckey, principal of compliance communications practices with trying to engage and effectively communicate with a diverse workforce. They also shared the importance of education and offered strategies and tactics that worked best in yielding a high percentage of employee engagement in a health care plan or wellness program. The following are highlights from the share session, featuring: Mary Bradley-Hall, director
THE BOEING COMPANY Boeing is the world’s largest aerospace company and leading manufacturer of commercial jetliners and defense, space and security systems. The company, based people across the United States and more than 90,000 are nonunion employees spread over 70 countries. This represents one of the most diverse, talented and innovative workforces anywhere, which can lead to challenges when trying to engage such a massive population.
PROBLEM: With its 90,000 employees spread around the globe and the diversity of
There is so much going on in the production environment and on the shop floor that the employees have no energy left when it comes to discussing benefits. mation was compromised, and all company computers are now installed with encryption software. “We are even more sensitive to data privacy, “We informed our employees and increased our data monitoring and data protection to make sure nothing has been compromised and our employees’ information is safe and secure.” With the problem of personal security
the company was concerned the health care law could potentially harm its employees penalizing employers offering virtually no-cost comprehensive plans to their employees. In a letter mailed to each nonunion employee, Boeing informed it workforce they would pay more for their health care. Deductibles $100. For families, the new deductible will be
way to solve another problem when it came to engaging the Boeing population. “Usually open enrollment falls during “There is so much going on in the production
In addition, Boeing instituted a copayment of 10 percent after the deductible had been met. The copayment rose to 20 percent in 2012. The changes reduced the value of the Boeing plan, but it’s unclear whether the
employees have no energy left when it comes to “It is tough to get their attention.” The computer contained vital informaBoeing. Boeing provided three years of free credit monitoring for employees whose personal infor-
SOLUTION: In an attempt to get the employees’ attention, Boeing installed Kiosks on the factory
is performed online. To engage the decision-makers at home, Boeing mailed personalized postcards as a reminder open enrollment was approaching and what new products were available. The personalized mailing also helped when not positive. Boeing, known for its generous employee companies to implement a health savings account.
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September/October 2012 I HealthCare Consumerism Solutions™ I www.TheIHCC.com
To curb rising health care costs, Boeing implemented a wellness program and just recently focused on wellness incentives. The company contributed to employee HSA accounts if they participated in a health risk assessment or a biometric screening. This fall, the company made participation mandatory in order to get credit, and if employees chose not to participate, there would be consequences, such as higher copays. “Employees were concerned about privacy and wanted to know how the results were going their privacy was safe and showed how the data was going to be collected and how it would be used. As the employees got more comfortable with the process, the more they began to participate.”
Boeing also offers its employees a wellness website, a monthly health newsletter, a yearly health risk assessment, weight management tools, family care resources, an employee assistance program and exercise opportunities.
CON-WAY Inc. in the transportation and logistics industry professionals, decades of experience and
create competitive advantage for its customers. However, when it comes to communicating unique disadvantage than other firms— accessibility.
PROBLEM:
rate, as employees preferred the same old health plan. “The feedback was, we are truck drivers, and we need little blasts of information,” Gomez said. “We run freight, and you are bombarding us with this information.”
SOLUTION: its employees what was the best method of communication. The company also developed a three-year communications plan as it moved forward with introducing a consumer-directed health plan and a wellness program. “We had never done that before,” Gomez said of the three-year plan. “It became painfully apparent that baby bits of information is better. You don’t have to say it all at once.” In the second year of the communications in participation and expects that to continue to grow as the culture begins warming to the idea
PITNEY BOWES Pitney Bowes is a leading provider of customer communication technologies and serves small-to-medium size businesses as well as large corporations in more than 100 countries. global employees and its software, equipment and services help businesses communicate more effectively in today’s multichannel environment, allowing its clients to build long-term customer
PROBLEM: With 29,000 employees spread around the globe, logistics is a monumental pain point for Hall, who is based in the company points are compounded with the fact many employees of Pitney Bowes work off-site in the mailrooms of other companies as contractors. “Sixty percent or our staff are hourly workers and work offsite and are outsourced.
Freight’s employees head home after a long day, which means their truck, which complicates matters. They also are leery of change. in a truck,” Gomez shared. “That creates a challenge for communications.” Two years ago the company implemented
introduced, but ran into a roadblock on distributing it to a mobile workforce. An online portal was created to house the copy of the book because the truck drivers do not have access to computers.
department in charge of the communication and to its vendors, grabbed all of the educational material and blasted its employee population with information. E-blasts were routinely sent out, and an online portal was created during open enrollment. The result was a 2 percent enrollment
microsite that provides employees with calculators and educational support tools and equipping each truck with an integrated geospatial technology solution allowing Skype and email capabilities. This makes the communications and engagement process less cumbersome.
is responsible for the development of the U.S. health care strategy, including quality assessment of health care programs, management of health care suppliers, development and management of the health care budget and the communication of plan offerings for Pitney Bowes’ employees. “A major problem we have is getting our employees to understand they are Pitney Bowes employees and not American Express.” Pitney Bowes implemented a value-based health plan in 2002. The company also has a launched a health and wellness initiative that provides incentives for employees to staying healthy. This includes nutrition counseling, weight management programs and smoking
It became painfully apparent that baby bits of information is better. You don’t have to say it all at once. www.TheIHCC.com I HealthCare Consumerism Solutions™ I September/October 2012
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STAPLES Staples, the world’s largest products, services and expertise in
print, and cleaning and breakroom supplies, has 90,000 associates in
A major problem we have is getting our employees to understand they are Pitney Bowes employees and not American Express.
Asia and Australia. The company’s annual sales total $25 billion, ranking second in the world in
educate associates and their families about
cater to the consumer. The problem was creating consumers of health care.
participating in a wellness program. There was even a podcast on how to choose an FSA,
PROBLEM: Staples implemented a health
UnitedHealthcare. The website also provides a quarterly
moved to go full-replacement by adding a health savings account with a high-deductible health plan. While the eligible associates were experts as knowledgeable when it came to managing a Lazgin and her team had to get Staples employees educated and excited about the
cessation. Depending on location, employees can take advantage of on-site clinics, pharmacy Pitney Bowes offered exceptional employee
uptake in participation in screenings. “The personalized message was very helpful,” Hall added. As far as open enrollment, Pitney Bowes uses online forms as well as paper forms to enroll employees in a health and wellness program.
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which allows a Staples associate to consult with a physician over the phone or through an nonemergency medical care.
along with healthy well-being, but we did not get much traction,” Lazgin said. “We decided to get more personal and to get them [associates] to understand the importance of an HSA like they
SOLUTION: To increase employee awareness and participation rates, Pitney Bowes partnered with health plans, such as UnitedHealthcare and a personalized welcome letter addressed to the employee and each family member. The initial result was a 29 percent increase in primary care physician activity among Pitney Bowes employees. Due to the success with the new hires, Pitney Bowes expanded the program to the entire population. Through company newsletters, both in digital and print, Pitney Bowes started with the mid-year health checkup and targeted employees who had been delinquent on their
sonal health assessment. It also provides an interactive welcome kit, a full-time enrollment guide,
and licensed therapists can write a prescription and send it to your pharmacy of choice as soon as the online or phone visit is over. There also are interactive social media
We decided to get more personal and to get them [associates] to understand the importance of an HSA like they do with their 401(k). SOLUTION: Education was the key. Since employees were familiar with how their retirement plan worked, Lazgin and her team began conducting on-site clinics. They stressed the importance of preparing for the future and budgeting for future medical expenses. The message was received, as contributions to HSAs increased by 70 percent. In addition to on-site clinics, Staples designed www.stapleslivewell.com to help
September/October 2012 I HealthCare Consumerism Solutions™ I www.TheIHCC.com
budgeting games that have not only helped enhance employee education and engagement, but wives, husbands and children are visiting the website and participating. Staples routinely use blogs on its employee site about the importance of getting yearly physicals and saving for the future. computers, “ Lazgin said. “But those who do, say it is an effective tool.”
How Targeted Employee Communication Can Increase CDHP Adoption Rates
S
avvy employers appreciate the power of consumer-directed health plans (CDHPs). However, these plans still haven’t achieved significant traction. A widening group of experts believes this failure is a function of ineffective education, impacted by low health plan literacy and insufficient consumer engagement. So how can employers better educate and engage their employees to make better health
sed Just diagneotes with diab
b Is about to face rehary from a traumatic inju
First time she’s ever had health insurance coverage
BY ROGER TRAVIS » PRESIDENT » EXPERIENCELAB INC.
care decisions? One answer is to turn to proven techniques of consumer product marketers— personalizing communications by using attitudinal segmentation. Consumer marketers have used this technique for years to increase consumer response— but until now, no one has cracked the code on how to use attitudinal segmentation to increase the response and engagement of employees in how they choose and use health insurance and services.
Considering starting a family
Experiencin from high b g complications lood pressur e
Wife Alzheimhas er’s
Fighting cancer
Mentally ill mother is a dependent
Facing challenging work-related physical fitness requirements www.TheIHCC.com I HealthCare Consumerism Solutions™ I September/October 2012
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“We analyzed how 168 million American employees evaluate health insurance plans. Our national research into employee attitudes uncovered seven predictive personality types, each with unique needs, attitudes and behaviors around CDHP adoption.” Proof of a “Failure to Communicate” “literacy” component involved. Employees These plans empower employees to shop more wisely for medical services and take greater responsibility for their well-being—much as homeowners can manage their deductibles and coverage options.
before they can be expected to sign up for coverage. An estimated 90 million U.S. adults are unable to understand the health care system. to a recent industry survey thought employee
need for better communications and decisionAlthough known over the past few years as a hallmark of large employers, including General this concept is gaining popularity with more employers.
care costs—a critical realization in the nation’s post-health care reform environment. Their price point is low enough that it encourages employees to enroll—and there are often additional incentives to consider, such as employer
actually reduce vulnerability to major economic crises. Finance and health care are two issues often too complex for much of the population to process. If employees don’t understand basic coverage terms and concepts, then they will not be able to take full advantage is an employee education and communication challenge. The way information is disseminated is just as critical as the featured content. One a failure to satisfy employee communication preferences. The chief objective is to offer a
They save companies anywhere from with other plans. That is why employers also sweeten the pot to steer enrollment to these vehicles. Employers contributing to their employees’ HSA provide an average of $919 for Despite these advantages, there are a number of obstacles that prevent a widespread embrace of these plans. Only about 19 percent
adoption rate of more than 50 percent. Why is that the case? munications, which lack personalized or relevant information, don’t help employees make these complex health care decisions. Some employees also are reluctant to change—or may suspect the new plan isn’t as “good.” Another problem is health insurance decisions evoke an emotional response from some employees that can undermine the prospect of logic-based decisions. 36
marketing techniques that help employees make informed choices. As an example, an advertising campaign pitching the same product used two approaches: positioning the product as the “smart choice” to one segment and the “cool choice” to another.
messaging that resonates with each employee segment. It also is important employees be given enough time to process plan information as they need it – ahead of open enrollment—and on their smart phone or at home.
The idea is to use pre-determined “segments” of the population focused on
million Americans with employer-sponsored health insurance into seven unique segments or personalities demonstrating different attitudes and beliefs about health insurance-related matters. Unlike segmentation based on age, income and standard demographics, this segmentation approach predicts health attitudes and related
may use focus groups and surveys to spark segment communications for exempt vs. nonexempt staff, the results are still the same: extensive open-enrollment sessions, lots of one-
based on several different dimensions. They
tion rates. These labor-intensive tasks keep an
of security in health coverage; HDHP interest; premium or price sensitivity and communication channel preference. The seven unique segments and percentage of the U.S. population are:
more strategic contribution to the organization.
The Solution: Attitudinal Segmentation for Employee Communications The time has come to adopt an innovative approach to employee communications based on employee attitudes about health care and
September/October 2012 I HealthCare Consumerism Solutions™ I www.TheIHCC.com
insecure,
CDHCentric is a process to engage each personality differently. Employees opt in with a simple five-question survey. The survey responses indicate a personality type for each employee. Communications are tailored by personality type, achieving breakthrough impact.
15 percent are undisciplined but healthy, unknowledgeable,
sumerism topics that are relevant year-round. The upshot is employers adopting this approach receive eight times the results of “one-size-fits-all” communications. As an example, employees who received attitudinallysegmented communications grew their HSA contributions faster than those in the control
It’s also important to keep in mind this approach helps employers with their HSA incentive strategy, too. Originally designed to help employees deal with the initial sticker shock of HDHPs, these incentive contributions
seekers, and In addition to moving their money, employee feedback was overwhelmingly positive: knowledge. But how do you know which segment an employee is in? As part of this breakthrough research, these personality types can be determined very simply—as employees’ view the
such favorable quantitative and qualitative results, it is easy to see how employers are able
The Benefits of Attitudinal Segmentation For companies looking for a faster
simple statements that statistically determine their segment with 95 percent accuracy: 1. How often do you prepare your own tax return? 2. I am anxious I won’t be able to afford the quality of health care services I need. I am a sophisticated consumer of 5. My household has a long-term
In a matter of seconds, the employee views ment. Ongoing personalized communications address health plan choice and health care con-
only choice upon employees, segmenting employees is a must. Employee communications using attitudinal segmentation are more relevant, since they focus on the unique decision drivers for that particular segment. For example, an employee who doesn’t need a tax shelter will not receive the comprehensive calculators. Instead, his or her message might be about having a “safety net.” This approach also builds a platform for better communications not just at open enrollment, but also throughout the year with highly personalized and effective messages about the importance of making smart health care decisions.
offering incentives, there is mounting evidence employers are seeking to reduce their subsidy.
Conclusion realized until employers adopt a more meaningful approach to helping their employees better understand the complexities of health care and objective, employers need to offer personalized communications based on attitudinal segmentation of their workforce. This consumer-marketing technique represents a departure from traditional strategies enables employers to predict health attitudes employers can achieve a faster migration to upon their employees. Roger M. Travis is president of ExperienceLab Inc., whose product, CDHCentric, is a patented communication program that saves employers money by increasing employee adoption and engagement with consumer-directed health plans. CDHCentric’s tailored, multi-media communications, based on seven unique attitudinal segments, deliver eight times the results of “one-size-fits-all” communications. For more information call 406-5771236 or visit www.experiencelab.com \
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Reducing Health Care Costs and Energizing Employees
I
BY ANDREA NEWMAN » DIRECTOR, HR, BENEFITS AND ADMINISTRATION » FITLINXX INC.
n late 2010, facing a 60 percent price increase in its traditional health care plan, FitLinxx decided to move to a consumer-driven health plan (CDHP) with a health savings account (HSA). While that alone would have benefited the company, it was by combining an incentive-based health and wellness employee program with the CDHP that ultimately made the change a win-win for employees and for FitLinxx. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the biggest contributors to rising health care costs in the United States are lifestyle choices
like poor nutrition, smoking and inactivity. A person’s lifestyle is a major factor in the nation’s chronic disease epidemic and accounts for 75 percent of the money spent per year on U.S. health care. Meanwhile, the CDC reports 60 percent of adults do not participate in regular physical activity. In fact, Americans spend an average of 56 hours per week not moving—either staring at computer screens, driving or collapsed in front of TVs. This has increased the incidence of obesity, heart disease and other illnesses like diabetes. www.TheIHCC.com I HealthCare Consumerism Solutions™ I September/October 2012
39
The good news is increasing physical activity is the single most effective way to improve one’s health, including preventing and managing diseases. In fact, effective wellness programs, including physical activity, have been shown to improve the health of employees, reduce healthcare costs and increase productivity.
FitWell As a provider of health and wellness devices, FitLinxx decided to initiate its “FitWell” decision. There were three reasons why the company elected to implement a wellness program: FitLinxx wanted to “walk our talk” regarding the its employees better understand customer experiences with FitLinxx products; and improve the overall health of its employee population. “FitWell” began as a simple stand-alone program in 2009. FitLinxx created incentives where employees who reached at least one
received a $50 American Express gift check— for a potential yearly total of $200. To assist goals, the company blocked out one hour per day on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for “Wellness Time,” in which no meetings could be scheduled and employees were encouraged to be physically active. In order to track achievements, FitLinxx provided all participants with their own ActiPed “clip ‘n go” wireless all-day activity monitors. Employees simply attached these small devices to their shoes and the ActiPed devices automatically collected accurate activity data, including the number of steps taken, calories burned, distance traveled and total activity time. When employees walked by wireless
participation and activity, but it also can improve interdepartmental relations. The results were astounding. Almost 90 percent of employees participated in the inaugural wellness program, with tion, FitLinxx found the three hours set aside for physical activity per week, along with the isfaction and loyalty and provided a strong recruiting tool.
Switch to CDHP and HSA in health care premiums, FitLinxx evaluated options and decided on a new approach to address its health care situation. The company it would have to pass the additional costs to employees. FitLinxx also wanted to implement a program that would take away some of the burden of increased deductibles that comes with This situation and the experience with the “FitWell” program helped the company recognize a tremendous opportunity: By focusing on wellness as a corporate strategy, FitLinxx could help employees improve their well-being, reduce health care costs at the same time and increase employee satisfaction. After much thought and planning, the comTo offset the high deductible, FitLinxx integrated “FitWell” with the new health care plan, creating an incentive-based program to help employees earn money toward their HSA. To get started, the company automatically contributed one-quarter of the annual deductible amount into employee’s HSAs. FitLinxx also enabled its employees to earn up to another one-quarter of the total annual deductible by achieving quarterly activity goals and participating in wellness initiatives in a new incentive-based program.
to an interactive health and activity tracking web application called “ActiHealth,” where it was displayed in real-time. When viewing their ActiHealth online communities, employees could see how they were doing against their quarterly activity goals and discern where they ranked against the total participant population. Individuals often challenged friends or department members to see who was most active. FitLinxx, a company that has developed equipment that “learns” a person’s exercise program, discovered friendly competition could serve as a strong motivating force when among workers not only encourages greater 40
To keep it as simple as possible, FitLinxx created two components of the new program: First, the company kept incentives for achieving quarterly activity goals, but now made larger contributions into each HSA of those employees who participated in the new health insurance plan. Those not in the plan continued to receive $50 American Express gift checks each quarter by achieving at least one of their activity goals. Activity goals were based on
September/October 2012 I HealthCare Consumerism Solutions™ I www.TheIHCC.com
Encourage an active and healthy lifestyle to improve our employees’ health and well-being. Lower short-term health care premiums by increasing the the increase in deductibles with Lower long-term health care premiums as a result of improved employee health. Lower absenteeism and improve productivity. Improve employee satisfaction.
In addition, FitLinxx created wellness incentives in which employees could select from a range of wellness options each quarter to obtain additional HSA contributions. These options included annual physical exams, assessments, smoking cessation classes and a weight management class. Further, the company offered free on-site biometric screenings to all employees, which could bring to light previously unknown health issues.
department educated employees about the program that would start in January 2011, and continued with ongoing communications through posts on the company intranet, company meetings and a FAQ sheet.
Program Enhancements In order to maintain the effectiveness of the program, FitLinxx continued to solicit employee feedback by email, anonymous surveys, an anonymous comment section on the intranet and monthly company meetings. This has proven very effective at adjusting program elements. For instance, FitLinxx initially presented small trophies along with the quarterly American Express gift check to employees who met their quarterly goals—but discontinued that reward based upon their responses. Using employee feedback, the company has further enriched the One suggestion was more quarterly wellness incentive options. Employee polling resulted in the addition of annual vision and free on-site quarterly wellness meetings and roundtables to the program. The last item has proven particularly popular, since FitLinxx brings in experts who provide follow-up support to individuals based upon their unique
To ensure there is strong interest and to
Health and Wellness Program Tips Based upon our experience at FitLinxx, here are five tips when implementing a health and wellness plan: t Make it as easy as possible to participate – Try to keep the program simple and understandable – and ensure that employees don’t have to intervene to upload or track their activity. Make it seamless and effortless to use. t
Communicate – Communication is key; ensure employees understand the overall objectives of the program and incentive element to gain their acceptance. To help them achieve goals, make it easy for them to find out where they stand in meeting their goals.
t Develop engaging programs – Beyond financial incentives, consider employee challenges that can really get healthy competition going. t Provide incentives that motivate employees — We quickly learned that cash contributions to HSAs are an effective motivator. And we anticipate increasing incentives (while decreasing initial contributions to HSAs) in the future. t Include social support systems – Scheduled wellness sessions with invited experts have proven very popular and help to provide the support that some employees seek. In addition, by allowing employees to share their experiences and results with friends/co-workers, FitLinxx has created an employee support system that provides positive feedback to other employees when they achieve their goals. build employee support systems for those with the same concerns and interests, FitLinxx used an employee survey to select the four topics for the year for these sessions. In addition, employees requested higher activity goals with greater incentives as they became more active. Examples of these more advanced
and 270 hours of activity time. Employees, who achieve at least one of these for a quarter, may earn up to an additional 7 percent of their health care deductible over the course of the year. The company anticipated a success
less or 5 percent weight loss over the six-month period. In addition, it became clear, for medical reasons, some employees simply are unable to employees, the company has created an alternative program. This incorporates nonactivity based wellness achievements in the
individuals meet all four of their goals, they
of a physically active culture in which people walk or run as a part of their normal daily life. Individuals from different departments, who may have never spoken to each other before, now meet for friendly walks together and the company has seen the emergence of “walking meetings.” Overall, FitLinxx believes employees are more aware of health indicators and are leading healthier lifestyles. For example, one employee said, “The FitWell program motivates me to be more active and maintain a healthy lifestyle. During the week I walk during wellness time, and I exercise on the weekends. A year ago I
participating in the activity program. these augmented goals and has been pleasantly surprised that more than half of the employee population have actually exceeded their goals. To further encourage employees to achieve higher activity goals, FitLinxx has instituted a quarterly drawing for those who have achieved these advanced goals. As a result, one employee per quarter earns an additional $250
Results The “FitWell” program, coupled with a consumer-driven health plan, has enabled FitLinxx employees to take a more proactive approach to their health while keeping health care costs in line. In addition, the workforce is healthier and more energetic as program participation continues to grow. Since inception, the company has achieved
Finally, the company has added semiannual health goals, which include on-site biometric screenings three times per year offered initial screening obtains baseline numbers using the comprehensive Executive Blood Panel,
increased to 97 and 77 percent, respectively. In addition, FitLinxx has measured a employee since the inception of the program.
my diabetes is a memory, and my blood pressure and cholesterol are normal. And, I am no longer taking any medication.” “FitWell” continues to evolve and grow with the company. Based upon the success of the incentive-based system, FitLinxx anticipates gradually rolling back initial contributions to HSAs in coming years, while increasing the incentive component of its wellness plan. Although it took some time and lessons were learned along the way, the “FitWell” program has become an integral part of the company’s culture. Health care costs and employee premiums are steadily decreasing, and employees are truly embracing activity. As a result, they are energized, healthier and more productive.
Individual plan participants can earn an addi-
improvements: blood pressure—less than 120
premium increase, the company has seen a decrease in health care costs. Moreover, FitLinxx has seen the emergence
Andrea Newman is director of HR for FitLinxx (www. fitlinxx.com), a provider of health and wellness devices.
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BY JOSH HILGERS PRESIDENT HEALTH PARTNERS AMERICA
W
hat is the employer’s role going to be in regard to health insurance in the near future? For the better part of 60 years the employer has played an integral role in providing employees with health insurance. Most of us have been a part of that system for so long we may have never stopped to ask “why?” Think about it. Our employer isn’t truly involved in choosing our life insurance, home owners or renters insurance or our auto insurance. Why are they making the decisions, or at least heavily influencing them, on our health insurance? If you trace this current system back to its roots, you find offering health insurance was simply a way around government efforts to stave off inflation concerns. After WWII employers, looking to attract and retain the best and brightest, were not able to do so by traditional means; compensation or bonuses. The government had instituted wage and price controls. As a way around this obstacle, employers went to the insurance companies, who at the time mostly offered catastrophic coverage, and worked out a deal to purchase benefits for their employees. Now one sixth of our economy has been affected by that little work around and created a bigger problem for us now than the little bit of inflation would have been 60 years ago. To add more fuel to this fire, companies began successfully lobbying Congress to treat these benefits as tax exempt compensation for their employees and a tax deductible business expense for the employers. This really created a snowball effect on the plan designs of the insurance offerings. Employers and employees alike quickly realized the huge tax benefits to offering more comprehensive benefit packages versus wages and monetary (taxable) compensation. Insurance carriers were encouraged to include more medical treatment options like chiropractic care, acupuncture and massage therapy. Though these were great additions, they take us away from the definition of “health insurance,” which should really be in place to help us with the medical bills that go into the thousands and hundreds of thousands for severe illness or accidents. One other major factor keeping the employer in the middle of the health insurance process with their employees: underwriting. The 1970s marked the
ASK THE BROKER
beginning of states beginning to allow medical underwriting in the individual market. This meant employees with pre-existing conditions did not have affordable options if their employer didn’t offer coverage. So let’s take a quick look at the pros and cons of the current system and how it is leading to a new role for employers in the near future. Pros t Helps employers attract and retain good employees t Everyone qualifies—guaranteed issue t Benefits purchased tax free Cons t Lack of portability—Employer owns the plan, not the employee t Lack of choice for employees on carrier and plan design t Premiums are expensive t Burden on employer to carry these rising costs However, there is a system beginning to emerge in the market place that addresses all of these issues. It also accomplishes another goal of most employers—get them out of the middle of the relationship between their employees and the insurance carriers. A defined contribution health plan allows an employer to attract and retain employees with tax free dollars that can be used to purchase an insurance plan the employee chooses, owns, and can design to be affordable. We have seen this trend before. The retirement planning industry has almost fully transitioned from a defined benefit (pension) model, to a defined contribution (401k) model. Private exchanges are the perfect vehicle to aid in this transition in the health insurance market. It can educate and inform employees of their decisions, and can be backed by licensed experts to provide one-on-one consultations and service after the sale. Many companies, large and small, have begun making the transition, including Sears and Darden restaurants, and some municipalities. Brokers, employers, and employees should begin to embrace their new roles in the health insurance market and prepare for the future—because it’s here.
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EXECUTIVE SPOTLIGHT
BY TODD CALLAHAN » EDITORIAL DIRECTOR THE INSTITUTE FOR HEALTHCARE CONSUMERSIM
F
or many, the face of Aflac is the duck. The feathery company mascot has arguably been the star of the most successful ad campaign in U.S. marketing history. However, while the duck maybe the face of the Columbus-Georgia based company, it is the Amos family who has helped shape the American Family Life Insurance Company into the top provider of supplemental insurance in the United States.
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September/October 2012 I HealthCare Consumerism Solutions™ I www.TheIHCC.com
Founded on Nov. 17, 1955 by brothers John, Bill and Paul Amos, the company has expanded to 4,300 employees and more than 70,000 independent brokers. It protects more than 50 million individuals globally and has 465,000 employer accounts in the United States. John Amos, the company’s first president and chairman, was not an insurance expert. However, he and his brothers understood the idea people needed financial protection from unforeseen expenses brought on by illness and emergencies. It is that philosophy that has carried over through three generations of Amoses and continues with John’s grandnephew, Paul Amos II, who was named president and chief operating officer of Aflac in January 2007. It is the family lineage that has built the most successful supplemental insurance provider on a global scale, but Amos doesn’t mind taking a backseat to the duck, which made its debut on a park bench in a commercial in 2000. “Our duck has been an unbelievable blessing to our company,” said Amos, 38, who joined Aflac as state sales coordinator of North Georgia in 2002. “We had 12 percent name recognition in 1999, and now we have 94 percent brand recognition. That puts us up there with Coca-Cola, McDonald’s and Nike. So we truly are a household name.” Amos, whose father, Daniel P. Amos, is CEO, added the main difference between Aflac and Nike or Coca-Cola is everyone knows the products the soft drink giant and Nike make, but very few consumers have experienced or are familiar with the products and services provided by Aflac. “Our key goal going forward is to try to get the average American consumer and the average American business to understand why our products are rolled up to their employees and why our products, now more than ever, are viable today, especially with the situation America is in right now.” Despite its marketing department struggles to get the message out to employers and consumers about the products offered, Aflac is not hurting financially. The company has reported revenue growth every year for the last 10 years according to Dividend Monk. Since naming Amos II president, Aflac’s sales have eclipsed $10.1 billion, with average sales hovering around $1.4 billion. Amos was a cog in the organization’s growth when he managed Aflac’s acquisition of Continental American Insurance Company. The $100 million merger, which created Aflac Group Insurance, helped the company to sell innovative product lines to larger accounts on the group platform. While the recession has hit most providers and curbed growth, Aflac is poised for even bigger growth despite the uncertainty of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act’s future and the presidential election in November. Aflac is boosted by a bullish market in Japan, which is where 70 percent of Aflac’s total revenue originates. Aflac insures one in four households in Japan. Since Japan has
national health care and everyone receives government-funded health care benefits, Aflac proves it can flourish in a government-run health plan or a private health plan. Amos doesn’t see PPACA as a dangerous law that should be repealed and replaced, he sees its passage and the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to uphold PPACA as an opportunity to better educate consumers about the benefits of Aflac and the value of supplemental health plans. Because PPACA focuses more on major medical, supplemental benefits are unphased by the controversial law, which has a questionable future with the presidential election looming and Republican candidate Mitt Romney promising to repeal and replace the so called “ObamaCare.” With rising health care costs and employers continually shifting the cost onto employees, supplemental health benefits are becoming a more costeffective tool for both the employer and the individual to help curb health care costs. Amos believes health care reform will have a positive impact on business in the long-term for Aflac.
Providing the Power of Choice Since Japan has nationalized health care, everyone knows they have to pay the government-mandated 30 percent copay on that national insurance. So they see having supplemental health is not just a nice product to have but a necessity. However, supplemental insurance also is a perfect fit in a free health care market. Regardless of whether individuals get their insurance from a private exchange, government-sponsored exchange or through an employer, supplemental health can be an enhancement to any major medical platform. Employers have nothing to risk and can easily add more supplemental products to their menu of health care benefit options. Employees pay 100 percent of the cost for supplemental products, and they can customize the package to fit their needs, making for a more robust total health care benefit package. “That is important because so much of what has happened in major medical has been the disappearance of choice,” Amos said. “Choice has, overtime, been lowered, and the reality is we are bringing choice back to the market place and allowing people to choose exactly what they want, and our customers have seen the value in that.”
It’s All About Consumerism The philosophy of Health care consumerism is about transforming an employer’s health benefit plan into putting economic purchasing power—and decision-making—into the hands of participants or employees. This is best achieved by supplying employees with the decision-making information and support tools they need, along with financial incentives, rewards and other benefits encouraging personal involvement in altering health and health care purchasing behaviors. Much like account-based health plans, supplemental health care is a crucial tool in health care consumerism. According to Amos, supplemental health plans are essential to the growth of health care consumerism and work well with a health savings account (HSA) with a high-deductible health plan. “Health care consumerism is a newer phase but the concept of health care consumerism is something that has budded out of what we have seen
with pensions,” Amos said. “It is an obvious trend because I think employers want to understand and be able to control the total cost they are going to spend on health care.” The rising cost of health care, along with a new millennial generation, who soon will make up 50 percent of the workforce and like to be empowered and make their own decisions about how to spend their health care dollars, also are pushing this trend as the adoption of consumer-directed health plans continue to rise while enrollment of traditional health plans are beginning to decline. Amos sees the trend of health care consumerism growing much like pension plans which have moved away from the fully-funded pension plans to a defined contribution plan, which has been considered pension consumerism. “It has allowed an individual to become in charge of their pension,” Amos said. “With the creation of the 401(k), they [employees] became empowered to do things.” Amos also sees Aflac playing an active role in the growth of the health care consumerism megatrend. “We are going to fit right square in the middle of it,” Amos said. “I think health care plans are going to continue to raise copays and deductibles, and they are going to start offering less and less because of the rising cost of health care, and as a result, the need for our type of product is going to grow greater and greater.”
Paul S. Amos II File Title: President, Aflac & COO, Aflac U.S. Company: Aflac Age: 38 Residence: Columbus, Ga. Education: bachelor’s degree from Duke University; master’s in business administration from Tulane University. Career Timeline 2002 – Joins Aflac and serves as state sales coordinator for Georgia-North Operation 2005 – Named executive vice president of U.S. Operations 2006 – Named COO 2007 – Named President; Aflac sales eclipses $10.1 billion 2009 – Manages Aflac’s acquisition of Continental American Insurance Company, a $100 million merger and Aflac’s first ever acquisition. The merger creates Aflac Group Insurance. 2011 – For first time Aflac group policy sales higher than individual policy sales 2011 – Aflac’s assets at year-end 2011 totaled more than $117 billion with annual revenues of more than $22.2 billion. www.TheIHCC.com I HealthCare Consumerism Solutions™ I September/October 2012
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SUPPLEMENTAL HEALTH
Delta Dental leads the DELTA DENTAL industry in designing 1130 Sanctuary Pkwy, Suite 600 Alpharetta, GA 30009 innovative dental coverage programs that keep costs 770-641-5196 down and deliver quality care. Our diverse client list includes everyone from Fortune 100 companies to public agencies to individuals and families. Our customer’s satisfaction is based on our expansive dentist network, cost-saving mechanisms and superior customer service. We are part of the Delta Dental Plans Association that provides dental coverage to more than 56 million people in the US.
TOTAL POPULATION HEALTH MANAGEMENT
LifeSynch changes behaviors to improve lives. LIFESYNCH Our approach integrates care of the mind and body to enhance health, increase productivity and 2101 W. John Carpenter Frwy Irving, Texas 75063 minimize unnecessary medical expenses. Built 800-207-5101 on a solid foundation of understanding human www.lifesynch.com behavior and how to motivate behavior change, we deliver proven outcomes through: Proven methods that lead to increased Customizable programs that easily engagement and sustained behavior incorporate into existing benefits and change. services. Clinicians and coaches who provide Scientifically proven best-practice personalized attention and form trusted guidelines to proactively manage care. relationships with members. Scalable, user-friendly technology.
“Whether it’s LifeSynch’s health coaching, EAP/Work-life, integrated medical-behavioral health or utilization management services, we integrate our behavioral health and behavior change expertise to ensure our members reach their goals and achieve sustainable, long-term improvements toward their health and well-being.” – Sean Slovenski, President of LifeSynch,
WHO’S WHO PROFILES
HSA/HRA/FSA TECHNOLOGY: ADMINISTRATION & MANAGEMENT
DataPath, Inc., is one of nation’s largest providers of CDH solutions specializing in account-based administration systems.
DATAPATH, INC.
1601 WestPark Drive, Suite 9 Little Rock, AR 72204 501.296.9990 www.dpath.com
Since 1984, service providers using DataPath systems have provided administrative solutions for over 1 million participants of FSA, HRA, HSA, and COBRA. DataPath is the only solutions provider to design and deliver a full Suite of systems for handling 125, 105, 132, COBRA, HSAs, Credit and Debit Cards all delivered to account holders through a single Internet portal, myRSC.com.
“With the significant changes in healthcare today, our software solutions allow users to create custom plans for clients that benefit both the employer and employee. Not only have we created a single platform for all systems with myRSC.com, with the integration of our mySourceCard Debit Card at Wal-Mart and other retailers, our clients are able to offer a hassle-free solution with 100% compliance.” ®
HSA/HRA/FSA TECHNOLOGY: ADMINISTRATION & MANAGEMENT
Since 1988, Flex has provided comprehensive, benefit reimbursement services to employers throughout the U.S. that are better, faster and more seamless than any in the marketplace. We are advocates of consumer-driven health plans and have fully-dedicated ourselves to the strategic concept of taxadvantaged and account-based programs.
FLEXIBLE BENEFIT SERVICE CORPORATION (FLEX)
10275 W. Higgins Road, Suite 500 Rosemont, IL 60018 www.JustFlexit.com 866.472.0882 fpsales@flexiblebenefit.com
Our core portfolio includes: COBRA Administration Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) – Employer & Individual Solutions! Transit/Parking Reimbursement Accounts (TRAs) And more! Our robust, integrated resources provide everything employers need to integrate Flex Plans, including scalable features, simplified transactions/ reimbursements, plan design expertise, education/ communication resources and online access.
Just Flex It™ today and discover how simple benefits administration can truly be. www.TheIHCC.com I HealthCare Consumerism Solutions™ I September/October 2012
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WHO’S WHO PROFILES
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FSA/HRA/HSA/TRANSIT/COBRA: ADMINISTRATION & MANAGEMENT
HEALTH DECISION SUPPORT TOOLS
eflexgroup (eflex) is a nationwide eflexgroup administrator of pre-tax benefits 2740 Ski Lane and COBRA. Committed to providing Madison, WI 53713 fast answers, fast claims, and web 877.933.3539 ext 300 self-service, we set the industry www.eflexgroup.com standards for service. With a efgsales@eflexgroup.com customer focus and Lean Six Sigma methodology, we don’t talk about service, we prove it. See our metrics at eflexgroup.com.
Castlight Health enables employers, their CASTLIGHT HEALTH 85 Market Street, Suite 300 employees, and health plans to take San Francisco, CA 94105 control of health care costs and improve care. Named #1 on The Wall Street 415.829.1400 Journal’s list of “The Top 50 Venturewww.castlighthealth.com Backed Companies” for 2011 and one of Dow Jones’ 50 Most Investment-Worthy Technology Start-Ups, Castlight Health helps the country’s self-insured employers and health plans empower consumers to shop for health care. Castlight Health is headquartered in San Francisco and backed by prominent investors including Allen & Company, Cleveland Clinic, Maverick Capital, Morgan Stanley Investment Management, Oak Investment Partners, Redmile Group, T. Rowe Price, U.S. Venture Partners, Venrock, Wellcome Trust and two unnamed mutual funds.
“eflexgroup’s customer service department should be a model for ALL customer service departments. The courtesy, professionalism and knowledge surpass ANY customer service department I’ve encountered! I feel the outstanding, exemplary customer service of eflexgroup is simply the best!” — Kimberly Adams, Southeast Energy Assistance [testimonial] PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Health Insurance 101: An Orientation is a new, flexible online course offered by AHIP. It is designed to teach health insurance basics to those new to health care or individuals who wish to review the fundamentals. The course is formatted in short modules; you learn at your own pace and on your own time, moving through the materials as you choose. Plus, AHIP will customize the course to fit your organization’s specific learning requirements.
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AMERICA’S HEALTH INSURANCE PLANS 601 Pennsylvania Ave., NW South Building, Suite 500 Washington, D.C. 20004 Lindsey Miranda Canaley Tel: 800.509.4422 Fax: 202.861.6354 lmirandacanaley@ahip.org www.ahip.org/courses
September/October 2012 I HealthCare Consumerism Solutions™ I www.TheIHCC.com
Giovanni Colella, M.D. CEO and Co-Founder, Castlight Health PHARMACEUTICAL BENEFITS MANAGEMENT
Envision Pharmaceutical Services, ENVISION PHARMECEUTICAL Inc is a full service pharmacy benefits SERVICES, INC. management company that delivers! John Ewell, EVP Marketing We deliver because our business 925.487.3266 model is based on transparency www.envisionrx.com and full disclosure, guaranteeing jewell@envisionrx.com 100% pass through pricing of all pharmaceutical manufacturer rebates and administrative fees at the point-of-sale. Additionally, our affiliate, Envision Insurance Company, is a national Prescription Drug Plan which enables us to offer a variety of solutions for your retirees. Envision is truly a “different” PBM!
“Envision is pleased to be recognized by its clients surveyed by the Pharmacy Benefits Management Institute for three consecutive years as the top performer in virtually every category evaluated. This solidifies our leadership position in providing transparency and full disclosure to the PBM marketplace while continuing to find innovative solutions.” — Kevin M. Nagle, President & CEO, Envision Pharmaceutical Services/Rx Options
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HEALTH INCENTIVES
MedEncentive offers a patented, web-based incentive system that’s been independently validated
MEDENCENTIVE
Cecily Hall Executive Vice President medencentive.com chall@medencentive.com
to control healthcare costs. Doctors and patients earn financial rewards for declaring adherence to best practices and healthy behaviors, provided they agree to be accountable to the other party for doing so. Easy to implement and
EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATION AND EDUCATION
ExperienceLab has created a breakthrough, CDHCENTRIC patented communication program that saves 507 S. 8th Ave. Bozeman, employers money by increasing adoption and Montana 59715 usage of consumer directed health (CDH) 617.224.6223 insurance plans among their employees. www.experiencelab.com CDHCentric, sold on a subscription basis, rtravis@experiencelab.com delivers regular, multi-media communications that are tailored based on seven unique attitudinal segments developed from proprietary research.
Traditional health plans protect employees from having to learn the basic skills for making cost-effective healthcare decisions. Our segmentation research, which is based on 20 years of behavioral marketing, found 7 unique personality types, and each makes healthcare decisions differently. The result is that, when employee messages are correctly tailored to their personalities, employees become health care consumers! — Roger Travis, President
embraced by users. SUPPLEMENTAL HEALTH
Transitions Optical, Inc. is the maker of Transitions® lenses, the #1-eyecare professional recommended photochromic lenses worldwide.
WHO’S WHO PROFILES
TRANSITIONS OPTICAL 9251 Belcher Road Pinellas Park, FL 33782
800.533.2081 ext. 2262 www.healthysightworkingforyou.org phuot@transitions.com
Transitions Healthy Sight Working for You® is an education initiative that helps HR professionals and benefits professionals communicate the value of the vision benefit to employees. More information and complimentary education tools are available at HealthySightWorkingForYou.org.
“Don’t overlook your employees’ healthy sight when thinking about your business goals. A vision benefit that includes an eye exam and sight-optimizing eyewear helps ensure that employees see their best, so they can do their best work, directly affecting your business.” — Pat Huot, Director, Managed Vision Care
HEALTH ACCESS ALTERNATIVES
WeCare TLC is a medical risk management company that leverages onsite primary care clinics to provide solutions to rising healthcare costs while improving patient health and wellness.
WE CARE TLC
120 Crown Oak Centre Dr Longwood, FL 32750 800.941.0644 www.wecaretlc.com raegan.garber@wecaretlc.com
Our holistic approach to care empowers the clinic staff to act as patient advocates, which increases compliance and decreases unnecessary expensive services.
“Healthcare is now a right and employers are faced with the challenge of truly managing their healthcare costs. We have created a unique medical home clinic model that properly addresses quality of care and cost. This requires constant, aggressive, creative, and directed attention to accomplish but it can be done.” — Lynn Jennings, CEO, WeCare TLC
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WHO’S WHO PROFILES
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HEALTH DECISION SUPPORT AND COST-SAVING TOOLS
EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT TOOLS
Under the CIVA (CodeBaby Intelligent Virtual CODEBABY CIVA Assistant) brands of benefits and health 111 S. Tejon St. Suite 107 advisor, CodeBaby improves the healthcare Colorado Springs, CO 80903 consumer experience and optimizes online 877.334.3465 self-service on any web-based platform codebaby.com/online-solutions or device with absolutely no IT disruption. solutions@codebaby.com Benefits advisor offers guidance and selfservice options that help consumers and organizations alike to make better decisions about benefits selection. Health advisor engages new patient visitors on hospital or office websites or existing patients on wellness, prevention & disease management platforms.
“With the rapid changes in health care, our solutions provide organizations innovative ways to optimize their current platform while meeting the demand for an enhanced online experience. CIVA benefits and health advisor solutions are industryleading models that help consumers and organizations more efficiently navigate complex health benefit exchanges and patient portals. “
WiserTogether Inc., helps patients choose the right care at the time. It
202.276.3074
selection & shared decision support
www.wisertogether.com praveen.mooganur@wisertogether.com
platform that helps patients make evidence-based, cost effective
treatment decisions across musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, mental health, diabetes, pregnancy and respiratory illnesses saving payers money. Currently 1.5 million members have access to the platform through employers and health plans in the country. WiserTogether was founded in 2008 and is based in Washington, DC.
R E S O U R C E
ADVERTISING CONTACTS 404.671.9551
Praveen Mooganur
offers an innovative online treatment
— Praveen Mooganur, COO
-Dennis McGuire, CEO
If you use the services of our solutions providers, please tell them you saw their ™. ad in
WISER TOGETHER
G U I D E
ADVERTISING INDEX AHIP .................................................. 20, 48
IHC About the Institute ...............................42
Best Buy ..................... 24, Inside Back Cover
IHC Corporate Member ...............................38
Castlight ....................................................48
IHC FORUM Save the Date ..........................15
Delta Dental ...............................................47
IHC FORUM Call for Speakers .....................28
CDHCentric ............................................... 49
IHC Health and Wellness Library ................40
Cigna ....................................................... 10
IHC Membership...........................................9
CodeBaby ................................................. 50
LifeSynch ...................................................47
DataPath .................................................. 47
MedEncentive ............................................49
eflexgroup ................................................ 48
MyHSARewards ..........................................48
Envision Pharmaceutical Services...............48
Transitions ............................................... 49
Evolution1 ..................................................46
TSYS Healthcare ................................... 5, 46
Flexible Benefit Service Corporation ...........47
WeCare LLC .............................................. 49
HealthCare Consumerism Radio ..................26
Wiser Together ................................... 38, 50
HealthStat ........................ Inside Front Cover
UnitedHealthCare ......................... Back Cover
CEO/PUBLISHER
Doug Field
@
MANAGING DIRECTOR
Brent Macy ACCOUNT MANAGERS
Joni Lipson Rogers Beasley Joe Tomaszewski REPRINTS
Rogers Beasley
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September/October 2012 I HealthCare Consumerism Solutions™ I www.TheIHCC.com
OFFERAALITTLE LITTLEDESSERT DESSERTWITH WITHYOUR YOUR OFFER HEALTHAND ANDWELLNESS WELLNESSPROGRAM PROGRAM HEALTH BESTBUY® BUY®GIFT GIFTCARDS CARDSGIVE GIVEEMPLOYEES EMPLOYEESSOMETHING SOMETHINGTOTOWORK WORK(OUT) (OUT)FOR FOR BEST The secret keeping your employees focused their wellness right front you. Best Buy The secret toto keeping your employees focused onon their wellness is is right in in front ofof you. Best Buy Gift Cards and e-GiftCards, not only have the wellness power toprograms promote wellness programs like smoking cessation Gift Cards not only have the power to promote like smoking cessation and weight andthey’re weightalso loss,a they’re alsotoacongratulate great way to and congratulate thank stuff they really want. loss, great way say thankand you,say with stuffyou, theywith really want. Learn more 877-370-1234 | GiftCards@BestBuy.com | CorporateGiftCards.BestBuy.com/CDHC Learn more atat 877-370-1234 | Gift Cards@BestBuy.com | CorporateGift Cards.BestBuy.com/CDHC
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Engaging consumers to make informed health care decisions UnitedHealthcare’s consumer-driven health (CDH) plans were designed to get employees on the path to good health with improved lifestyle habits and use of the health care system, and greater transparency to help drive better decisions. That’s why our plans offer: t NZ)FBMUIDBSF $PTU &TUJNBUPS B UPPM UIBU HJWFT NFNCFST VMUSB TQFDJmD FTUJNBUFT CBTFE PO MPDBUJPO QSPDFEVSF and even doctor; as well as expenses related to possible care paths t OFUXPSL QSFWFOUJWF DPWFSBHF BOE QFSTPOBMJ[FE NFTTBHJOH CBTFE PO JOEJWJEVBM IFBMUI DBSF OFFET
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'PS NPSF JOGPSNBUJPO PO 6OJUFE)FBMUIDBSF T $%) QMBOT WJTJU uhctogether.com/CDH or call 1.866.438.5651.
READY. SET. GROW HEALTHY. UHCTOGETHER.COM/CDH
myHealthcare Cost Estimator is currently available to many UnitedHealthcare members, and will launch in additional markets throughout the remainder of the year. Š2012 United HealthCare Services, Inc. Insurance coverage provided by or through UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company or its affiliates. Administrative services provided by United HealthCare Services, Inc. or their affiliates. Health plan coverage provided by or through a UnitedHealthcare company. UHCEW506202-002