RMP Advisor - August 2009

VOLUME 1

ISSUE 5

AUGUST 2009

http://www.rmpllc.biz

Welcome Message from David Edman

Is your organization Carrier Agnostic? In this month's feature, we explain what it means to be Carrier Agnostic, the associated benefits, as well as specific ways your company can gain control over future healthcare costs by adopting a Carrier Agnostic philosophy.

The debate over health reform is heating up. Is your member of Congress having a town hall meeting on health reform? If so, please go and participate in a respectful discussion about the proper role for government in healthcare reform. It is through thoughtful debate that we will reach the best solution for the American people.

David Edman
Managing Partner
Risk Management Partners, LLC

P.S. Be sure to visit RMP's newly redesigned web site to see our growing list of services and recently expanded general resources. Plus, easily search previous RMP Advisor articles in the reorganized newsletter archives.

HSAs Can Make You "Carrier Agnostic"

In this August newsletter, we introduce our readers to the term "Carrier Agnostic." I first heard this term from a representative of the HSA Bank in Wisconsin – the bank where I opened my Health Savings Account 4 years ago – which was one of the first banks to offer HSAs to the public. The goals of a Carrier Agnostic organization are to establish independence from any one insurance carrier, promote competition to keep health insurance rates as low as possible, and gain control over future healthcare costs. In effect, we show you how HSAs put the negotiating power in your hands. Read more.

Opinion: Why Can't Health Insurance Be More Like Auto Insurance?

This month's opinion column comes from Zack Krajacic, as recently featured in The Christian Science Monitor. Imagine how much automobile insurance would cost if it paid for all expenses associated with owning an automobile – oil changes, engine failures, worn-out tires, brakes, rust, and so on. The number of people who couldn't afford car insurance would rise dramatically, and we would have a car-insurance crisis in America. That is the situation with healthcare. Read more.

Policy Update: Compare Health Reform Bills Side-By-Side

Do you want the latest information on the various health reform bills that are currently circulating in Congress? The Kaiser Family Foundation has updated its interactive side-by-side health reform comparison tool, which allows users to compare any of 12 different major health reform plans, including the one Democratic plan that has passed through the Committee process. Read more.

•	I Probably Won't Be Your Family Doctor (The Baltimore Sun)
•	Lessons Learned from Medicare Part D (The New England Journal of Medicine)
•	Medicaid and the States: Health-Care Reform's Next Hurdle (Time)

	Readers might also be interested in: Each month we provide a list of recently published articles you probably won't want to miss!
	Healthcare Strategies for Employers
		Mental Health Costs Are Soaring; Implications for Employers (US News & World Report)
	Key Healthcare Products and Updates
		A Doctor's View: Electronic Medical Records Are a Good Thing (Los Angeles Times)
		Patient-Centered 'Medical Home,' The Future of Medicine (CNN Money)
	Wellness and Prevention Techniques
		Will Focus on Prevention Bring Health Costs Down? (Kaiser Health News)
		Community Health Centers Strained By Recession, Face Bigger Caseloads Under Reform (Kaiser Health News)


	In This Issue

		Welcome from David Edman

		HSAs Can Make You "Carrier Agnostic"

		Opinion: Why Can't Health Insurance Be More Like Auto Insurance?

		Policy Update: Compare Health Reform Bills Side-By-Side

		Readers Might Also Be Interested In

		Health Tip: Managing Job Stress & Pain

		Contact Us

Managing Job Stress & Pain – What to Do. Stress on the job is something most people are facing today. Here are a few ways to help defray the impact of stress:

•	Chair height – Be sure you're not straining your back, neck, or eyes.
•	Lighting – Add a small lamp to reduce the glare of bright overhead lighting.
•	Stretch hourly – For clear thinking, energy, and preventing stiffness.