| VOLUME 1 | ISSUE 6 | SEPTEMBER 2009 | http://www.rmpllc.biz |
Our message this month to clients and friends is that "Now Is the Time." If you don't yet know what your healthcare budget is for 2010, or if you are waiting with trepidation for word about your next premium increase, then it may be time to consider an alternate approach.This month's feature article shows data from the last few years about how the HSA model reduces utilization of services and lowers costs. We also explore the experience of the Safeway supermarket chain, used by President Obama as an example of how to reduce healthcare cost by focusing on prevention. By fixing your company's healthcare, you will be showing our elected leaders how to fix it for America.
| David Edman Managing Partner Risk Management Partners, LLC |
Data Shows That HSAs Achieve Savings
Would your company benefit from a 7% to 16% decrease in healthcare costs in 2010? Sounds impossible, but employers around the country are achieving these levels of savings. United Healthcare, one of the leading health insurers in the United States providing consumer-driven health insurance products, recently issued two reports detailing the cost impact of HSAs on the employer. Read more.Opinion: The Whole Foods Alternative to Obamacare
This month's opinion column comes from Whole Foods Market Inc.'s CEO John Mackey, as featured in The Wall Street Journal on August 11, 2009. Mackey articulates a series of steps that we can take to reform the health system without bankrupting the next generation, positions that are consistent with my own. A number of Whole Foods customers were offended by Mackey's position and are now boycotting the store. What do you think? Read more.
Case Study: How Safeway Lowered the Cost Curve – A Focus on Prevention
President Obama and others hold up supermarket chain Safeway as the model for controlling healthcare costs. How does Safeway do it? The company takes a comprehensive approach, involving corporate commitment, changes in plan design, and financial incentives that reward healthy behavior. Read more.Policy Update
On Thursday, September 10, 2009, I presented "Policy Impacts and Response from Small, Medium and Large Employers" at the Health Care Summit in Harrisburg sponsored by the Pennsylvania Business Council. I recommended a position for the business community to take to its legislators (see A Businessman's Message to Congress: Health Reform Dos and Don'ts). Read more on healthcare reform.| • | Indiana: Health Care Reform Amidst Colliding Values (Health Affairs) | |
| • | Healthier Than Thou: How Britain's Health System Compares with America's (Economist.com) | |
Readers might also be interested in: Each month we provide a list of recently published articles you probably won't want to miss! |
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| Healthcare Strategies for Employers |
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How to Bargain Hunt for Health Care (CNN.com) |
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Insurers Aim to Save from Overseas Medical Tourism (USA Today) |
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| Key Healthcare Products and Updates |
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Five Lessons from Seattle on Adopting Electronic Medical Records (Kaiser Health News) |
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| Wellness and Prevention Techniques |
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Living in a 'Medical Home' (Kaiser Health News) |
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Fixing Health Care by Altering Patient Behavior (NPR) |
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Company Wellness Programs Improve Health, Cut Costs (CNN.com) |
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| Change Your Strategy and Start Reducing Costs | ||
How have your company's health insurance costs and coverage changed over the last 3 years? Can you afford similar premium increases and benefit reductions over the next 3 years? If not, it's time to rethink your process. Click here or give us a call at 610-975-4415 to learn about a multi-year strategy from Risk Management Partners, LLC. |
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| Add a Daily Walk to Your "To Do" List. With the temperature down and fall foliage upon us, we are anxious to enjoy the weather. If you plan on walking outdoors, treat yourself to new sneakers. Having good footwear is integral in having a quality workout. Old sneakers may cause knee pain if the cushion inside has worn down and offers no support. Walking for 30 minutes a day is more important than walking a few times a week for a longer length of time. Your energy will improve, as will your mood and joint flexibility. Make it a new habit as you soak in the colors of fall. Read more. | ||
About RMP
RMP draws on more than three decades of experience inside the healthcare industry, using a risk management approach, to create smarter purchasers and consumers of healthcare — exposing wasted spending and helping clients get consistent maximum value for their healthcare dollar.
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David Edman, Managing Partner
Risk Management Partners, LLC
175 Strafford Avenue, Wayne, PA 19087
610-975-4415
http://www.rmpllc.biz
© 2009 Risk Management Partners, LLC. All Rights Reserved. This newsletter produced by FulcrumTech, LLC.