The human's natural instincts for curiosity are not always about being nosy: other considerations, such as financial transparency, help to distinguish what is right and fair within the healthcare industry. Going into an operation with some sort of estimated rate for services and goods keeps patients from being exploited and overcharged. In this case, being nosy can benefit Americans greatly with their health costs. Continue Reading >

Americans don’t agree on much, but everyone acknowledges that healthcare costs are just too high. Ballooning insurance costs translate to financial strain, which trickles down to employees in the form of budget cuts and staffing changes. That’s why it makes so much sense to include employees in discussions about rising healthcare costs. That might represent a radical change from the status quo in some companies, but it’s a change worth making. Employee engagement looks different in each company, and it’s up to the employer to find the blend of programs and initiatives that’s most beneficial – both for employee health and satisfaction, and for the bottom line. Continue Reading >

American Medical Strategies has released its fourth annual list of the five most researched diagnoses in its PredictDx system. Three of the top five spots were held by cancers in 2017. Continue Reading >

Hiring a stop loss insurance broker entrusts the specialist with the betterment of your insurance and risk management. To ensure your stop loss insurance broker is acting in your best interest, certain questions must be asked during the hiring process. Continue Reading >

Specialty drugs can be up to 50 times more expensive than traditional drugs. Though specialty drugs have been associated with significant improvements in terms of good health over time, they are not without their faults. Are the positive effects worth breaking the bank? Continue Reading >

In July of this year, Sun Life Financial released its fourth annual Top Ten Catastrophic Claims Conditions report. In this post, we take a look at Sun Life Financial's 2016 report and compare it to previous reports. Read on to gain insight on stop-loss claims trends that may affect your self-funded plan in 2017.   Continue Reading >

With the rapid advancements we are seeing in the healthcare and medical industries, telemedicine has become a relevant method of patient consultation. Telemedicine, which has been around for over a decade, initially received skeptical views. Many questioned its validity as a thorough alternative to actually coming in to see a medical professional. Now, it is poised to reinvent how we view patient consultations. Continue Reading >

The health plan marketplace is shifting toward high deductible health plans (HDHP) such as health savings accounts (HSA) and health reimbursement arrangements (HRA) over traditional plans (PPO or HMO).  Employers are making these plans available in an effort to reduce costs and shift risk toward the employee.     Continue Reading >

Growing efforts have been made to help consumers make more educated decisions about their healthcare providers with greater price transparency information.  Consumers can now gain control over their medical spending.  Here are a few of the organizations leading the way with resources for healthcare consumers. Continue Reading >

In Massachusetts the cost of prescription drugs is rising at 13%, or three times the rate of overall healthcare according to the Boston Globe.  Generic drugs represent 8 in 10 prescriptions filled in the US and the FDA expects to see an upward trend.  Let’s take a look at what’s driving generic drug pricing and what to expect in the coming years. Continue Reading >