Hello Forum Friends,
Hope you are having a lovely start to the fall season! I look forward to seeing everyone at our end of the year All-Stakeholder member meeting on November 2nd. At the conclusion of the event, we will have a fun networking hour with yummy cocktails and plenty of appetizers!
Gloria Sachdev
President and CEO, Employers’ Forum of Indiana
Inside the Forum
Upcoming Forum All-Stakeholder Meeting on November 2nd
At our All-Stakeholder meeting on November 2nd attendees will hear presentations from Linda Wilgus, Chris Whaley, and Chris Deacon. The full agenda can be found here. This meeting is open to Forum members only and invites will be sent out a month prior to the event.
WSJ: These Employers Took On Healthcare Costs, and The Fight Got Nasty
On September 28th, the Wall Street Journal published an article highlighting the work of the Employers’ Forum of Indiana working with local partners and legislative leadership to address healthcare affordability. Also featured, is the work of Al Hubbard and Matt Bell with Hoosiers for Affordable Healthcare. Read the full article here.
Presentations
In September, Gloria Sachdev was invited to give presentations regarding market and policy ideas to advance transparency, affordability, and competition to the following organizations:
- September 15th: North Carolina Business Coalition on Health
- September 20th: Conner Insurance Healthcare Event
- September 29th: Indiana Health Care Cost Oversight Task Force
Thank you for the opportunity to present!
Updates from the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions
2023 Annual Forum: Temperature Rising
The National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions 2023 Annual Forum, November 13-15, will focus on imagining, designing and influencing the future of workplace health. This is a great meeting that EFI will be attending and moderating a session. Register at this link.
Protecting Employee Health in the Workplace
As cold, flu and RSV season approaches, see recommendations that may help protect families and businesses. Review the recommendations here.
Setting the Record Straight: The Urgency of Achieving Hospital Fair Price
“Two worrisome realities are all too common due to outrageous and indefensible hospital prices. Employees are being pushed into medical debt and forced to forego total compensation enhancements, and employers are facing unprecedented profitability headwinds.
New data transparency reinforces what we have long known: Hospital prices are out of control, and we can’t rely on health systems and health plans to course correct. In fact, data indicate that for most hospitals a “fair price” for patients privately insured by employers is 140%–200% of what Medicare pays for the exact same products, procedures and services at the exact same facilities—with some hospitals charging more than 500% of Medicare prices. A fair price should allow for a reasonable markup from verifiable costs.” Read the full report here.
An additional resource titled, “Hospital Price Transparency Playbook ” can be found here.
Member Spotlight
Christan Royer
Director of Benefits and HR Strategic Communication, Indiana University
What inspires you to continue your membership with the Forum?
The Forum is an amazing coalition, bringing together stakeholders from all areas of healthcare. Having the opportunity to learn more from some of the smartest individuals in the industry as well as hear perspectives from all stakeholders has been invaluable throughout my career. I have been able to learn so much over the years on many different topics and increase my business acumen by networking with others. I would encourage all employers to continue to come to meetings and learn from peers and stakeholders as we all work together to solve tough issues.
What is your perception of the publics’ opinion on the healthcare system?
I often hear from our employees, personal friends, and family that they do not understand healthcare. Most complaints are around:
- Lack of access to care. Finding an in-network mental health provider or even finding one that has appointments is a challenge.
- Cost of healthcare. Universally, many believe healthcare costs too much. When I talk to employees about retirement, the number one barrier to retirement is the cost of healthcare. Many believe they won’t be able to afford healthcare in retirement on a fixed income, so keep working well past retirement age.
- A broken system. To be honest, this is the complaint I hear most often. People often don’t know how to explain or voice their frustration with healthcare other than to say it is broken. While I can’t always help, I am thankful that my background can sometimes allow me to assist people navigating the system to reduce their frustration.
Dogs or Cats?
We are a dog family. We currently have two Chesapeake Bay Retrievers that are working dogs. They hunt and compete in field trials. I am terrible at training, but I spoil the dogs when my husband isn’t making them work. We are also part of the national Chesapeake Bay Retriever Relief & Rescue network. We help foster and transport dogs, when we can. In the last 1.5 years, we have fostered 4 dogs, all who have gone on to their forever homes!
In the News
Employers:
- Health Care Service Price Comparison Suggests That Employers Lack Leverage To Negotiate Lower Prices (Health Affairs)
- Facing Higher Health Costs, Employers Get Tough (Axios)
- Claire Fiddian-Green: College Matters. Let’s Boost Our Enrollment Rates. (IBJ)
- Real World Validation of Payer Pricing Files: Policy Implications (Health Affairs)
Policy:
- Fact Sheet: Key Information on the Process for the First Round of Negotiations for the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program (CMS)
- Medical Staffing Co. says “Surprise Billing” Ban Hastened Bankruptcy (Reuters)
- Why Congress is Targeting Provider-Insurer Contracts (Modern Healthcare)
- Judge Grants Preliminary Injunction In Physician Noncompete Lawsuit (IBJ)
Hospitals
Insurance
Providers & Physicians
Pharmacy
- “Innovation Bullying” In Drug Policy (Health Affairs)
- Nonprescription Naloxone Available For Retail Sales (NGA)
- The Unbundling: Is Blue Shield’s Big Move a PBM Game-Changer? (Work Week)
- Save Billions or Stick With Humira? Drug Brokers Steer Americans to the Costly Choice (KFF)
- Mark Cuban-Backed Study Finds Price Discrepancies in Hospital Services (Modern Healthcare)
Other Healthcare News
- CDC Recommends Updated COVID-19 Vaccine for Fall/Winter Virus Season (CDC)
- Number of Hoosiers Without Health Insurance Declines (IBJ)
- 22 States with Highest Obesity Rates: New CDC Data (Beckers)
- Google Health’s Chief Clinical Officer Talks About Incorporating AI in Health Care (JAMA)
- 2023 ADA Heartland State of Diabetes Online Event (ADA)
- At Dartmouth, US Surgeons General Call for “Stronger Communities” to Address Mental Health Crisis (NHPR)
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