Dear Forum Friends,
Happy Spring! We are excited to finally turn the corner for some warmer weather and hope you are able to enjoy some time spent outside while digging into our March newsletter.
Dave Kelleher
Interim President and CEO, Employers’ Forum of Indiana
Inside the Forum
Interested in past meeting topic or presentation? All past EFI All-Stakeholder Meeting presentations are freely and publicly available here. Check out top of mind healthcare topics today!
New EFI Board Member: Candace Shaffer
On behalf of the entire Forum team, we’re thrilled to announce that long-time EFI member Candace Shaffer has agreed to come on as our newest Board Member! With her extensive background in healthcare benefits and employee wellness, Candace brings a wealth of knowledge and strategic insight that will greatly benefit our mission and initiatives.
Candace currently serves as the Associate Vice President of Benefits & Payroll at Purdue University, where she leads the design and administration of benefits and payroll programs for faculty and staff. Under her leadership, Purdue has saved millions in healthcare spending and earned recognition as Indiana’s Healthiest Employer in both 2023 and 2024. Her commitment to improving the well-being of others is central to both her professional achievements and personal motivation.
Please join us in warmly welcoming Candace to the EFI Board!
Coalition Roundup
Texas Employers for Affordable Health Care
Webinar: Employer Health Care Data Field Guide
When: April 17, 2025 at 1pm ET
Registration: Link
Overview: During this webinar, the Employer Health Care Data Field Guide will be unveiled. The Guide is a one-of-a-kind roadmap for navigating the complexities of healthcare data access. The Guide’s author, Chris Deacon will guide attendees through its content including:
- Making the Most of the Data
- The Importance of Healthcare Data for Plan Sponsors
- Fiduciary Duty of Plan Sponsors
- Primer on Laws & Regulations
- How to Get the Data, including letter templates and responses to TPA objections
National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions
Download The Resource: PBM Misalignment Initiative: Final Report
Overview: The National Alliance PBM Misalignment Initiative investigates and addresses misalignment between employers and their pharmacy benefit management (PBM) service providers.
Building on the 2023 PBM Playbook and other related resources, this final report provides an overview of the current PBM landscape, examines factors driving misalignment, and identifies actionable steps employers can take to improve PBM practices and prices.
In the News
Employers:
- Transparency and Accountability: The Path to Meaningful Health Care Pricing Reform (ICC)
- Even ‘Good’ Employers Face Rising Risk of Lawsuits Over Health Plan Costs (Benefits Pro)
- New Tools to Health Employers Ensure Compliance with Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act Released (National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions)
Hospitals:
- Indiana System Signs Definitive Agreement to Acquire 19th Hospital (Beckers)
- Indiana Hospital Merger Would Lead to Higher Health Care Prices and Job Losses (Yale)
Insurer:
- UnitedHealth to Reimburse Pharmacies More for Brand-Name Drugs (Modern Healthcare)
- UnitedHealth Group PBM to Cut Some Drug Reauthorization Requirements (Modern Healthcare)
Private Equity:
Pharmacy:
- Medicare Part D Spending on 10 Diabetes Drugs Hit $35.8B in 2023 (MedCity News)
- Novo Nordisk Launches Lower-Cost Wegovy, Following Eli Lilly Into Direct-to-Patient Sales (MedCity News)
Policy:
- State Leaders Downplay Concerns of Possible Federal Medicaid Cuts (IBJ)
- Indiana Lawmakers Seek To Forbid Hospital Monopolies, But One Merger Fight Remains (KFF Health News)
- Senate Committee Advances Hospital Price Bill, But Expects More Changes (IBJ)
- Power, Money and Finger-Pointing: Gov. Braun Picks a Side in Muddy Health Care Price Fight (Indy Star)
Other:
- What Does the Future Hold for Public Health Funding? (ICC)
- Time for More Changes to Hoosier Hospitals (Indiana Capital Chronicle)
- Americans Borrow Estimated $74 Billion for Medical Bills in 2024 (Gallup)
- John Arnold’s Top Three Health Care Reforms (AV)
Do you have a suggestion or contribution for our next newsletter? Contact us.