Issue 43

Sept 10 All – Stakeholder Member Meeting

This meeting will feature Antonio Ciaccia, President of 3 Axis Advisors and a nationally recognized expert in healthcare drug pricing and policy. Antonio will provide an overview of the current industry players, drug pricing trends, and opportunities to address drug affordability. 

Karen Handorf, J.D., a Full Professor of the Practice at Center on Health Insurance Reforms (CHIR) and an ERISA attorney, will provide an update on the latest employer lawsuits and discuss strategies for mitigating risk through fiduciary oversight and contracting.

To round out the meeting, Jessica Brooks-Woods, CEO of the National Association of Benefits and Insurance Professionals, will join me on stage to discuss how employers can work with their brokers and consultants to drive drug affordability and accountability.

Please contact Sara Otte, sara@employersforumindiana.org for any meeting questions.

Get to know the new CEO!

The EFI Team is thrilled to welcome Randa Deaton as our new President and CEO. Take a few moments to get to know her with the below quick Q/A!

What drew you to the Forum and what project or initiative are you most excited to work on? 

I could not be more excited and honored to join EFI; I consider it one of the most influential and impactful state employer coalitions in the country. After working for many years in this space in Kentucky and at a national level, I am most excited to be working and collaborating with employers in my home state of Indiana to drive improved health care affordability and quality on behalf of Hoosier workers and families.

What inspired you to pursue a career in this industry, and how has your journey shaped your perspective on healthcare?

My passion for improving health care comes from both my personal and professional experiences over the last two decades. As part of my role in benefit strategy at Ford Motor Company, I was charged with engaging and collaborating with peer businesses in Greater Louisville to improve healthcare quality and affordability; here I learned the power of collective impact to drive improved transparency, accountability, and health outcomes. I also spent over a decade as a caregiver to a family member with a serious illness, and here I learned what exceptional and accessible care looks and feels like and its extraordinary impact on individuals and families. I believe we should all be working together to ensure access to exceptional care that optimizes outcomes.

What are some of your favorite activities or hobbies outside of work?

My husband and I love to travel, camp, watch sports, and hang out with our adult sons. We spend half the year weekend camping (or glamping) at Indiana State parks with friends and family hiking, biking, and sitting around the fire. The other half of the year is spent at IU football and basketball games cheering on the Hoosiers – a family tradition from both of our families. 

Sage Transparency 2.0 Data Update

Our free, online tool Sage Transparency 2.0 has once again been updated! As of July 30, the following data were updated:

CMS Hospital Star Ratings:

• Ratings were updated to reflect the CMS release on April 30, 2025

Quantros Hospital Quality Reliability Scores:

• Scores updated to reflect new data

Visit Sage Transparency

Texas Employers for Affordable Healthcare / Houston Business Coalition on Health

Texas Employers for Affordable Healthcare / Houston Business Coalition on Health

PODCAST: Listening In (With Permission): LINK

Andréa Caballero (Catalyst for Payment Reform) talks with Chris Skisak, Executive Director of Texas Employers for Affordable Healthcare and the Houston Business Coalition on Health, to explore how Texas employers are fighting back against hospital consolidation, opaque contracts, and rising healthcare costs.

Hospitals:

• Construction On $4.3B Downtown IU Health Hospital Complex Nears Halfway Mark (IBJ)
• Ascension Enters Agreement To Acquire Amsurg Outpatient Centers (Modern Healthcare)
• IU School of Medicine Opens New $230M Education and Research Building (IBJ)
• 2025 Scorecard on State Health System Performance (Commonwealth Fund)
• Community Health Network President Bryan Mills Announces Retirement After Four Decades of Service (CHN)
• Ascension St. Vincent Celebrates Blessing, Ribbon Cutting of Lucas Family Brain and Spine Hospital (Ascension)

Policy:

• Scott Signs Bill Capping Drug Prices at Vermont Hospitals (Seven Days)
• Why One State Banned Corporate Ownership Of Doctors’ Offices (Modern Healthcare)
• What Health Care Provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act Mean for States (NASHP)
• 2025 State Legislative End-of-Session Recap (CAHPR)
• Reining in Hospital Prices (US of Care)
• HHS Report Marks A Potential A Turning Point In Health Care Competition (Health Affairs)

Pharmacy:

• Prices For Obesity Drugs Fall, But Affordability Still Out Of Reach For Many (IBJ)

Public Health / Patients:

• Indiana’s Overall Child Well-Being Improves, With High Rankings In Economic And Education (ICC)
• Indiana Health Department Reports Potential Record-Low Infant Death Rate In 2024 (ICC)
• Doulas, Once a Luxury, Are Increasingly Covered by Medicaid — Even in GOP States (KFF)
• Surprise Medical Bills Were Supposed To Be a Thing of the Past. Surprise — They’re Not. (KFF)

Insurers:

• Health Insurers Promise To Improve Coverage Reviews That Prompt Delays, Complaints (IBJ)
• Insurers Vow To Make Prior Authorization For Treatment Easier. What That Means. (Washington Post)
• Indiana Chamber Will No Longer Have Anthem As Provider For Small-Business Health Coverage (IBJ)

Provider / Physician:

• An Attack on the Medical Establishment Buried in an 1,800-Page Regulation (NYT)
• Hospitals Scoop Up Physician Practices, Driving Prices Up (Axios)

Other:

• Price Changes: January 2000 to December 2024 (LinkedIn)