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Agent and Consultant Briefing:
July/August 2010
In this issue: On My Mind
Will return next month.
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Legislature to Study Health Care Reform Implementation
Cheryl DeMars, President & CEO, will serve as one of 14 public members serving with legislators on the new Special Committee on Healthcare Reform Implementation created by the State of Wisconsin Legislative Council.
The committee will be studying and making recommendations on changes that should be made to Wisconsin’s statutes and administrative rules in response to recently enacted federal health care reform legislation. The committee is directed to study all aspects of the federal legislation that affect Wisconsin including insurance market reforms, coverage for uninsured persons, preventative care, taxation, quality improvement and health workforce issues.
The committee will be co-chaired by Rep. Jon Richards (Milwaukee) and Sen. Jon Erpenbach (Middleton). Sen. Alberta Darling (River Hills) was named as vice chair. Sen. Judith Robson (Beloit), Rep. Marlin D. Schneider (Wisconsin Rapids), Rep. Jennifer Shilling (La Crosse), and Rep. Pat Strachota (West Bend) will also serve on the committee.
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Early Retiree Reinsurance Program Applications Now Being Accepted
The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services is now accepting applications for the Early Retiree Reinsurance Program (ERRP). A link to the application, instructions, FAQs, and other information is available on the PPACA Updates page.
Applications will be processed in the order they are received. The program was established in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) to help offset the cost of providing health benefits to early retirees. Once approved, participating employer plans would be reimbursed for a portion of certain claims incurred by early retirees and their spouses, surviving spouses, and dependents. $5 billion has been allocated for the temporary program.
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Quantum’s Program Claims Validated by DMPC
Quantum Health recently received an audit letter from the Disease Management Purchasing Consortium (DMPC) that certifies that DMPC has found Quantum’s claims about its program savings to be valid.
Unlike “pre-post” savings methodology typically used by care management vendors, DPMC has validated Quantum’s “plausibility indicators” — those indicators that would move in a certain direction if savings are real, but wouldn’t show movement if savings are illusory. For example, if an employer’s average length of hospital stay was 4.8 days per 1,000 members before implementing Quantum Health and it was reduced to 4.0 days per 1,000 members after, that would be a true savings to the health plan. This is just one of many indicators they use to measure savings.
The DMPC auditor letter carries a guarantee of up to $100,000 attesting that results being claimed by Quantum arevalid. This guarantee is in addition to any performance guarantees.
The Alliance has partnered with Quantum to offer their Coordinated Health/Care™ program to Alliance member companies with 200 or more employees across all networks. Even if a portion of these employees are in The Alliance network, the contract and savings can be applied to all employees. For more information, contact Bobbi Jones, product management specialist, at 800.223.4139, x 6638, or bjones@the-alliance.org. You can also learn more about the program on our website.
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Alliance Resources for Open Enrollment and Health and Wellness Fairs
As employers begin to prepare for open enrollment as well as health and wellness fairs, don't forget about the following resources The Alliance has to help promote wellness with employees:
The Alliance Website - Our website has a section devoted to consumers with information to help individuals understand and be a better consumer of health care:
- Patient Safety Toolkit – Information about how to avoid medical errors, understand a diagnosis, manage medications, prepare for medical visits, and talk to a doctor.
- How to Be a Better Health Care Consumer – Easy-to-read presentations on how to become a wise health care consumer and information about the safety and quality of health care.
- BabyLove – This complimentary Alliance member program helps those who are expecting start pregnancy off on the right foot. Program includes a health screening and a free copy of one of the What to Expect books.
- Diabetes Toolbox – Tools to help those with diabetes learn how to manage and live well with it.
- Healthy Living Discounts – Includes discounts for gyms, karate studios, nutrition counseling, hearing aids, and more.
- Customer Service and Frequently Asked Questions – Your employees will find answers to FAQs and contact information for our customer service department, along with information for Spanish speakers, here.
QualityCounts™ and Find a Doctor – The QualityCounts Outpatient Procedures and Tests Report and Inpatient Hospital Reports are available here as well as through the Find a Doctor search. This flyer (.pdf) explains how to search for a provider using Find a Doctor and provides more information about our QualityCounts reports.
Brochures for Employee Education – More than 30 free brochures (.pdf) on various health topics.
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National Travel/Wrap Plan Partnership
The Alliance offers a partnership with the National Access Program by NHBC (National Health Benefits Corporation) for employees and dependents who travel or live in locations outside The Alliance service area.
This partnership provides savings outside The Alliance service area and is a seamless and fully integrated travel/wrap-around network. The Alliance’s partnership offers significant savings, extensive access, and superior customer satisfaction.
Learn more here (.pdf).
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Go Green for the Planet and Your Health
Wellness is not only about employees and their organization, but about the world we live in. Everything we do throughout the day has an impact on the planet. In the US alone, over 3 trillion gallons of water could be saved annually if every household used water-saving appliances. It has become more common to see individuals and employers that are implementing a Go Green initiative. What does this mean for employees? Employers who reevaluate their corporate policies can grow their bottom line, help employees save money and help save the planet.
Going Green can impact the overall wellness of an organization by reducing the use of harmful chemical cleaners, increasing exercise by promoting walking or riding a bike to work, introducing new locally grown or organic products into participants’ diets, and many other ways. Here are some ways employers can Go Green in the work place:
- Travel: establish a carpool system, and promote biking or walking to work. Rethink your mode of business travel, take a train, bus or subway when possible rather than flying or renting a car. When renting, request a hybrid vehicle.
- Food and beverages: Provide washable silverware, dishes, cups and coffee mugs for employees to use rather than disposable ones. Buy fair trade or organic coffee. Choose food vendors that provide produce that is locally grown or promote local farmers markets to employees.
- Lighting: artificial lighting accounts for an average of 44 percent of electricity used in an office. Make it company policy to turn off all lights when leaving the room and use natural light whenever possible. Buy ENERGY STAR light fixtures or replace bulbs with energy efficient florescent or LED light bulbs.
- Computers: in the business sector alone over $1 billion worth of electricity is expended to power computers annually. Make it a habit to turn off your computer and power strip daily. Set a sleep timer during breaks; a screen saver does not save energy. Recycle or donate old computers that are no longer being used (you may be able to get a tax deduction).
- Printing: on average an office worker in the U.S goes through 10,000 sheets of paper a year. Reinforce printing in black and white, and printing on both sides of the paper. Buy chlorine-free or recycled paper and recycle your toner and ink cartridges. Go paperless when possible, make it a policy to post employee manuals and similar materials online, rather than distribute print copies. They're easier to update that way, too.
Health Solutions Ltd® can help Alliance members identify areas to improve, provide education about Going Green and even implement a Go Green challenge for Alliance members and their employees. For more information about Health Solutions Ltd or their partnership with The Alliance, contact Bobbi Jones, product management specialist, 800.223.4139 x 6638.
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Calculate the Costs of Obesity in Your Organization
Obesity is a heavy burden for employers and can have a profound impact on the bottom line. The CDC's Obesity Cost Calculator can help employers calculate the costs of obesity in their organization. Visit the Obesity Cost Calculator.
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Let’s Quit Together Now
A new website is encouraging smokers to pledge to quit smoking. The site, www.LetsQuitTogetherNow.com, includes a running tally of those who have pledged to quit.
When someone pledges to quit, they’ll receive a Quit Band. Wearing the Quit Band is a way to show a person’s commitment to quit or to support someone who is quitting.
The site also offers Quit Cards with plan-to-quit strategies for download and lists information about Stop Smoking Workshops which will be held in Wisconsin starting this summer.
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Now's the Time to Plan Onsite Flu Shots
Now is the time for employers to start planning onsite flu clinics for next fall. As part of their membership, members can access discounts at a number of local providers.
To see the complete list of vendors, services offered, fees, and Alliance Employer preferred discounts members should visit our 2010 flu shot page at the Employer Resource Center, under the Employee Health and Education tab. They will need to log-in first. If they are unsure how to do so, they may contact Tierney Jensen.
We will also add any information to this page we receive from the CDC on flu or H1NI as it becomes available throughout the flu season.
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Alliance Provider Update
The Alliance encourages employers to distribute the monthly Provider Update listing to their employees.
Just a reminder: Always check the online provider directory for the most current provider information!
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QualityCounts™ for Employees
The Alliance encourages employers to distribute the monthly QualityCounts for Employees informational piece to their employees.
This month, Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are infections that patients catch while receiving treatment in a healthcare facility and affect 1.7 million patients in the U.S. each year. Share this piece (.pdf) with your employees to help them understand what HAIs are and what they can do to avoid them.
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News You Can Use
Each month, The Alliance highlights health care and benefit management news for employers in News You Can Use, with a link to take you to the original story or report.
This month we provide findings from the 2010 Segal Health Plan Cost Trend Survey (.pdf).
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About The Alliance Agent and Consultant Briefing
Each month, The Alliance Agent and Consultant Briefing delivers the latest news to insurance agents and consultants about Alliance services, programs and events as well as information on health benefit trends, issues and ideas of interest to our mutual clients.
Subscriptions are available on a complimentary basis. To subscribe, please send an e-mail with your name, title and organization to the marketing and member services department.
Reader comments, suggestions and topics are always welcome.
Cathy Lanser, Editor
Daniel Lehnherr, Design
Diane Loram, Business Development Manager
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