Health Policy:
Empowering Employers to Enact Change

Just as The Alliance helps employers achieve High-Value Healthcare, we advocate for healthcare policy that benefits employers and their employees and families.

We work closely with state and federal legislators, providing the education and insights they need to make well-informed decisions about healthcare topics that matter to businesses. We also keep our employers up to date on health policy trends that affect their businesses.

Committed to Promoting Effective Advocacy and Positive Change

  • Free market healthcare can lower prices

    Our health system is fraught with obstacles that hinder free market principles, including the lack of transparent price and quality information.

  • The perspectives of those paying for care should be heard in health policy debates

    Our employer-members provide health benefits because they care about their workers. It is becoming increasingly difficult for them to manage costs leading to lower wages and reduced benefits for their employees.

  • There is an opportunity to add value to healthcare

    Our data shows that those paying for healthcare could save significantly if we steer most of the “shoppable” healthcare to providers delivering high value at a reasonable price.

  • High-quality, affordable healthcare is possible

    We’re working toward a future where high-quality, affordable healthcare is reliably delivered to all people.

Advocacy Strategy & Tactics

Employer Education

We keep our employers up to date on health policy that affects them using social media, blogs, webinars, newsletters, Events by The Alliance, partner events, and media relations.

Public Official Education & Outreach

We involve employers and other stakeholders in sharing unique insights and perspectives with public officials by contacting officials directly, sharing issue briefs, writing editorials and opinion pieces, and presenting to community groups.

Lobbying

We meet with state and federal legislators, testify at public hearings, submit comments on proposed regulations, and write letters or organize letter-writing campaigns for our employers.

Partnerships

The American Benefits Council

Provides expertise and education on health policy issues. The Alliance belongs to The Council on behalf of employer-members, which enables us to join in Council activities and pass along educational materials and learning opportunities.

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The National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions

Offers insights on current health policy issues and may comment or reach out to legislators regarding issues that impact healthcare purchasers. The Alliance belongs to this organization on behalf of employer-members.

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The Self-Insurance Institue of America, Inc. (SIIA)

A member-based association dedicated to protecting and promoting the business interests of companies involved in the self-insurance and captive insurance industry. The Alliance belongs to this organization on behalf of employer-members and passes along information that may be important to their companies.

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Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC)

One of the state’s largest and most influential business associations, working to make Wisconsin the best place in the nation to do business. WMC is the state chamber of commerce, state manufacturers’ Association, and state safety council. The Alliance belongs to this organization on behalf of our employer-members.

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Advancing Free Market Healthcare

A committee established to pursue a consumer-centered, free market healthcare marketplace that delivers the highest value healthcare possible. The Alliance partnered with AFMH to amplify the collective voice of employers on health policy matters that impact employees and their families and all healthcare consumers.

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Get Involved!

The Alliance counts on our volunteers’ knowledge, skill, and time to achieve our mission to move healthcare forward. In return, volunteers learn, grow, and expand their network. Contact us to learn about opportunities to get involved in health policy and start building relationships within our community while helping employers increase value for their employees and manage costs.

Contact Us

What We’ve Been Doing

The Alliance signs on to open letters from organizations like the American Benefits Council and The National Alliance of Healthcare Purchasers Coalitions to educate Congress about health policy issues. We comment on pending regulations at the state and federal level that matter to employers.

2023

 

Quoted in a statement for the House Energy and Commerce Committee Subcommittee on Health’s hearing titled “Lowering Unaffordable Costs: Examining Transparency and Competition in Health Care.”

2022

 

Signed a letter petitioning the federal government to protect patients from surprise bills by supporting the Qualifying Payment Amount in the No Surprises Act.

Joined 67 other organizations to urge Congress to maintain vital consumer protections in the No Surprises Act.

2021

 

Submitted a letter to the Dept.’s of Labor, Treasury, and Health & Human Services outlining our support for a Qualified Payment Amount.

Signed on to the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions’ letter asking legislators to protect health care consumers from surprise medical bills.

Submitted joint comments with Common Ground to CMS illustrating the importance of real price transparency in health care pricing.

Joined 63 other organizations to urge Congress to maintain vital consumer protections in the No Surprises Act.

2020

 

Brought our members to speak in front of Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers’ drug task force to reduce prescription drug prices.

Urged the House and Senate to provide accessible, affordable coverage for Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic while mitigating insurance risk and protecting patients from price gouging in May and November.

2019

 

Contacted legislators about the need to repeal the Cadillac Tax.

Urged lawmakers to support the Lower Health Care Costs Act.

Supported The Leapfrog Group’s letter on proposed CMS rules and regulations asking for transparency in Public Reporting.

Signed on to ERISA’s letter to the Senate objecting surprise medical billing.

2014

 

Testified to the S. Senate Finance Committee.

2023

 

Quoted in a statement for the House Energy and Commerce Committee Subcommittee on Health’s hearing titled “Lowering Unaffordable Costs: Examining Transparency and Competition in Health Care.”

2022

 

Signed a letter petitioning the federal government to protect patients from surprise bills by supporting the Qualifying Payment Amount in the No Surprises Act.

Joined 67 other organizations to urge Congress to maintain vital consumer protections in the No Surprises Act.

2021

 

Submitted a letter to the Dept.’s of Labor, Treasury, and Health & Human Services outlining our support for a Qualified Payment Amount.

Signed on to the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions’ letter asking legislators to protect health care consumers from surprise medical bills.

Submitted joint comments with Common Ground to CMS illustrating the importance of real price transparency in health care pricing.

Joined 63 other organizations to urge Congress to maintain vital consumer protections in the No Surprises Act.

2020

 

Brought our members to speak in front of Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers’ drug task force to reduce prescription drug prices.

Urged the House and Senate to provide accessible, affordable coverage for Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic while mitigating insurance risk and protecting patients from price gouging in May and November.

2019

 

Contacted legislators about the need to repeal the Cadillac Tax.

Urged lawmakers to support the Lower Health Care Costs Act.

Supported The Leapfrog Group’s letter on proposed CMS rules and regulations asking for transparency in Public Reporting.

Signed on to ERISA’s letter to the Senate objecting surprise medical billing.

2014

 

Testified to the S. Senate Finance Committee.

Missed a Recent Health Policy Update?

We’ve got you covered!

August 2023

Learn updates on the state legislature budget, a proposal on mental health parity regulations, and requirements between pharmaceutical manufacturers, PBMs, plans and pharmacies.

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May 2023

Read about the Transparency Legislation introduced by Senator Felzkowski. Learn why No Cost Health Coverage is in jeopardy.

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April 2023

Read about health provisions in the Governor’s budget and how the end of the public health emergency will affect employees on Medicaid and BadgerCare Plus.

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