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 Health Care Costs: Moving From Opacity to Transparency
Price transparency is an essential component of a value-based, rational health care marketplace. Yet, for many reasons, it remains elusive. Please join us to hear our panel of experts share their perspectives on:
- How health care prices vary for common procedures in Minnesota
- What employer coalitions nationally are doing to better understand the marketplace and push for greater price transparency
This member-exclusive webinar builds on our June member meeting where we learned Minnesota health plans reported profits of $810M in 2017, and Twin Cities hospital systems reported profits of $444M in 2016. The webinar is August 14, 2018, from 8:30 a.m.-10 a.m. login instructions will be sent to registrants prior to the event. Click here for a full description.
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If a friend or colleague is actively considering membership, please reach out to Deb Krause ([email protected]) for a guest pass to the webinar!
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Mental Health First Aid: The Power to Save Lives
"Mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of, but stigma and bias shame us all."
Former President Bill Clinton
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"We ALL can make a difference in people's lives"
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While those with mental health and substance use challenges often face high levels of judgment, people can and do recover when they have access to appropriate care and ongoing support. This was the key message heard by more than 30 Action Group members and staff who were given a unique opportunity July 18 to participate in a new wave of first aid training rapidly sweeping the world, Mental Health First Aid at Work.
"The most compassionate and kind thing to do is to ask someone if they are O.K. And a vital part of assisting someone is listening; being fully in the moment with the person who may need help getting to the care they need," says Donna DeWan, trainer and director, NYS Regional Planning Consortium at NYS Conference of Local Mental Hygiene Directors. "Mental health first aid has the power to save lives."
When mental health "First Aiders" learn to notice and support coworkers who may be experiencing a mental health or substance use concern or crisis and connect them with employee resources, the workplace can become a safe and supportive environment, free from stigma, where all can thrive. To learn more, please contact Action Group Vice President, Deb Krause ([email protected]).
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Many Drugmakers Ignore Trump -- and Raise Prices Anyway
In the first 10 days of July, at least 10 drugmakers and biotechnology companies raised prices on 20 brand-name medicines, a review of pricing data from Rx Savings Solutions and Bloomberg Intelligence shows.
"The number of price increases in a short period suggests that Trump's use of the bully pulpit is likely to have little impact on drug prices in the long term," says Michael Rea, chief executive officer of Rx Savings Solutions.
This new Employee Benefit News about the price hikes features The Action Group's slide show, "5 Ways to Help Manage Specialty Drug Spending." Members of the multi-stakeholder Specialty Drug Guiding Coalition are actively pursuing specific action items, deliverables and a timeline to address high costs and variability in Minnesota and nationally. Read more
here. In addition, the
National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions has adopted The Action Group's "5 Rights Framework," helping accelerate change through its 50+ health care coalition members.
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| Employer Benefits Survey Aids Open Enrollment Planning
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To view a
Star Tribune Article about the Survey, click
here
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The Action Group's Annual Employer Benefits Survey offers key insights to guide health care benefits strategy and planning for open enrollment and beyond.
The full results have been shared with all Survey participants. High-level findings are featured in three summaries that are publicly available.
"Survey results inform our work throughout the year," says Jon Scholemer, director of compensation and benefits for Mills Fleet Farm. "In addition to enabling us to benchmark against other Minnesota employers, we mine the results to ensure our benefits are continually refined to attract and retain top talent."
Those who did
not participate in the 2018 Survey but would like a copy of the full results may receive them by committing to taking the Survey in 2019. Please contact Deb Krause ([email protected]) to learn more.
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Helping Employees Avoid Type 2 Diabetes Within Reach
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Most people with prediabetes need to lose just 5%-10% of their body weight to reverse progression to type 2 diabetes. That's good news for the 86 million Americans at high risk for developing the disease.
In the last 20 years, the number of adults with diabetes has more than tripled as the U.S. population has aged and become more overweight. Now more than 30 million Americans have diabetes, increasing the risk for a long list of serious health problems, including heart attack, stroke, blindness, kidney failure, and loss of toes, feet or legs.
Employers are in a unique position to help stop diabetes in its tracks. Perhaps the best way to raise awareness is to make the quick and easy prediabetes self-test available to employees. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is collaborating with The Action Group to make the National Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) a covered benefit for employees. This proven lifestyle change program can cut the risk of diabetes in half. Additional free employer resources are now available:
- MDH/Action Group Employer Toolkit includes DPP vendors, a risk calculator, fact sheet, FAQs and much more. To view, please click here (select "National Diabetes Prevention Program" tile).
- CDC Diabetes Prevention Impact Toolkit, designed for states, employers, and insurers, please click here.
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Professional Development Opportunities! Join as at one of These Special Events...
The Action Group opens doors to a variety of professional development opportunities.
Member Meetings:
All regularly scheduled member meetings are held at the Hilton Airport/MOA, 3800 American Boulevard East, Bloomington, from 8 a.m.-10 a.m. Webinars are held from 8:30 a.m-10 a.m.
Public Meetings and Events:
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Hennepin County is Hiring!
Hennepin County Human Resources is seeking a benefits manager to plan and direct the design, implementation, communication and administration of employee benefit programs exceeding $200 million in annual expenditures.
The HR Department provides a range of comprehensive services for more than 9,000 employees in 30 departments, including benefits, employee wellness, business partners, staffing, workforce development, classification, compensation, learning and development, and organizational development. To learn more or to apply, please click
here.
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Look to the Member Center for Benefits Tools and Resources
Member-exclusive presentations and materials are available through the Member Center from the
homepage. For example:
- Presentations from member meetings about ACOs, RFPs, health care economics, cancer in the workplace, and many more are available by logging into the Member Center from the homepage.
- "Working Well in Minnesota: Insights and Actions for Advancing Mental Health in the Workplace" (click here to view a blog by Deb Krause, Action Group vice president, "Mental Health Parity: It's Time to Fulfill the Promise!")
- Comprehensive Member Directory
- Specialty Pharmacy Purchaser's Guides (Phase I and Phase II)
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Express Roundup: Top Stories from The Action Group's Newsletter
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