MBGH tapped into industry experts and innovative purchasers to educate employers on eliminating waste, inefficiencies and excess costs in health care and benefits. Attendees learned how to serve as catalysts for change in the way health care is paid for and delivered by identifying best practices and transforming expectations with carriers, intermediaries and vendors. A few highlights below:

Dr. Elisabeth Rosenthal kicked off our 2-day event with an overview of the employer role in navigating disruption, consolidation and cost pressures. She shared that much of what we see in today’s health care is not determined by what’s best for health, but what’s best for business and profit. We are at an inflection point in health care and COVID-19 has only amplified what’s wrong with our current system. She encouraged employers to educate plan members about how to ask the right questions and gather information to make good decisions. Demanding accountability and transparency from hospitals, providers and drug companies will ultimately save employers and employees money and will lead to better overall care. 

Gloria Sachdev, President and CEO of the Employers’ Forum of Indiana, presented and then moderated a lively panel discussion of employers who provided insights and best practices for transforming waste and misuse in health care and benefits. The panelists stressed the importance of demanding access to YOUR data. It begins by incorporating precise language into RFPs and contracts – including data rights, data driven performance guarantees and transparency around true pricing (not discounts). It is important not to look at price alone – the value equation includes both price and quality. Getting to high value means having the right solutions at the right price at the right time for the right people. Following this presentation, an interactive audience poll suggested employer purchasers are the stakeholder group most likely to take action on price transparency in the future. 

Carole Mendoza, (Former) Director of Global Health and Well-Being Strategy at IBM, provided the employer keynote address. She introduced the concept of Design Thinking and shared how putting employees at the center of benefit plan design and communications will help generate solutions that are different and truly effective. In order to launch an effective strategy, it’s important to really understand the diverse desires and pain points of your population. Her presentation was thought-provoking and provided real-life examples of how to effectively work together with employees to design a best-in-class benefits solution. 

The closing employer panel discussion was one of the most impactful sessions of the conference. Health Benefit leaders from The Boeing Company, GE Healthcare, and Huron Consulting Group discussed how 2020 has served as a wake-up call to employers. COVID 19 and social justice issues have spurred employers to embark on a journey to enhance emotional well-being and mental health services, expand telemedicine services and coverage, raise the bar around diversity and inclusion, and find new ways to stay connected with their workforce. These employers provided their perspective into the workforce of tomorrow which will likely include an ongoing emergence of new and innovative technology solutions that are advancing at warp speed, more racially diverse workforces and boards, less travel and more time with families, a shrinking presence in large city centers and more flexibility around scheduled hours and childcare.

We recognize that it is challenging to dedicate two full days to learning, so we have made it easy for MBGH members to gain access to all Annual Conference presentations at your convenience.

There are tangible action steps employers who are serious about driving down costs can take while ensuring their members have access to therapies that treat complex chronic, life threatening and rare medical conditions. Biosimilars can bring cost relief to the high cost of biologic medications.

Millions of people with diabetes who need this lifesaving medication face affordability barriers in the form of rising insulin prices and out-of-pocket costs. Employers should consider the broader impact to medical costs, employee retention and productivity when determining co-pays and plan design strategies.

Considering Authorized Generics in Pharmacy Benefits Design Employers should discuss coverage of Authorized Generics with their PBM or PBA – these drugs are made by the same manufacturer as their brand-name counterpart, have identical characteristics and ingredients, and are held to the same quality standards…and they cost significantly less!

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