Category: Employee Benefits

Reference-Based Pricing: Employer Considerations

There is a lot of noise in the marketplace regarding referenced-based pricing (RBP) as a viable payment model for employer-sponsored health plans.  RBP is a payment model that does not utilize a network of providers, but rather bases reimbursement for claims on a percentage of Medicare, which serves as the “reference” point. The advantage of RBP to an employer is clear as most employers see savings ranging from 20% – 40%.  The RBP model can be applied across the board, or just for inpatient and outpatient facility charges.   Continue reading

Workplace Implications of Sleep

Sleep is a foundational element in determining one’s overall health and quality of life, with the average adult requiring at least seven hours of sleep per night for the best health and wellbeing.  Even though most people know this, sleep is severely undervalued in our culture, as revealed in a 2013 Gallup poll which showed that 40% of Americans get less than 6 hours of sleep per night.  What many people may not realize is that a lack of sleep leads to negative physical, mental and emotional consequences that have direct and meaningful implications in the workplace.

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ACA Ruled Invalid in Federal Court, Will Remain Pending Appeal

Last Friday, a federal judge ruled in Texas v. United States that the entirety of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is invalid due to the reduction of the individual mandate penalty to $0 in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which was passed at the end of 2017. The reduced penalty is scheduled to go into effect beginning in 2019.  As I discussed during our webinar following the midterm elections, this ruling was not unexpected. The White House has stated that the law remains in place, pending appeal, so there is no substantive change at this time.  This case is expected to eventually be heard by the Supreme Court and the constitutionally of the law will once again be determined by our nation’s highest court.  

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Scott Performance Thinking Resources

At Scott, we strive to create and add value for businesses. We provide expert insights and technical knowledge to help solve problems, create change and improve performance in the areas of risk management and employee benefits.

As a reader of our blog, we hope this has been your experience and that the content our team provides on a regular basis helps inform and elevate your thinking surrounding these critical components of your company’s culture and overall performance.

We’d like to introduce you to some additional free Performance Thinking resources from Scott that can help you improve your business.  

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Takeaways from the 2018 Midterm Election

Yesterday’s historic election saw the most voter turnout for a midterm ever in the United States, and today both Republicans and Democrats are claiming victory. While there are still many votes being counted and races still to be decided, it’s clear the Democrats have taken control of the House of Representatives and the Republicans have increased their majority in the Senate.

At this point, Democrats appear to have gained 30+ seats in the House of Representatives and Republicans will increase their Senate majority by three to five seats. This outcome was expected by many and was predicted by polling in recent weeks.

How will the shift in power impact employer-sponsored healthcare?  

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