NBCH Launches National Risk Solution Purchasing Program

First initiatives focus on significant costs drivers: pharmacy benefits and
musculoskeletal management

WASHINGTON – June 17, 2015 – After payroll, health care benefits are the largest cost for most industries and coupled with the pending excise tax and current reform landscape, it’s more critical than ever for employers to focus on value-based benefits programs to achieve better health at lower costs. To help employers accomplish this, the non-profit National Business Coalition on Health (NBCH) is launching two risk solution programs focusing on pharmacy benefits and musculoskeletal management.

“We’ve focused on two areas that make up a significant share of health care costs,” said Charles Smithers, Interim CEO for NBCH. “By circumventing conventional purchasing/delivery arrangements and focusing on some of the most corrosive aspects of health care costs, we believe we can help employers recover much of this excess, with better health outcomes.”

A partnership has been established with National Employers' Choice Rx. Structured differently than most PBMs, National Employers' Choice Rx is focused on reducing hidden fees, uses an evidence-based formulary based on independent studies, and offers a narrow pharmacy network. In addition to higher quality, a savings of 15-25% with a health care spend reduction of 2-3% is estimated when compared to conventional PBMs.

“We’re committed to this product and the transparency it produces,” said Mike Evans, Director of Benefits at OK Foods Inc. and current National Employers’ Choice Rx client. “There is absolutely no other pharmacy benefit program that can compare in quality and cost savings to employers.”

The second program is with Integrated Mechanical Care, a musculoskeletal management group that uses evidence, analytics, and proprietary guidelines to resolve orthopedic conditions, minimize lost work time, and reduce pain and disability recurrence rates by more than 80%. IMC’s program offers enhanced health outcomes in half the recovery time, with guaranteed savings of at least 25%. Since orthopedic conditions are typically 10% to 20% of the total health spend, employers can realize benefit plan savings of 2.5% to 10%.

These services are available for employers through NBCH’s regional coalition members. NBCH plans to extend these risk solution services to other areas including cardiometabolic care, infusion, dialysis, advanced imaging, ambulatory surgery, large claims audit, high performance networks, and centers of excellence. For additional information or to participate in one of these programs, please contact Sara Hanlon, Vice President, Risk Solutions for NBCH, via email, shanlon@nbch.org.

"While it’s often said that health care is local, purchasers can benefit from national approaches that are value-driven with high expertise,” said Sara Hanlon. “These services can produce better health outcomes and reduce costs significantly, disrupting conventionally excessive care and cost. The real message to purchasers and health care professionals is that there are alternatives that can let purchasers recover the unnecessary costs they have assumed could not be challenged.”

About National Business Coalition on Health

National Business Coalition on Health (NBCH) is a national nonprofit membership organization of purchaser-led health care coalitions, representing more than 7,500 employers, unions and local governments, and approximately 35 million employees and dependents across the United States. NBCH and its members are dedicated to value-based purchasing of health care services through the collective action of public and private purchasers. NBCH seeks to accelerate the nation’s progress toward safe, efficient, high-quality health care and the improved health status of the American population. www.nbch.org

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