Mike Thompson named NBCH President and CEO

We are pleased to share the news that Mike Thompson, a principal for PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC), has been offered and accepted the position of NBCH President and CEO.

At PwC for the past 20 years, Thompson is a national thought leader for business health strategies and health system reform. He has worked with major employers and other stakeholders on sustainable cost reduction, integrated health, wellness and consumerism, retiree health, private health exchanges and health reform. 

He was selected for his ability to forge and sustain collaborative relationships and communicate and advocate effectively to enable and build upon NBCH’s industry role and relationships.

Here's a link to today’s news release with additional details.

Welcome Mike!

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

# # #

NBCH Elects New Board Officers

NBCH announced its slate of new officers for the Board of Governors. Officers are elected by their board peers based on proven leadership and commitment to NBCH, as well as their efforts to advance and strengthen value-based purchasing strategies.

Additionally, Charles Smithers, COO for NBCH, was named Interim CEO.

Elected executive committee members include: Chair Karen van Caulil, Florida Health Care Coalition; Vice Chair, Gaye Fortner, HealthCare 21 Business Coalition; Secretary-Treasurer, Marianne Fazen, Dallas-Fort Worth Business Group on Health; and Representatives Larry Boress, Midwest Business Group on Health, and Anne Ladd, Wyoming Business Coalition on Health.

At-Large Representatives newly elected to the NBCH Board of Governors include: Jessica Brooks, Pittsburgh Business Group on Health, and Neil Goldfarb, Greater Philadelphia Business Coalition on Health. Current At-Large Board member Laurel Pickering, Northeast Business Group on Health was re-elected to serve a second term. Cheryl DeMars, The Alliance; Beverly Rossmiller, Tri-State Health Care Coalition; Cheryl Tolbert, Louisiana Business Group on Health; and Christie Travis, Memphis Business Group on Health, will continue their board terms.

“As health care purchasers continue to look for ways to impact the quality and cost of care, NBCH and its member coalitions are playing an increasingly vital role in providing tools and education,” said Karen van Caulil, PhD, President and CEO of the Florida Health Care Coalition. “I look forward to working with my colleagues from across the country to move this agenda forward and also welcome Chuck to his new role of Interim CEO. We appreciate his willingness to assist in NBCH’s transition to new leadership.”

Health Affairs: Engaging Health Care Consumers: The Lowe’s Experience

Worth reading and NBCH's recent study with Benz Communications is noted...

A recent post for the Health Affairs blog by Bob Ihrie, senior vice president of compensation and benefits for Lowe's, and Dr. Alan Spiro, chief medical officer for Accolade, outlined Lowe's evolution to better engage employees through its population health and benefits program.

Time will tell, but it appears that employers are not giving up on providing health insurance to their employees — even with the availability of health care exchanges. That’s at least what the results of a new study sponsored by the National Business Coalition on Health (NBCH) suggest.

Brian Klepper, CEO of the NBCH, speculated in his recent Health Affairs Blog post: “…there is an alternative view of what is possible in health care, and that self-funding and a willingness to continue trying to control the health care value monster remains alive and vibrant.”

As self-funded employers strive for a value-based health care marketplace, they’re looking at ways to drive value at an individual level — through strategies to engage employees as better consumers and managers of their own health care.

Over the last couple of decades, Lowe’s has been on a journey to encourage its employees to become engaged health care consumers. What Lowe’s experience teaches us is that health care systems are complex, and individuals value guidance from a trusted source, particularly when faced with difficult or challenging decisions...

NBCH CEO Andy Webber Quoted in Forbes Article on Employee Wellness Rules

NBCH's President and CEO, Andy Webber, was quoted in a Forbes article on the recently-published employee wellness program final regulations. Under the Affordable Care Act, employers are allowed to increase the incentives they provide to workers in order to get them into a wellness program, gym or other effort to encourage healthier behaviors. Employers also get clarity on implementing penalties for unhealthy workers.

“This reinforces that employers have been on the right track in using financial incentives as one approach among many to influence health,” Andrew Webber, president and chief executive of the National Business Coalition on Health in a statement to Forbes. “We’re supportive of the wellness rules and increasing the amount of incentives that employers can use in trying to influence employee behavior.”

Early bird rate ends Friday for IBI/NBCH Forum

The early bird rate for the 2013 IBI/NBCH Health and Productivity Forum ends this Friday, January 25.

This year's conference will be in Dallas, February 25-27. Additional details can be found here.

Employers Debate Use and Efficacy of Wellness Incentives

When it comes to wellness, employers are moving toward cash incentives as a way to motivate employees, but it's still unclear whether positive or negative reinforcement works best -- and whether such efforts are seen by workers as encouragement or intimidation. A Human Resource Executive article examines the questions employers face when offering wellness incentives, including:

• How much financial incentive is enough?
• Is negative reinforcement OK?
• Who should be targeted: the well, the at-risk or the sick?
• Do financial incentives distract from what some experts say is the ultimate incentive, the employee's intrinsic desire for health?

The article mentions the Health & Productivity conference held this past February in San Francisco, and co-hosted by NBCH and the Integrated Benefits Institute.

NBCH Contributes to 7-Step Guide to Starting an Employee Wellness Program

The Change Agent Work Group (CAWG) recently published a seven-step guide to starting an employee wellness program. As global competition continues to rise, employers are increasingly finding the importance in a healthy and productive work force. Employees’ health has both a direct and indirect impact on an employer’s bottom line, and to battle these costs, more employers are focusing on wellness programs, according to CAWG.

NBCH's President and CEO, Andy Webber, is a member of the CAWG, whose mission is to identify high impact policies, principles and strategies that will accelerate improvement in workforce health status, productivity, and quality of life; harmonize the divergent messages with a common language and definitions to make the information more actionable; and communicate the work product to those seeking guidance on improving the health status and productivity of their workforce.

U.S. Physician Groups Identify Commonly Used Tests or Procedures They Say are Often Not Necessary

Nine physician organizations have each identified five tests or procedures that may be overused or unnecessary as part of the Choosing Wisely campaign led by the ABIM Foundation, with Consumer Reports in an effort to improve health care quality and patient safety.

Patient advocates are calling the move a significant step toward improving the quality and safety of health care.

The lists of “Five Things Physicians and Patients Should Question” include:

Financial Impact of Health Reform on Employer Benefits not as Significant as Anticipated

In spite of employer fears, the financial impact of the provisions in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) have not been as significant as anticipated for most businesses and fewer U.S. employers responded that they plan to drop coverage due to the law’s mandate than was reported in 2010. These are some of the key findings from a new 2012 employer survey conducted by the Midwest Business Group on Health (MBGH) and co-sponsored by the National Business Coalition on Health (NBCH), Business Insurance and Workforce Management.

Many survey respondents indicated support for the ACA provisions that enable changes in provider payment, medical care coordination and providing medical cost and quality information for consumers. The survey also revealed divergent views among employers on whether the Supreme Court will or should strike down the individual mandate or the entire Act. This is the third national survey in a series conducted by MBGH since 2010 to gain an understanding of areas of most concern to employers related to health reform, and to help educate and inform purchasers and policymakers.

Participation Requested: National Employer Survey on ACA

We would like to invite you to include your views in a national survey intended to collect and report on how employers are responding to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) health reform law.

By completing this survey, you will receive a copy of the results in the form of valuable benchmarking information on how other employers of your size and industry are designing their health benefit strategies and programs. It will also provide business advocates with information on how to best represent employer interests and concerns about the law.

To start the survey, click on the following link: Health Reform's Impact on Employer Health Benefits.

The survey is sponsored by the the Midwest Business Group on Health, National Business Coalition on Health, Business Insurance, Workforce Management, Aon Hewitt and Buck Consultants

Saint Luke’s Recognized by IBI/NBCH for Health & Productivity Leadership

Saint Luke’s Health System was honored with the 2012 Healthy Workforce Productivity Award by the Integrated Benefits Institute (IBI) and the National Business Coalition on Health (NBCH) at their annual Health & Productivity Forum. The award recognizes leadership in the area of health and productivity and honors an employer that has worked with its employees to develop, implement and measure an innovative health and productivity initiative.

The award is sponsored by Johnson & Johnson Health Care Systems. Saint Luke’s was nominated by the Mid-America Coalition on Health Care.

Click here for photo and news release.

NBCH Employer Webinar: The Obesity Care Continuum & Appropriate Treatment Options

Wednesday, December 14, 2011 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM EST

1-866-951-1151; ID5062618

Register Here: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/247749314

In partnership with Ethicon Endo-Surgery, the National Business Coalition on Health (NBCH) is pleased to offer the following webinar open to coalitions, employers, or any stakeholder interested in learning more about the obesity epidemic and particularly, the continuum of treatment options. Employers are making great strides in creating healthier worksites and supporting wellness initiatives, and for many, prevention is a powerfully effective tool. However, for the one-third of U.S. adults who are obese (BMI over 30), other treatment options are often necessary, and for appropriate candidates, bariatric surgery has proven to be one of the most effective and long lasting treatments for morbid obesity and the resolution of comorbidities such as type 2 diabetes and hypertension.

NBCH VBP Committee Call Open to All Members

Thursday, 12/15/11 2-3:30PM EST
1-866-951-1151, conference code 6806452
This call is open to all NBCH members
Please pre-register for the webinar portion of the call here: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/866277370

Allison Robbins from Imagine Health will be presenting on what Imagine does to identify the best specialists and hospitals in an employer's geographic area to create an employer-sponsored performance network called a Smart Employer Network (Smart E Network®). An employer-sponsored network is designed to include healthcare providers dedicated to improving clinical care and reducing the cost of care. Smart E Networks are created expressly for significant employer sponsors with a large concentration of employees in a geographical area or areas. Smart E Networks often compliment employer-sponsored primary care centers.

Wellness Programs Save Money, Nonprofit Group Argues

“The employer community is increasingly looking at this as an economic, business imperative,” Andrew Webber, president and CEO of the National Business Coalition on Health, told a Hill briefing about the report on Tuesday. Chronic illnesses such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer affect more than half the American population, according to Trust for America’s Health, putting a big drain on both government health care providers and employers who need to provide insurance.

Employers are finding that it’s cheaper to encourage employees to maintain a healthy weight, eat right, and encourage their kids to do the same, than to face a bill for medical crises related to preventable disease, Webber said. Healthy workers are also more productive. Read the full article...

Dear eValue8 Users and NBCH Member Coalitions:

As you may know we've been working to revamp the eValue8 communications materials to provide updated information to be used in marketing eValue8. Pasted below please find the eValue8 Mission and 2017 Vision as well as the “About eValue8” statement that will be used on the website and as the boilerplate for all press-related materials. 

We are also in the process of finalizing additional materials that can be used as is or customized for your own market including an eValue8 fact sheet, teaser/sell sheet and a purchaser advantage one-pager. The media guidelines on the eValue8 website are also being updated.

Please let us know if you have any questions.

Regards,

Foong- Khwan Siew, Director of eValue8, NBCH (fsiew@nbch.org)

Dennis White, Senior Vice President of Value-Based Purchasing, NBCH (dwhite@nbch.org)


Mission: eValue8™ is a transformational resource to help NBCH member coalitions lead in improving health and value of health care services in their communities by advancing value-based purchasing.

2017 Vision: In 2017, eValue8 is the essential resource used by coalitions and purchasers to align purchaser-plan strategies that advance value-based purchasing.

About eValue8™
eValue8 was created by business coalitions and employers like Marriott and General Motors to measure and evaluate health plan performance. eValue8 asks health plans probing questions about how they manage critical processes that control costs, reduce and and eliminate waste, ensure patient safety, close gaps in care and improve health and health care.

Health plans provide detail on how they educate, engage and incent consumers to promote health and manage disease, as well as measure and pay providers. Plans and purchasers receive objective scores enabling comparison of plans against regional and national benchmarks and a roadmap for improvement. As a result of face-to-face discussion of findings and roadmap, plans learn what they need to do to align their strategies with purchaser expectations to maximize the value of the health care investment and ultimately, improve health and quality of care.

For more information on eValue8...

Value-Based Purchasing Guide Update

Global Payment Case Study

Partners HealthCare joins the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts’ Alternative Quality Contract, a global payment system.

For more information, check out the case study in the Physician Payment Reform Chapter of NBCH's Value-Based Purchasing Guide.