In The News
Wear Blue…in honor of Men’s Health Month.
| June 4, 2013 |
June has been designated as Men’s Health Month in order to increase awareness of preventable health problems and encourage discussions between male patients and doctors. Annual doctor visits increase the chance of early detection of health problems. Not sure of what to discuss with your doctor? Download a discussion card. read more |
Final wellness programs rule published
| May 31, 2013 |
| Reported by NBCH. Yesterday HHS and the Department of Labor and the Department of Treasury published the long awaited final ruleof requirements for workplace wellness programs, allowing employers to require healthy efforts from employees to qualify for lower premiums. The final regulations, consistent with the Affordable Care Act, focus on nondiscriminatory wellness programs in group health coverage. Specifically, ... read more |
Health Insurance Exchanges Could Affect Wellness Programs, Experts Say
| April 17, 2013 |
According to Employee Benefit News, wellness programs could be affected if companies send employees to health insurance exchanges - either public or private - and decide wellness is not their responsibility, or if employees are less engaged. Experts say smaller companies may be most likely to move employees to the exchanges, which could mean they have less access to health data that influence wellness investments and ... read more |
Commonwealth Fund Tracking State Insurance Market Reforms
| April 8, 2013 |
| Last month, federal regulators at the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight released guidance on how the Affordable Care Act’s new private insurance market reforms—including guaranteed access to health care coverage and the ban on denying or limiting benefits for people with preexisting health conditions—will be enforced. While states are the primary regulators of insurance, the guidance ... read more |
United Health Reports Success with Diabetes Management Program
| April 4, 2013 |
| According to Employee Benefit News, a two-year study from UnitedHealthcare shows its disease management program for diabetes can help people with the condition manage it more effectively, while also reducing related costs. The study followed 620 people with diabetes for two years, examining their compliance with six key diabetes treatment and testing requirements, including regular primary care visits and screening tests ... read more |
National Business Coalition on Health and Pacific Business Group on Health Release Choosing Wisely Employer Toolkit
| February 26, 2013 |
| To make it easier for employers to educate their employees about the importance of talking with their physicians about their medical care, the Nation Business Coalition on Health (NBCH) and pacific Business Group on Health (PBGH) released the Choosing Wisely© Employer “toolkit. NBCH is a national, non-profit, membership organization of purchaser-led health care coalitions and PBGH is one of ... read more |
Arkansas Awarded $42 Million Grant to Support Payment Improvement Initiative
| February 22, 2013 |
| Arkansas has been chosen as one of six states seen as leading the country in efforts to dramatically improve the quality of patient care and rein in rapidly rising health care costs. The state has been awarded a $42 million State Innovation Model grant by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In announcing the competitive grant award, the CMS Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation noted that Arkansas ... read more |
ACA Section 1512 Update
| January 25, 2013 |
| Employer requirement to inform employees of coverage options. CMS announced that employers will not be required to meet the March 1, 2013 deadline of notifying their employees about Exchanges. To learn more go to Affordable Care Act Implementation. read more |
NBCH Selects Six Coalitions for Diabetes Prevention Grants
| January 22, 2013 |
| Program provides resources to increase awareness and lay the groundwork for benefit design strategies to cover CDC’s diabetes prevention lifestyle change program WASHINGTON – The National Business Coalition on Health (NBCH) announced that six member coalitions have been selected to receive $182,000 in funding of grants and stipends to increase awareness and lay the groundwork for coverage ... read more |
ACHI Health Policy Board Announces New Board Member
| January 4, 2013 |
| Activities focus on improving the health of Arkansans Fort Smith, Ark. - January 4, 2013. With the New Year also comes a new resolve to improve health care in Arkansas. Caryol Hendricks, Executive Director of Employers' Health Coalition has been named to the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement (ACHI) Health Policy Board. The board consists of 21 members from across the state that bring diverse ... read more |
Survey: Patients Welcome Active Role in Care
| December 28, 2012 |
| American healthcare consumers are buying into the notion that they must take an active role in their healthcare, according to a recent survey by Wolters Kluwer Health. The survey found 80 percent of healthcare consumers believe the trend of individuals taking a more active role in their own care is positive for americans. Further, and somehwat surprisingly, the consumers feel ready to do so: 76 percent reported ... read more |
National Influenza Vaccination Week
| December 5, 2012 |
| Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW) is a national observance that was established by CDC to highlight the importance of continuing influenza vaccination, as well as fostering greater use of flu vaccine after the holiday season into January and beyond. This year NIVW will be held December 2-8, 2012. Historically, vaccination activity drops quickly after the end of November. CDC and its partners, including NBCH, want to ... read more |