Why are costs for prescriptions so much higher in the United States?
Specialty pharmacy will be 50% of a health plan’s drug spend by 2018. By 2020 pharmacy will be 50% of total healthcare spend. Pharmacy is the most utilized and least understood of healthcare costs. Why are costs for prescriptions so much higher in the United States than other countries? The easy answer is that Americans […]
Here’s why the CBO report on AHCA is wrong – BIG TIME!
Opponents of the American Health Care Act say 24 million more Americans will lose coverage. However, that number is based on faulty assumptions. The CBO report uses the ACA’s March 16 baseline projections for comparison. Projections that have already proven inaccurate. This leads to three flawed assumptions. 1) Premiums will not be more expensive than […]
Rx Refills made easy!
Don’t like lengthy waits to refill your prescriptions? Prefer to have refills delivered to your door? Prefer someone else troubleshoot insurance & renew refills for you? Let me introduce you to Phil. Phil is a service that manages your ongoing prescriptions. Phil partners with top-rated, locally-owned pharmacies that are licensed by the Pharmacy Board. These […]
Social Security – Where’s the AARP?
Do you know when you retire you may be paying taxes on your Social Security income? And yes, you already paid taxes on that income. It’s double taxation. (Our friends in Boston that had a bit of a tea party would love this one.) Not everyone pays though. Only high income earners. – When you […]
Men are the problem!
Men don’t go to the doctor unless their arm or leg is falling off or they are dying. Consequently they are a major reason for the large preventable claims your company is incurring. So men, get a reality check, and become a smart patient. Human Resource Directors, read the following then think about this recommendation. […]
Health Care Reform – Where do we stand?
By now everyone knows the initial attempt to replace Obamacare with a more workable solution has failed. I’m sure another attempt will resurface later. Let’s focus on what we know and how President Trump’s executive order, signed in January, impacted Obamacare. President Trump’s executive order is still in effect. – The primary focus of the executive […]
BMI – Good News for those trending on the Porky Side!
BMI, body mass index, measures the weight to height ratio. Good news for those trending on the high side, according to the report in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), the optimum ratio is on the upper side of the index. Currently, doctors define the normal range for BMI is between 18.5 and […]
Predictive Modeling – GRx
Many health insurance companies are looking at prescription usage to underwrite and rate group health insurance. It’s called predictive modeling. GRx uses complete and current prescription histories. Details include drug name, dosage, fill date, pharmacy and physician information. This Healthcare Intelligence allows carriers to make risk assessment decisions with confidence and more accurately develop premiums. […]
IRS Guidelines – Indexed for 2017
FICA Social Security Tax is 6.2% on income up to $127,200 up from $ 118,500. Medicare Tax unlimited 1.45% to Unlimited High Deductible Health Plans Minimum Annual Deductible (Individual/Family) $1,300 / $2,600 Maximum Out-of-Pocket Limit (Individual/Family) $6,550 / $13,100 Health Savings Accounts Individual / Family $3,400 / $6,750 Catch-up Contribution $1,000 Flexible Spending Accounts Health […]
Health Insurance As It Should Be (Part 2 of 2): Preventative, Wellness & Biometrics, Genetics & DNA
Under the ACA preventative care was free. At least there was no charge to the insured at the time they received the exam, the cost was built into the premiums. The argument was that an advanced diagnosis would save long term medical costs because illnesses would be caught at an early stage. If we use […]