Sep 22, 2023 | Managed Care Friday
56%: Cataract surgery costs this much more when performed in a hospital outpatient department compared to an ASC. This is according to data from the BCBS Association. Analysis was performed on claims data for six common outpatient procedures across 133 million BCBS members from 2017 to 2022, which showed costs are consistently higher when procedures are performed in the hospital versus a lower site of care. Differences ranged between 31% more for clinical visits in the HOPD to 58% more for diagnostic colonoscopies. Closing The Gap: A new incentive program BCBS of NC started this year focuses...
Sep 15, 2023 | Managed Care Friday
5.4: The amount employers expect health benefit costs per employee to rise in 2024, largely due to market wide factors like inflation and labor shortages, along with healthcare specific costs like the approval of more gene and cellular therapies and increased utilization of the GLP-1 drugs for weight loss. This projected increase is larger than what employers have seen year over year in the past, which means self-insured employers will likely put additional pressure on health plans to try to keep costs down. “Expect continued emphasis on preventive measures, using telehealth to guide...
Sep 8, 2023 | Managed Care Friday
77: The percentage of mental health students and young practitioners ages 20-30 we polled who are both working toward a license as a therapist, psychologist or psychiatrist and would prefer to have or join a virtual practice. Injection At The Rx Counter: Bicycle Health, a telehealth provider of opioid use disorder treatment, is partnering with Albertsons to make prescriptions for Sublocade available at Albertsons pharmacies, which also include Safeway and Acme. The injection can be administered monthly as an alternative to taking a daily oral version. Once Bicycle Health patients receive a...
