QSEHRA Revives Employer Payment Plans For 2017

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QSEHRA Revives Employer Payment Plans For 2017

On December 13, 2016, President Obama signed the 21st Century Cures Act into law. Called “the most important bill of the year,” the bipartisan Act makes changes to a wide range of healthcare issues. These include allocating billions for cancer research, easing the FDA drug approval process, and allowing doctors to test medical devices without a patient’s informed consent in certain situations. One item that will be of interest to finance and human resource professionals at small employers ...

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6
JAN
0

Affordable Care Act, Employee Benefits, Finance, HR, Individual Insurance, Small Group

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Milwaukee health rank drops, still compares favorably

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Milwaukee health rank drops, still compares favorably

The Commonwealth Fund’s 2016 Scorecard on Local Health System Performance is out, and it gives interesting perspective on the state of healthcare in the U.S. Wisconsin and the Upper Midwest scored well overall, while most Southern states did not. Milwaukee’s ranking dropped 17 spots from the 2012, the year the first edition of the Scorecard was released, yet it still compares favorably to other major cities.

The latest Scorecard measured changes in the country’s 306 ...

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21
JUL
0

Affordable Care Act, Employee Benefits, Medicaid, Strategy, Wisconsin Insurance News

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Madison area providers explore partnerships

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Madison area providers explore partnerships

Two health systems and their affiliated insurance companies are exploring a strategic partnership in Wisconsin. This is yet another example of the trend of consolidation among health care providers and insurance companies.

UW Health and UnityPoint Health announced two non-binding letters of intent regarding a future joint operating agreement last month. One letter describes a plan to “create an integrated clinical enterprise with a shared strategic direction.” The second letter describes a possible combination of ...

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19
JUL
0

Employee Benefits, Strategy, Wisconsin Insurance News

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Study finds Wisconsin has high healthcare prices

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Study finds Wisconsin has high healthcare prices

A study released this month by the nonprofit Health Care Cost Institute found that Wisconsin has the second highest healthcare prices among the 41 states it surveyed. The study was based on claims data from UnitedHealthcare, Aetna, and Humana, which the Institute said represents 34% of total commercial claims in Wisconsin. The study found that prices in Wisconsin for over 200 common medical services were on average 81% higher than the national average, and that the ...

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31
MAY
0

Consumerism, Employee Benefits, Finance, HR, Individual Insurance, Strategy

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New Provider-Carrier Partnerships Expand Across Wisconsin

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New Provider-Carrier Partnerships Expand Across Wisconsin

The first four months of 2016 have already seen three new partnerships announced between Wisconsin health systems and insurance companies. Looking down the road, it appears that provider-led health plans may soon become a major force in Wisconsin health insurance.

In January, Aspirus and WPS Health Solutions announced that they are forming a new health insurance company in north-central Wisconsin that will be called Aspirus Arise Health Plan of Wisconsin. In April, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue ...

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18
MAY
0

Affordable Care Act, Consumerism, Employee Benefits, Finance, HR, Strategy, Wisconsin Insurance News

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2016 HR Awards Winners Announced

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2016 HR Awards Winners Announced

The Milwaukee Business Journal has announced the winners of its second annual HR Awards!

The HR Awards program is intended to recognize the best human resources programs or practices that have had a positive impact on employees and the overall organization. In addition to receiving cash prizes provided by Mueller QAAS CEO Jim Mueller, the winners will be celebrated at an awards ceremony at the Pfister Hotel Friday May 20.

Please join us in congratulating the ...

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19
APR
0

Employee Benefits, Events, HR, Time Sensitive!

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Is Retail Medicine Really a Smart Choice?

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Is Retail Medicine Really a Smart Choice?

Smart Choice MRI and ThedaCare announced this month that the Appleton-based health system is investing $3 million in the Mequon-based stand-alone MRI provider. In the announcement, ThedaCare’s senior vice president of Systems of Care Support, Keith Livingston, described the partnership as a collaboration with a competitor that is “consistent with our need to learn how to better meet consumers’ needs in the evolving retail health marketplace.” Livingston also told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that “[h]ealth care ...

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24
FEB
0

Consumerism, Strategy

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Last Chance for 2016 HR Awards Nominations!

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Last Chance for 2016 HR Awards Nominations!

The nomination deadline for the 2016 HR Awards is March 11, 2016. If you know an HR professional or team in Southeastern Wisconsin who deserves to be recognized, please nominate them at MilwaukeeBusinessJournal.com.

The HR Awards recognize the important work individuals, companies and organizations do in the field of human resources to make southeastern Wisconsin firms and organizations successful. In addition to receiving cash prizes, the winners will be honored at an awards dinner on May 20 and will ...

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23
FEB
0

Events, HR, Time Sensitive!

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ThedaCare to Leave Network Health

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ThedaCare to Leave Network Health

ThedaCare announced last week that it will leave Network Health on December 31, 2016. The Appleton-based health system first informed the Menasha-based health insurer last month that it would not continue the five year partnership that was due to expire at the end of July. The new extension will give Network Health employer groups and members extra time to adapt to the change, but will still result in significant disruption in the Northeast Wisconsin health insurance market.

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1
FEB
0

Employee Benefits, Finance, HR, Strategy, Time Sensitive!

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7 Weeks Left for HR Awards Nominations

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7 Weeks Left for HR Awards Nominations

The Milwaukee Business Journal is now accepting nominations for its second annual HR Awards. The HR Awards recognize the important work individuals, companies and organizations do in the field of human resources to make southeastern Wisconsin firms and organizations successful. In addition to receiving cash prizes, the winners will be honored at an awards dinner on May 20 and will be featured in a special section in the Business Journal. You can read about last year’s winners Continue Reading →

25
JAN
0

Events, HR, Time Sensitive!

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