Tag: hr
The Million-Dollar Prescription: How Orphan Drugs Are Redefining Employer Risk
The Million-Dollar Prescription: How Orphan Drugs Are Redefining Employer Risk. One employee, one prescription, and a decision that can affect a health plan strategy for the year ahead. A moment like this is one that many employers are encountering as specialized therapies become increasingly available.In Benefits Architecture: Understanding the Life of a Medical Claim, we […]
The $300,000 Difference: Managing the Cost of Specialty Drugs
The $300,000 Difference: Managing the Cost of Specialty Drugs. It often starts with a diagnosis. An employee receives news that changes everything. It might be breast cancer, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, or another condition that requires advanced treatment.Their physician may recommend a specialty therapy – targeted medication designed to treat complex diseases more effectively than […]
Pharmacy Benefits Are Changing – Is Your Plan Ready?
Pharmacy Benefits Are Changing – Is Your Plan Ready? Many employer health plans appear financially stable – until they aren’t. Like the weather, conditions can look calm, then change quickly. One year, pharmacy costs may track closely with expectations. The next, a handful of high-cost prescriptions or a newly approved therapy can drive spending higher.A […]
Beyond the Coin Flip: Building Sustainable Healthcare in an Unpredictable Market
Beyond the Coin Flip: Building Sustainable Healthcare in an Unpredictable Market. For many employers, healthcare has started to feel like a coin flip. Some years, you “win.” Claims are manageable and utilization trends are steady. Other years, you “lose.” A handful of high-cost claims hit, specialty pharmacy spend spikes, and costs surge. Yet, no matter […]
The GLP-1 Boom: A Breakthrough With a Growing Blind Spot
The GLP-1 Boom: A Breakthrough With a Growing Blind Spot. Medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro are changing how many people manage type 2 diabetes, helping improve blood sugar control and, in many cases, support weight loss. The breakthrough has gained attention across the United States and made GLP-1 medications one of the fastest-growing drivers […]
Understanding Prior Authorization in Pharmacy Benefits
Understanding Prior Authorization in Pharmacy Benefits. Heading to the pharmacy to fill a prescription only to be told it needs prior authorization can be frustrating for employees, but it is an important step in the healthcare system.In many pharmacy benefit plans, prior authorization is a built-in review step designed to ensure certain medications are safe, […]
Navigating Prior Authorization: A Checkpoint on Your Healthcare Journey
Navigating Prior Authorization: A Checkpoint on Your Healthcare Journey. Just like planning a road trip, navigating a medical plan involves important checkpoints along the way. With employee benefits, one of the most important checkpoints is prior authorization, a step that helps ensure the care provided is safe, appropriate, and aligned with the plan’s benefits.Before certain […]
Stop Coasting: Proven Strategies to Improve Benefits and Cut Costs
There has never been more opportunity to rethink how employee benefits are delivered, but the problem is, many employers are stuck with outdated plans simply because their broker or consultant isn’t keeping up.In a field that’s constantly evolving, relying on a cookie-cutter plan year after year is no longer enough. You could be missing out […]
The Hidden Cost of Last-Minute Benefits Decisions
The Hidden Cost of Last-Minute Benefits Decisions. You wouldn’t wait for your car to break down before changing the oil, and an operations manager wouldn’t let a key piece of equipment grind to a halt before scheduling maintenance. Yet when it comes to employee benefits, many companies only start thinking about strategy once renewals begin—and […]
Take Back Control of Your Healthcare Spend—One Step at a Time
Take Back Control of Your Healthcare Spend—One Step at a Time. Imagine what the world would be like if other industries operated the same way healthcare does. A world where you could only buy coffee from one approved café, you needed prior authorization to use Wi-Fi at home, or you paid hundreds of dollars at […]