Brighton in the News

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Op-ed: Why building a menopause-inclusive workplace is good for business.

Women’s health has been historically overlooked in the workplace. But the tide is shifting: companies are beginning to offer more customized benefits for women, such as maternity leave, childcare services and family planning services.
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Employers embracing direct contracting and bypassing insurers: survey

Employers are actively seeking out alternatives to curb rising health benefit costs by sidestepping traditional carriers, a new report from Brighton Health Plan Solutions shows.
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Creating a Culture of Courage: Julie Bank Of Brighton Health Plan Solutions On How Authenticity Benefits People and Profits in the Workplace

In today’s social media filled, fast-paced world, authenticity in the workplace and in our personal lives has become more difficult to come by. Business leaders must focus on the bottom line of profits and corporate success, but does that have to be at the expense of the authenticity of their employees?
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Health Plans are Now Covering New Weight Loss Drugs. This Can Help Fix the Obesity Epidemic

In recent years, the obesity epidemic in the United States has reached alarming proportions, with more than 42% of American adults considered obese. This surge in obesity rates has sparked a significant conversation about the role of health plans in covering new weight loss drugs.
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How healthcare providers can combat disparities in heart health right now

Inequality and discrimination have a powerful impact on health – the results can be seen in higher rates of mortality and morbidity among Black Americans. For example, the life expectancy gap between Black and white Americans is nearly six years as of 2021 – 70.8 years compared to 76.4 years.
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How fertility benefits can help your company stand out in the race for talent

The U.S. workforce is changing, with Gen Z and millennials on track to make up much of the workforce by 2030. As these generations fill more positions, they are changing not only the way we work but also the benefits employers are expected to offer.
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How Should Health Plans Respond to Surging Interest in Weight Loss Drugs?

Since the NIH started measuring obesity prevalence in the U.S. 60 years ago, the rates have tripledopens in a new tab or window, with more than 42% of American adults considered obese and another 31% overweight. As excess weight is linked to chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and congestive heart failure, healthcare providers and patients alike are looking for long-term solutions to reduce risks.
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There’s a crisis in men’s health: What practices should do

Payer leaders are turning their attention to health equity, prior authorization, AI and more as 2024 approaches. These 23 industry leaders explain their top priority for 2024. The executives featured in this article, part of an ongoing series, are all speaking at Becker's 2024 payer roundtables.
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23 payer executives' top priorities for 2024

Payer leaders are turning their attention to health equity, prior authorization, AI and more as 2024 approaches. These 23 industry leaders explain their top priority for 2024. The executives featured in this article, part of an ongoing series, are all speaking at Becker's 2024 payer roundtables.
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How Great Customer Service Enhances The Value Of Your Benefits

I think about customer service constantly. That’s because there is no better barometer for gauging the future success of your business than knowing how well you’re serving your customers right now. As someone who oversees our call center and customer service team, it’s also my job to make sure that great customer service extends beyond the people on the phones and influences the operations of the whole company.
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Op-ed: Too often, we miss warning signs of postpartum depression—here's how to improve

The FDA has recently approved a new medication to treat postpartum depression. This news comes on the heels of a tragic incident of infanticide and suicide by a Mount Sinai physician.

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Contributed Content: Why Preventive Care at No Cost is Smart Regardless of What the Courts Say

There’s a lot of news from the courts these days. So you may have missed a decision in late March by a U.S. District Court judge in the Northern District of Texas that struck down a provision of the Affordable Care Act requiring most private health plans to cover a range of preventive services at no cost to the member. That ruling has been stayed, but should it be upheld, over time, many millions of people might lose access to services proven effective at improving health.

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How Delivery System Leaders Are Linking Prevention, Reimbursement, and Value-based Care

Execs from diverse organizations share their strategies. "Value-based care really is a shift in the pardigm. Providers deliver care on an individual patient level. Now, we're asking them to deliver care at a population health level. This is where practices need to change how they operate." Dr. Nancy Klotz, Chief Medical Officer of third-party administrator Brighton Health Plan Solutions.

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Brighton Health Plan Solutions Michelle Zettergren to Speak at 2023 ACHE Congress on Healthcare Leadership

Michelle Zettergren will be a featured presenter at the American College of Healthcare Executives 2023 Congress on Healthcare Leadership, March 20-23 in Chicago. Zettergren will discuss the financial benefits and operational strategies for developing a direct contracting program along with co-presenter Lisa Janis, assistant vice president and lead, Network Management at Northwell Direct. The session, How and Why Health Systems Can Build Successful Direct Contracting Partnerships, is scheduled for Tuesday, March 21, from 2-3 p.m.

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Health care inflation's on the horizon: How employers can ease the cost of high premiums

Inflation is an everywhere problem and no person, company or government is immune. Right now, employees are feeling it directly through grocery, housing, fuel and debt costs. But another, delayed shock is on the horizon, in the form of health care inflation.

After lagging throughout much of the past two years of the pandemic, health care inflation is now being felt primarily by health care providers in labor and drug costs but will hit employees hard in the coming months as those increases work their way into premiums.

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Why It's Time to Integrate Behavioral and Physical Health

Plan sponsors, payers, and third-party administrators owe it to our members and physician partners to encourage further behavioral/physical health integration in our practice networks.
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Michelle Zettergren named Crain's Notable 2022 Health Care Leader

Although the pandemic has upended nearly every aspect of society, no field was more immediately and wholly transformed than health care after Covid-19 struck New York. The honorees are notable for their consummate leadership, pioneering accomplishments and ability to adjust to crises. Moreover, all of them have demonstrated a commitment to mentoring.

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Working Well: Julie Bank Of Brighton Health Plan Solutions On How Companies Are Creating Cultures That Support & Sustain Mental, Emotional, Social, Physical & Financial Wellness

The concept of a “well workforce” has changed dramatically in recent years. Going well beyond health care benefits, Brighton Health Plan Solutions is influencing employee loyalty by programmatically addressing their mental, emotional, social, financial and physical needs with our comprehensive approach to wellness. Our Chief People Officer Julie Bank explains.

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How payers are playing a part in new value-based outcomes strategies

U.S We are all consumers of healthcare, yet the products and services we receive are like nothing else we consume. Many people have personal stories about dissatisfaction with their care or its cost, explained Michelle Zettergren, chief sales and marketing officer of Brighton Health Plan Solutions. These sentiments lead people to consume less healthcare, resulting in even poorer health outcomes.

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Northwell Health's Direct Contracting Arm Offers Coverage Model to Employers

U.S. Health systems are brokering arrangements for not only themselves by other employers looking for direct contracting gains.

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Does the Insurance Model of the Future Exclude A Traditional Health Insurance Carrier

U.S. insurance is privatized, which presents a host of challenges. Michelle Zettergren, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer of Brighton Health Plan Solutions and Nick Stefanizzi, CEO of Northwell Direct, spoke with MarketScale Host Kevin Stevenson about opportunities to eliminate the standard middleman of health insurance.

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Northwell Direct leads and rides the trends of direct contracting in the self-insured market

Direct contracting is gaining traction in what is seen as a lower-cost alternative to traditional health insurance. Northwell Direct is embracing this trend by recently establishing third-party administrator Brighton Health Plan Solutions for claims processing and administration.

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Northwell Health updates healthcare benefits through direct-to-employer model

Dealing with insurance providers can be a hassle for both employees and employers, who are eager for easier access and simpler communications when it comes to healthcare.

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Industry Voices - Health systems and the rise of direct contracting

As employers continue to experience unsustainable healthcare cost growth, a significant number are starting to embrace direct contracting with health systems to reduce healthcare spending and improve provider accountability for the quality care they purchase.

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Michelle Zettergren on direct contracting, COEs, and employer compliance with new ERISA regulations

Catalyst for Payment Reform's Suzanne Delbanco speaks with Michelle Zettergren, President of Labor and Public Sector markets and Chief Sales and Marketing Officer for Brighton Health Plan Solutions. Listen to the podcast now.

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How direct contracting can succeed where high deductible health plans fail

The direct-contracting model is demonstrating that it can both manage cost and improve the quality of care.

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How to turn a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion into action

DEI initiatives can take many forms, and the conversations essential to leading sustained change are difficult and the solutions complex.

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Post pandemic, employers feel the urgency to address unsustainable health costs

Employers are ready to lower the cost of health insurance and they’ll do anything to make it happen.

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How providers can continue to support mental health services post-pandemic

While the pandemic is subsiding, provider organizations can continue to focus on expanding behavioral health service access through telehealth.

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Telehealth not enough to offset crushing demand for mental health services

Despite the increase in the use of telehealth for mental health visits, utilization of mental health services is still down in 2020 compared to previous years. That means people with medical health issues are not getting the care they need.

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Telehealth not enough to offset crushing demand for mental health services

Despite the increase in the use of telehealth for mental health visits, utilization of mental health services is still down in 2020 compared to previous years. That means people with medical health issues are not getting the care they need.

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Premium holidays are no reason to celebrate

A premium holiday is where health insurance companies forego premiums when claim volume is low, since by law, insurance companies are obligated to spend 80% of premiums on medical expenses. But even in normal years, health insurance companies’ projections are typically too high. A more cost-effective approach for companies is to self fund their health plans, where they pay according to utilization.

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Mental healthcare is suffering during the pandemic; new data shows how much

An analysis of healthcare claims during the height of the coronavirus outbreak in the New York City metro area suggests concerning trends in behavioral healthcare utilization among Americans who need that care most.

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COVID-19 highlights limitations of fully insured health plans

This year’s worldwide COVID-19 pandemic further illuminates why employers should consider a self funded healthcare strategy over a fully insured health plan. 

Waterbury Health joins the trend

Waterbury HEALTH in Connecticut recently became part of an integrated delivery network set up by Brighton Health Plan Solutions, a New York-based company that brokers healthcare services between providers and employers.

Self funded employers don’t have to cut health coverage due to Coronavirus

There are several strategies employers can use to lower the cost of the healthcare they offer their employees. Michelle Zettergren, President of MagnaCare, explains the ways employers can save.

Press Releases

Are Employers Bypassing Traditional Insurance? Nationwide Survey Finds 75% of Large Employers Engaged in Direct Provider Arrangements.

According to a new report from Brighton Health Plan Solutions, LLC, an overwhelming 75% of employers surveyed are engaged in direct contracts as part of their health benefits strategy, and 41% of those not currently in direct contracts are likely to consider them by 2025. This trend marks a significant and surprising shift in how companies manage their healthcare benefits and underscores significant opportunities for provider organizations to meet the rising demand for direct arrangements. 

Brighton Health Plan Solutions, LLC Names Jeremy Schoettle Chief Financial Officer

Brighton Health Plan Solutions, LLC, a national healthcare enablement company and third-party administrator, has named Jeremy Schoettle chief financial officer. He joins the company following the retirement of the company’s former CFO. With more than 25 years of experience as a financial professional starting at Big Four accounting firm EY as a senior auditor, Schoettle brings a wide range of financial and leadership expertise to Brighton HPS. 

Beware of Job Scams.

Brighton has been made aware that Internet scammers have been impersonating Brighton staff and soliciting job applicants via email and text for employment. If you have received a communication, solicitation for employment or job offer appearing to be from Brighton, please do not reply or provide any personal information in response. 

Brighton Health Plan Solutions Chief People Officer Recognized with OnCon Icon Award; Named by Peers as Top 50 Human Resource Professional Worldwide

Julie Bank, chief people officer at Brighton Health Plan Solutions, has received an OnCon Icon Award for 2024. This award reflects voting by her peers that ranks her among the top 50 human resources professionals working worldwide.

Brighton's Michelle Zettergren Honored with Bronze Stevie® Award in 2024 Senior Sales Executive of the Year Competition

Michelle Zettergren, President, Labor, and Chief Sales and Marketing Officer of Brighton Health Plan Solutions, has been presented with a Bronze Stevie® Award in the Senior Sales Executive of the Year category in the 18th annual Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service.

Brighton Health Plan Solutions Achieves Fifth Straight URAC Reaccreditation in Health Utilization Management

Brighton Health Plan Solutions, LLC (Brighton HPS) a New York-based healthcare enablement company and third-party administrator, has earned national accreditation in Health Utilization Management from URAC, an independent leader in accreditation and certification programs that set high standards in quality and safety.

USA Today and Energage name Brighton Health Plan Solutions a 2024 Top Workplace

Brighton Health Plan Solutions, LLC (Brighton HPS) has earned the Top Workplaces 2024 award from USA Today and Energage. It is the second year in a row that the organization has been honored with the award.

Brighton Health Plan Solutions Recognized as an Inclusive Workplace

For the second year in a row, Brighton Health Plan Solutions has been honored with the Inclusive Workplace designation by Best Companies Group, a workplace culture and engagement expert, and COLOR Magazine, a leader in corporate inclusivity.

Brighton Health Plan Solutions Named Tiara Award Finalist

Healthcare enablement company honored for policies and initiatives to promote greater diversity, equity and inclusion in talent acquisition.

Brighton Health Plan Solutions’ Michelle Zettergren to Speak at 2023 Becker’s Healthcare Payer Issues Roundtable

Michelle Zettergren discusses health system-owned health plans.

Brighton Health Plan Solutions’ Boatwright Honored as Crain’s Notable Black Leader

Executive recognized for community work helping seniors understand their health benefits

Brighton Health Plan Solutions Named an Inclusive Workplace

Brighton Health Plan Solutions has been honored with the Inclusive Workplace designation by Best Companies Group, a workplace culture and engagement expert, and COLOR Magazine, a leader in corporate inclusivity.

Brighton Health Plan Solutions Wins Bronze in 12th annual Best in Biz Awards

Brighton Health Plan Solutions has been named a bronze winner in the Best Place to Work category of the Best in Biz Awards, the only independent business awards program judged each year by prominent editors and reporters from top-tier publications in North America.

Brighton Health Plan Solutions Named Inaugural BenefitsPRO LUMINARY 

Healthcare enablement company Brighton Health Plan Solutions today announced it has been named to the BenefitsPRO LUMINARIES Class of 2022.

Brighton Health Plan Solutions Named Top Workplace on Long Island

New York-based healthcare enablement company Brighton Health Plan Solutions has been named a 2022 Top Workplace in Long Island by Schneps Media, the Long Island Press and Dan’s Papers.

Brighton Health Plan Solutions Honored with Gold Stevie® Award in 2022 American Business Awards®

Brighton Health Plan Solutions, an innovative healthcare enablement company on a mission to improve how healthcare is accessed and delivered in the self-funded health plan market, was named the winner of a Gold Stevie® Award in The 20th Annual American Business Awards®.

Op-ed: Providers need to encourage preventive care and wellness visits to fully emerge from the pandemic

Two years into the worst global pandemic in 100 years, it seems that Covid-19 is on a downswing to endemic status in the U.S. Its aftershocks are still with us, however, and will be for some time.

Brighton Health Plan Solutions to Administer Northwell Health's Employee Health Benefits Plan

Healthcare enablemenet company to manage health benefits for about 75,000 health system employees and dependents using the Northwell Direct network.

Brighton Health Plan Solutions Achieves URAC Reaccreditation in Health Utilization Management

Once again earned national accreditation in Health Utilization Management from URAC, an independent leader in promoting healthcare quality through leadership, accreditation, measurement and innovation.

Brighton Health Plan Solutions Leaders Win 2021 Stevie® Awards for Sales and Customer Service

Brighton leaders were recognized for driving innovation, growth and national expansion, and for their hands-on pandemic response in customer service.

Brighton Health Plan Solutions CIO Arun Bhatia Wins 2021 BIG Innovation Award for Create® Technology

Brighton Health Plan Solutions Unveils Expanded Create® Technology Platform for Self-Insured Employers

Healthcare enablement company's technology platform powers enrollment, direct contracting, health plan management, trust and welfare administration and member engagement.

Brighton Health Plan Solutions Expands Nationally with its Technology, Direct Provider Contracting and Service Solutions

Atlantic Health System Joins Create® Network, Expanding  New Jersey-based Employees’ Innovative Benefits Options

Create Atlantic Health System increases access to affordable, quality care in New Jersey’s Morris, Sussex, Union and Warren Counties.

Waterbury HEALTH and ECHN Join Create® Network, Expanding Innovative Benefits Options for Connecticut Employees

Through Create, Waterbury HEALTH and Eastern Connecticut Health Network (ECHN) offer an integrated delivery network to self-insured employers.

MagnaCare Mobile Technology Wins Multiple Industry Accolades

MagnaCare’s MyCreateHealth mobile app won a Silver Best in Biz 2019 award in the Enterprise and SMB category, and has received merit recognition from Digital Health Awards in the Mobile Digital Health Resources category.

Blog

The Power of Partnering Directly with Self-funded Employers

The situation A renowned health system in Wisconsin noticed an upsurge in large-scale employers offering self-funded healthcare. They spotted an opportunity to partner directly with these employers to deliver integrated care and increase their domestic utilization. But they couldn’t do it alone. They came to us to support their direct-to-employer solution in order to optimize a well-rounded, cohesive healthcare...

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Employer Market Favorable for Direct Contracts, Survey Shows

Healthcare costs continue to go up for employers at the same time that their workforce is demanding better benefits. With those competing priorities, what are organizations to do? Many are considering a departure from the traditional health plan model and pursuing direct contracting. Direct contracting is where employers — usually self-funded ones — turn directly to provider organizations to comprise their health...

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AI Diagnosis Is Here. What Does It Mean for Healthcare?

When we think about artificial intelligence (AI), chatbots and machine learning algorithms are likely some of the first things that come to mind. We might even imagine malignant forms of intelligence that steal our jobs or stage a robot uprising, à la midcentury sci-fi novels.

But AI isn’t here to replace us or threaten humanity. It’s here to enhance our capabilities, particularly when it comes to one of the most critical aspects of human life: healthcare.

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5 Ways Health Systems Can Prioritize the Patient Experience

Today’s consumers don’t just want personalized and seamless healthcare experiences — they demand them. A recent report, however, finds that patient experiences are declining. Now’s the time for health systems to up the ante on experiences and value-added services to increase satisfaction, boost revenue and support better outcomes.

Here are five ways to keep up with patient demands in 2024 — or risk being left behind:

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Direct to Employer Healthcare: Unlocking Benefits of Direct to Employer Contracting

Direct to employer healthcare, sometimes called direct contracting or DTE arrangements, has rich benefits for everyone involved — particularly the health system itself. To unlock these benefits, however, it’s important to understand what this relationship looks like, how it differs from other healthcare models, and what arrangements you need to make.

Here’s your guide to direct to employer healthcare.

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Looking to increase patient volume? Try direct contracting

What’s your New Year’s goal for 2023? If you’re like many health systems across the U.S., it may be something along the lines of “increase patient volume by X%.”

It’s a worthy goal, to be sure, but it also includes unique challenges. As health systems struggle to keep control over rising costs and low patient retention, many are looking for solutions that help them work smarter, not harder.

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Is your health system ready for direct contracting?

If you’ve considered direct contracting but haven’t yet taken the plunge, now could be the ideal time.

Costs are skyrocketing for health systems. The reality of cutthroat industry competition means health systems need innovation to stay ahead of the curve. Working with insurance companies is a financial and administrative nightmare. And as an established health system, you strive to offer the highest standard of care to your patients — without breaking the bank.

But within every challenge lies an opportunity. Health system direct contracting can help, offering an efficient, all-in-one solution to many of these common challenges. Here’s how.

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The Top Five Features Health Systems Should Look For In A Direct Contracting Partner

Increasingly, health systems are realizing that direct contracting is the way to stay competitive in the healthcare marketplace. When health systems contract directly with employers, they instantly gain large rosters of new patients. By eliminating traditional insurance companies, health systems can increase their revenue, provide better care and form closer relationships with their patients.

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Is Your Health System Leaving Money On the Table?

As healthcare systems continue to have margins squeezed and pressure on the bottom line intensifies, many are wondering: Are there places where I’m leaving money on the table? If your health system is still working under the traditional insurance model, the answer is a resounding yes! Luckily, there’s an alternative to the traditional model—one that eliminates expensive administrative costs, delivers more patients to you, and increases services per patient. It’s direct contracting—and if you’re a health system looking for stronger financials and better patient relationships, it’s a model worth exploring.

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What do integrated health systems mean for our healthcare?

For several years, hospitals have been merging in an attempt to streamline their operations and increase their buying power through volume. Today there are very few stand-alone hospitals. Most are part of a bigger hospital group, or health system. Sometimes called an integrated delivery system, a health system is group of affiliated doctors, hospitals, and facilities, organized together under one parent company. Health systems have also been buying up physician groups and doctor practices, who agree to join the health system to escape the burdens of increased regulations and administrative costs.

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No Surprises Act Notice and Disclosures

Rights and Protections Against Surprise Medical Bills for Emergency Services and Certain Services from Out-of-Network Providers at an In-Network Hospital or Ambulatory Surgical Center Plan participants are protected from surprise billing, also called balance billing, for emergency care and claims from out-of-network providers that rendered certain services at an in-network hospital or in-network ambulatory surgical...

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How direct contracting can succeed where high deductible health plans fail

Self-insured employers are in a constant battle to reduce healthcare costs, improve quality of care and help plan participants make informed decisions. In recent years, high deductible health plans have been a logical choice for employers seeking relief from rapid cost increases. But as businesses see the disadvantages of HDHPs play out in real time, many are searching for other solutions. Direct contracting is an effective alternative.

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