Great-West Healthcare, now part of CIGNA, is driven by thought leaders in the health benefits industry. In addition to speaking at events these individuals author articles for benefits trade publications. They weigh in on how best to rein in health care costs, how to choose between self-funding and fully insured options, how to evaluate and implement consumer-driven health plans, the growing role of decision-support resources for members and best practices in disease management and wellness.
Articles are presented in portable document format (PDF) and require Adobe Acrobat Reader to open. Download it for free.
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Practical strategies can drive HSA enrollment and advance a cultural evolution in benefits
by Julie McCarter, Health Insurance Underwriter (HIU), March 2007
Summary: The challenge of implementing health savings accounts (HSAs) is not unlike the challenge employers faced in the early days of 401(k)s. The adversity then, and today, is a cultural one. Not surprisingly, many strategies and tactics that can help employers drive HSA enrollment are derived from the 401(k) experience.
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Best Communication Practices for Increasing HSA Enrollment
by Julie McCarter, California Broker, December 2006
Summary: While strong market adoption suggests the effectiveness of HSAs, brokers must communicate how important it is for employers to provide comprehensive, tailored member communications to drive enrollment and guide informed plan use. As a broker, you should encourage employers to designate time and resources to communications specific to HSAs – not just during open enrollment, but throughout the plan year.
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Self-funding and CDHC: Can this one-two punch knock out rising health care costs?
by Marc Neely, Health Insurance Underwriter (HIU), November 2006
Summary: The concepts are not new. Consumer-driven health care (CDHC) has become a mainstream industry term, and the self-funding option has been around for decades. Less examined, however, is the concept of combining the two for a more effective approach to controlling rising health care costs. A carefully designed CDHP, coupled with self-funding, lays a solid foundation for potential savings by companies.
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Disease Management – A Key Building Block in CDHP Construction
by Terry Fouts, M.D., Broker World, June 2006
Summary: Several years ago the health care industry began a slow shift into a consumer-driven world – a world that encourages consumerism and the engagement of members in health care decisions and purchases. With more of their own money at stake, many employees likely will seek ways to stay or become healthy, including participating in disease management and wellness programs.
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Rein in Rising Health Care Costs by Self-Funding
by Marc Neely, Health Insurance Underwriter (HIU), February 2006
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Summary: Many employers have explored only briefly, or dismissed out of hand completely, self-funding. This article offers a closer look at self-funding as an attractive option for employer customers, large and small.
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Look Before You Leap into Consumer-Driven Health Plans
by Cindy Donohoe, Health Insurance Underwriter (HIU), December 2005
Summary: Consumer-driven health care (CDHC) is drawing interest from both employers and consumers. Great-West Healthcare takes a look at the potential positives and negatives of consumer-driven health care and offers tips for preparing for a shift to CDHC. Posted with permission from HIU.
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Member Education and Decision Tools: 'Triple Play' by Insurers Would Help Employers, Employees and the Nation
by Cindy Donohoe, Health Insurance Underwriter (HIU), January 2005
Summary: Insurers have an opportunity to take a leadership role in meeting the challenge of low health literacy. Here's how: Launch programs that educate members about health care and offer easy-to-use resources that help members make informed health care decisions. Great-West Healthcare has come forward with just such a comprehensive solution, and we think others will follow our lead in the months ahead. Well-crafted programs would execute a "triple play" of sorts -- helping to increase health literacy, cultivate savvy consumers for the new generation of consumer-driven health plans, and position carriers as a bigger part of the solution to rising health care costs.
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Medical Management Programs Drive Savings in Self-Funded Plans
by Terry Fouts, M.D., President & CEO magazine, October 2004
Summary: The advantages of self-funding are that a company could save money and assume more control over employee benefits by financing and administering its own health plans. The goal is to minimize utilization and claims costs. And the key to that is to keep employees healthy. Now there's a way to help do this: Combine a self-funded group health plan with a medical management program.
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The Next Generation of Health Care Plans
by Cindy Donohoe, Benefits Selling, June 2004
Summary: Today’s consumer-driven health care plans boast high enrollment rates and significant employer savings.
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Pitching Self-Funded: Top Prospects are Cost-Conscious and Want Greater Control
by Rob Teas, Broker World, June 2004
Summary: With self-funding, the basic advantages are that companies can save money, assume more control over employee benefits packages and avoid state mandates by financing and administering their own plans. Plus, companies with lower-than-average plan utilization keep the savings and are rewarded for their healthier workforce.
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How to Control Health Care Costs
Basis of a bylined article by Great-West Healthcare in a weekly business newspaper, May 2004
Summary: More than 85 percent of benefit managers rank the control of health benefit costs as their top priority, making 2004 the fifth consecutive year the issue has ranked number one in surveys by the International Society of Certified Employee Benefit Specialists and the human capital practice of Deloitte Consulting LLP.
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The Future of Self-funded Plans
by Mark Stadler; Benefits Selling, February 2004
Summary: More employers are turning to self-funding to meet their health care needs, and it's helping the bottom line.
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