Sourse: USPSTF and JAMA What is this about? This edition of Connections newsletter provides two recent very important articles/studies on our need to address prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes in our working population. In June, 2021 an original investigation article was published in JAMA entitled “Trends in Prevalence of Diabetes and Control of Risk Factors… Continue Reading ›
Source: Humana , Louisville, KY What is this about? This edition of ‘Connections newsletter’ provides the results of a new large-scale multi-employer case study of the “Go365” wellness program with more than 135,000 fully insured employees of small and large businesses. The case study examines engagement levels, participant claims costs trends, health satisfaction levels, self-reported… Continue Reading ›
Source: Avidon Health What is this about? This edition of Connections provides a recently released special report that uses authoritative sources to document the usual additional health and productivity costs associated with unhealthy lifestyle choices. Using a variety of peer-reviewed articles, the authors have constructed a very useful framework for educating senior management and all… Continue Reading ›
What is this about? This just-released 2-page summary infographic and 57-page full report based on a national sample of 10,000 U.S. employees surveyed in 2019 focuses on their perceptions of loneliness and social isolation. Conducted by the large market research firm Ipsos and funded by Cigna, this landmark report involves the use of the UCLA… Continue Reading ›
Source: Chapman Institute What is this about? First, the good news… employer wellness programs have been proven to help people change their short-term wellness behaviors. Now, the bad news… those same wellness programs have been shown to be pretty poor at helping people change their long-term wellness behaviors. For our purposes, we will define “short-term”… Continue Reading ›
Source: Chapman Institute What is this about? Unfortunately, most employee wellness programs in the U.S. need to be redesigned for greater effectiveness, but few wellness coordinators know how to make a simple redesign proposal “pitch” to their senior management team. The proposal they put forward needs to be seen as feasible and logical for senior… Continue Reading ›
ACA Title II, Sec. 2202. Permitting hospitals to make presumptive eligibility determinations for all Medicaid eligible populations. “Ugly” – “Of course you are covered by Medicaid!” This provision gives authority for hospitals to determine the preliminary eligibility of each patient for Medicaid. This opens up the opportunity for hospital admissions staff to presumptively determine that the… Continue Reading ›
ACA Title II, Sec. 2201. Enrollment simplification and coordination with state health insurance exchanges: “Bad” – Streamlining is not always good. This provision requires a streamlining and simplification of eligibility for Medicaid, both the categorically eligible and the CHIP eligible. This makes it easier to qualify for Medicaid while Medicaid itself has almost bankrupted the states.… Continue Reading ›
ACA Title II, Sec. Technical corrections: “Bad” – Further unwisely expands eligibility. This legislative initiative further opens up eligibility for the CHIP program. It relaxes the legal language for residence and expands the eligibility caps. Because those controlling federal expenditure patterns (aka Democrats) did not have to compromise with those who oppose more federal spending (aka… Continue Reading ›
ACA Title 1, Sec. 1562. Conforming amendments: “Good” – Required to consolidate the federal role over both group and individual health plans. This provision standardizes the federal Public Health Service (PHS) Act language regarding the regulation of group and individual health plan. This “clean –up” provision simply amends the language in the Act which allows the… Continue Reading ›