Tag Archives: Cost of Care
Wondering how health care reform will affect you? New healthcarereformbasics.com makes it simple
Confused about health care reform? You’re hardly alone. Studies show that Americans have a low awareness of what the Affordable Care Act does and are more familiar with the contentious politics surrounding the law. A recent New York Times story … Continue reading
Why patients will benefit from new value-based hospital reimbursement contracts
Blue Cross this week announced that it has reached an agreement with Trinity Health-Michigan to begin basing hospital reimbursement on patient outcomes and the quality and effectiveness of the care being delivered. The three-year contract is the first of its … Continue reading
How information technology is enhancing health care value
Information technology has an important role to play in health care payment and delivery reforms. Dr. George Kipa, BCBSM’s deputy corporate medical director, recently appeared on a panel at the annual meeting of the Office of the National Coordinator for … Continue reading
‘Business Imperative’: Blues Chief Daniel J. Loepp touts collaboration in health-business magazine cover story
BCBSM President and Chief Executive Daniel J. Loepp is featured on the cover of the January edition of Managed Healthcare Executive magazine for a story about the Blues’ efforts to improve health care quality and contain costs by partnering with … Continue reading
New Connect 2Bfit site uses social networking to spark employee wellness programs
Let’s face it: It’s tough to be healthy. With busy schedules and tight budgets, it can be difficult to eat right, get regular exercise and see the doctor regularly. Yet research shows that friends, family and coworkers influence our health … Continue reading
Governor’s proposal for Blues speaks to a changed state, huge opportunity for Michigan (with infographic)
Blue Cross has long stood for its nonprofit mission of providing access to care, working to keep health care affordable, and improving both the quality of care and the health of Michigan’s residents. That’s the legacy we’ve honed over the … Continue reading
How to use social gaming to make your workplace wellness program competitive
One of the biggest challenges organizations face when implementing a workplace wellness program is getting employees to actually participate. Recently, companies have turned to gaming to make the programs more of a social event. This approach encourages participation, incentivizes employees … Continue reading
Under health care reform, additional women’s preventive services now fully covered
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has provided U.S. citizens with many benefits. The newest provision adds more preventive care for women, many of which were already covered by Blue Cross and Blue Care Network. Some of the services … Continue reading
In era of high health care costs, health savings accounts grow in popularity
Not so long ago, people who had health insurance through their employer often paid nothing at all in premiums, and deductibles for service were low or nonexistent. Not anymore. Many employees now share the cost of their health care coverage … Continue reading
Patient-centered medical homes improving care through stronger doctor-patient relationships
To Dr. Jeffrey Huotari, the biggest factor distinguishing his patient-centered medical home practice from a conventional practice is the focus on building relationships with patients. “Our belief is relationship equals results,” says Huotari, a family medicine practitioner in Houghton who … Continue reading
