Where we’re going

Consumer credit reports are a big deal. Lenders use the reports to help them decide if they will loan money and what interest rates they will offer. As we reported in March, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a report regarding the impacts of medical debt on consumers and, in response, the major credit … Continued

Since the start of 2022, Jack Towarnicky, member of aequum health, has joined benefits industry colleagues in presenting on a variety of topics as part of Humaculture’s Hidden Opportunities, Strategic Compliance Series. This five-part monthly webinar series offers guidance to plan sponsors and third-party claims administrators on how to strategically respond to the No Surprises Act … Continued

Reference-based pricing (RBP) provides employers and employees greater control over health care costs through price transparency. The new transparency laws are expected to increase the use of RBP strategies by plan sponsors to maximize their value in managing costs value. This approach has potential to transform employees utilization of health care services, putting the economic … Continued

Jack Towarnicky of aequum health joined Scott McKibbin in presenting Hidden Opportunities: A “Dope” Response to Pharmacy “Transparency.” This was a third webinar in Humaculture’s Strategic Compliance Series that addresses how to strategically leverage the No Surprises Act (NSA) and Transparency in Coverage to create a competitive advantage. A recording of this webinar can be viewed here. Health … Continued

Jack Towarnicky of aequum health joined Humaculture’s Steve Cyboran, Wes Rogers and Kelley Long on Thursday, February 17, to present the second installment of the Hidden Opportunities, Strategic Compliance series. They clarified why “unexpected” bills do not always mean “surprise” bills and demonstrated how Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) can be a strategic response to the No Surprises Act … Continued

Harvard Business Review’s article sponsored by Centivo, Does Your Health Plan Leave Your Workers Functionally Uninsured?, can be boiled down to this one statement: “Unfortunately, one-third of Americans say they can’t afford to contribute to an HSA.” This assertion is made referencing Centivo’s December 2021 Healthcare and Financial report. Centivo surveyed 805 adults 18-64 years of … Continued

On March 1, 2022 the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) issued a 54 page report regarding the impacts of medical debt on consumers.[1] “Medical bills placed on credit reports can result in reduced access to credit, increased risk of bankruptcy, avoidance of medical care, and difficulty securing employment, even when the bill itself is inaccurate … Continued

Two months ago, Jack Towarnicky of aequum joined Steve Cyboran and Wes Rogers of Humaculture in the first of five monthly webinar series to highlight new opportunities prompted by the No Surprises Act and Consolidated Appropriations Act. The next 30 minute session is Today, March 17th, when Jack will be joined by Steve, Wes and Scott … Continued

In addition to the Texas Medical Association lawsuit, five other lawsuits are pending across the U.S.  We last provided an update in December. The case statuses have changed and more lawsuits have been filed. Here is a short update on each and an introduction to the new lawsuits: Association of Air Medical Services v. U.S. … Continued

On February 23, 2022, Eastern District of Texas Judge Jeremy Kernodle sided with the Texas Medical Association (TMA), a trade association representing more than 55,000 physicians, and decided that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) interim final rule governing the Independent Dispute Resolution (IDR) process conflicted with the No Surprises Act by creating … Continued