Where we’re going

AI and technology dominated this year’s Self-Insurance Institute of America (SIIA) National Conference. Operators described tools already embedded in daily administration, while discussions about fiduciary litigation and private equity reflected the legal and business pressures shaping self-insurance. For aequum, these developments reinforce the need for experienced support when medical billing issues put plans or members … Continued

aequum CEO Christine Cooper and ERISA attorney Jack Towarnicky joined Jim Farley on The J.P. Farley Show to examine how self-funded employers should approach No Surprises Act (NSA) payment disputes and arbitration awards. aequum helps plans address these challenges through technology-supported medical bill defense and participant advocacy, protecting plan assets while supporting the people covered … Continued

Managing healthcare costs requires a clear view of what providers charge and what health plans pay. Plan sponsors, insurers and their benefits partners need that information to evaluate spending and question charges that appear excessive. Federal rules already require many plans and insurers to publish healthcare prices, although large files, repeated entries and missing data … Continued

The aequum team recognizes that a healthcare captive depends on more than a sound financial structure. Its participating employers, administrators and risk partners must also work together when a difficult medical claim moves beyond routine processing. Those moments test whether the captive has the relationships, information and specialized support needed to act without creating confusion … Continued

At the 2026 Health Care Administrators Association TPA Summit, one message stood out across many conversations. Self-funded healthcare needs more than additional products. Employers want measurable cost control, TPAs are being asked to simplify administration and vendors must show sustainable value over time. aequum brings that approach to medical bill defense and overpayment recovery. By … Continued

Benefits brokers build client relationships by helping employers make consequential decisions about plan design, cost management and participant protection. The value of that guidance becomes clear when a strategy moves from presentation to implementation and a provider challenges reimbursement or directs a balance bill toward a participant. aequum provides brokers with technology-supported advocacy and access … Continued

Self-insured health plans are facing mounting pressure from rising healthcare costs, increasing regulatory scrutiny and growing demands for cost stewardship. As employers explore new approaches to managing healthcare spend, participants can find themselves affected by billing disputes that occur after care is delivered. aequum helps protect participants when provider payment disputes arise. Through advocacy and … Continued

The No Surprises Act (NSA) was intended to protect patients from surprise medical bills and keep them out of payment disputes between providers and health plans. By many accounts, that objective has been achieved. During a recent industry webinar, provider-side attorney James Greenspan stated that “the overarching goal of the law seems to have been … Continued

Healthcare brokers have always played an important role in helping employers manage rising healthcare costs. Today, that role is expanding as benefit brokers become strategic partners. As reimbursement disputes become more complex and high-cost out-of-network claims continue to challenge plan performance, brokers are increasingly expected to deliver strategies that can withstand real-world pressure. Many are … Continued

Healthcare costs are rising – but for many self-insured employers, the bigger challenge is unpredictability. Traditional network pricing often leaves plans reacting to costs rather than managing them. As provider reimbursement pressures grow and cost shifting accelerates, the No Surprises Act (NSA) continues to drive volatility across the healthcare landscape. Those realities were at the … Continued