Where we’re going

In the fifth and final webinar session of Humaculture, Inc.’s Hidden Opportunities, Strategic Compliance series, Jack Towarnicky, a member of aequum, confirmed how plan sponsors can lower costs and manage risk exposure through a more strategic approach to the new annual fee disclosure requirements. A focus on compliance might simply accept whatever disclosures are received. While … Continued

In the fourth of five webinar sessions, Mental Health Parity – A Lucid Approach, Jack Towarnicky, a member of aequum, joined industry professionals from Humaculture to identify the new mental health compliance requirements and to discuss why mental health issues, costs and administration continue to increase despite the 25+ year old promise of Mental Health … Continued

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) reports that in 2020 one in five U.S. adults experienced a mental illness, one in fifteen experienced both a substance use disorder and mental illness, and one in twenty experienced a serious mental illness. The COVID pandemic has increased mental health issues … Continued

Part 2 of Adopting a “Pure” Reference-Based Pricing Strategy The No Surprises Act (NSA) covers all participants in employer-sponsored health plans. It’s goal is to protect participants from surprise medical bills for charges in excess of negotiated rates with network providers. The NSA applies to emergency services as well as care received from out-of-network providers at … Continued

aequum is mindful that government agencies adopt regulations that may extend the reach of or may conflict with the original text of the legislation. This update provides an overview and recent legal challenges to a portion of the law. According to research by the Kaiser Family Foundation and others, about 1 in 5 emergency department … Continued

Consumers do not have control over their medical costs or the billing process and they don’t like it.  According to a study conducted by Cedar (a financial technology platform): 31% of consumers are not satisfied with the coordination between their healthcare provider and payer; 40% are not satisfied with provider billing; 93% of consumers say … Continued

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