SilverLink - Fall 2008 - (Page 20)

70 66% 62% 59% 56% 55% 60 % of companies 50 40 30 31% 20 10 0 Increased copays Increased participant costs Increased deductibles Participant pay for prescription drugs Switched providers Offer wellness programs Source: Society for Human Resource Management, 2006 Choosing Wellness A major reason for the surge in wellness programs is that employee lifestyle choices account for a signiﬁcant majority of healthcare claims costs. According to a 2006 study conducted by Indiana University-Purdue University in Fort Wayne, Indiana, 87.5 percent of healthcare claims are directly attributable to lifestyle choices. It is obvious that choosing healthier behaviors can positively impact healthcare costs. SilverStone Group has invested in technology that provides clients with the information and knowledge necessary to understand how employee utilization can impact demand. Health Plan Intelligence™ allows us to gain valuable insight into the underlying issues driving healthcare costs and takes the guesswork out of plan design changes, employee communication and education, wellness programs, etc. And because we understand that good health is the cornerstone of happier, more productive people, we’ve also invested in our own Wellness Activities Group, which offers educational opportunities that promote health and well-being of Associates and their families. 1 Beyond Wellness Programs America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), a national trade association representing nearly 1,300 member companies that provide health beneﬁts to over 200 million Americans, has a plan to reduce the nation’s healthcare expenditures by $145 billion by 2015. AHIP believes disease management, care coordination, prevention, paperless transactions, transitioning to a value-based payment system and addressing the effective introduction of new technology will allow the country to achieve more value for its healthcare investment. The AHIP proposal (see chart on page 30) offers strategies designed to encourage public and private sectors to work together. Cost shifting — focusing only on unit cost and supply management — is not enough to effect real change in healthcare costs. We must maintain health while managing expense, by implementing new cost containment strategies. If healthcare is to achieve the desired results, an integrated approach must be developed across public and private sectors. Towers Perrin 2008 Healthcare Cost Survey CONTACT JEFF JORTH AT 402.96 4.5622 OR JJORTH @ SSGI.COM 20

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of SilverLink - Fall 2008

SilverLink - Fall 2008 Table of Contents Risk Management: Toto A Marriage Made to Last Cashier’s Check Fraud? Selection Validation Digital Tool Box When the Curtain Falls Lightning Strikes Increased Fuel Economy Employee Benefits: To Infinity & Beyond Securing Retiree Healthcare Private Client Services: Batter Up! Shaking Things Up STOLI Under Attack Client Spotlight: Bellevue University Internal Happenings: SilverStone Group Wellness Activities Group

SilverLink - Fall 2008

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