State employees in Colorado are being asked to be better consumers when shopping for health care services. And if they choose lower-cost and higher-quality providers, they could get a check in the mail for a portion of the savings.
It’s part of an initiative known as the Colorado Purchasing Alliance, through which employers in the state are banding together to negotiate lower prices for health care services. The state government is one of 12 employers that have agreed to join the alliance and will be the first to use the newly negotiated rates and consumer incentives.
The reward program is available only to employees who choose the state’s self-funded health plan, which is administered through Cigna, not the Kaiser Permanente option, which has a closed network of providers. Of the nearly 20,000 people, both employees and family members, on the Cigna plan, more than 1,200 used the tool in the first six weeks, conducting 4,500 searches.
“We have one particularly dominant health care system here that knows they are the system of choice, just based on market reputation, and they are willing and able to charge accordingly,” said Jennifer Whitener, benefits manager for the county.Whitener recalled one employee who needed a hip replacement and found a free-standing orthopedic surgery center that cost $20,000 less than a hospital-owned facility and had higher quality ratings.
Andrea Bilderback, a health promotion and outreach specialist with the county, used the tool when deciding where to have a mammogram and a colonoscopy after recently turning 40. She wound up getting a check for $100 for the colonoscopy and $35 for the mammogram, neither of which had any out-of-pocket costs. She and her husband used the funds for a date night, a welcome respite for the parents of a 1 1/2-year-old boy.
The Colorado alliance did a similar analysis of the 10 most frequent outpatient procedures paid for by its employer members. Even before negotiating any rates, those employers could cut their costs for those procedures in half by sending employees to surgery centers instead of hospitals. Surgery centers tend to charge less than hospitals for the same procedures, and hospitals often tack on a facility fee that increases costs for consumers and employers.
“Health care outcomes are not related to the price,” Smith said. “You can pay twice as much for some of the worst health care at one facility, and then you can get some of the best health care at half the price at another facility 10 miles away.”
Deutschland Neuesten Nachrichten, Deutschland Schlagzeilen
Similar News:Sie können auch ähnliche Nachrichten wie diese lesen, die wir aus anderen Nachrichtenquellen gesammelt haben.
San Jose State football could make history, now bowl eligible after winSan Jose State Spartans football is bowl eligible after win against Colorado State
Weiterlesen »
Abortions up 33% in Colorado, fueled by out-of-state residents seeking treatment“Part of my medical practice now is knowing patients’ travel itineraries, so I can stick to flight times,” Dr. Kristina Tocce said.
Weiterlesen »
Ohio State running back Miyan Williams gives OSU the lead | Ohio State 14, Northwestern 7The Ohio State Buckeyes, The No. 2 team in the College Football Playoff rankings, travel to Northwestern for Big Ten football action. Follow live!
Weiterlesen »
Dozens of Colorado companies making it easier for employees to voteMore than 80 Colorado companies are encouraging their employees to vote by taking part in Time To Vote — a nonpartisan movement aimed at boosting voter participation in the U.S. The 2020 gene…
Weiterlesen »
Reader: It's Ridiculous that Colorado Companies Still Test for MarijuanaHave you had to take a drug test for a job lately?
Weiterlesen »
VIDEO: Runaway van smashes through fence in Colorado Springs, stopped by a treeThere were no reports of any serious injuries after a van plowed through a fence in a Colorado Springs neighborhood on Wednesday.
Weiterlesen »