Blue Daily
Articles
What You Can Do to Limit Your Spend on Health Care and Health Insurance
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network offer no-cost preventive care services, including annual physicals and screenings, to help detect health issues early and avoid more expensive problems later.
- The Blue365 discount program offers members savings on gym memberships, fitness gear and healthy living services, making it easier to prioritize health without breaking the bank.
- Living a healthy lifestyle, using a Health Savings Account and taking advantage of preventive care can help individuals manage healthcare costs and reduce the financial burden on the healthcare system.
Taking Control of Your Spine and Joint Health: A Proactive Approach
- More than half of adults ages 18 and older are impacted by musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions.
- A healthy MSK system allows you to move freely, maintain your independence, and enjoy life to the fullest.
- Common conditions that can impact your MSK system include herniated discs, arthritis, osteoporosis and tendinitis.
- BCBSM and BCN offer information and programs to help you and your loved ones enjoy a life of mobility, flexibility and comfort.
Detroit Free Press: Health Care Costs Are Rising — and Michigan Businesses & Employees Are Feeling the Strain
- High drug prices, greater utilization and higher provider rates are causing insurers to pay out more in claims than they collect in premiums.
- Rising premiums are slowing the hiring process for small businesses.
- Blue Cross is tackling affordability by working to bring down the price of prescription drugs, partnering with providers to reward value over volume and investing in healthier communities.
What is Blue Cross Doing to Prevent Health Care Fraud?
- Financial losses due to health care fraud account for 3% to 10% of health care costs.
- Health care fraud takes on many forms, including durable medical equipment, services not rendered, telemarketing fraud and more.
- More than 100 doctors have been charged with health care fraud in Michigan alone over the last decade.
- If you suspect fraud, you can call the Blue Cross toll-free Fraud Hotline at 844-STOP-FWA.
What to Know About Open Enrollment Through Your Employer
- Review your medical history, consider upcoming services and consult with your primary care provider to determine the type of coverage you require.
- Compare premiums, out-of-pocket costs and coverage details among available plans, including HMO and PPO options.
- Look into Flexible Spending Accounts or Health Savings Accounts to set aside pre-tax funds for eligible medical expenses and make health care more affordable.
Should We Pay Hospitals for Results or Volume?
- The fee-for-service model floods the health care system with high-cost care, fragmented experiences and outcomes that don’t always match the price tag.
- Instead of paying higher prices for greater volume, we need to align how hospitals are paid with the outcomes they deliver.
- Moving hospitals into value-based payment models means evolving toward a system that pays for what works and rewards providers for keeping people healthy.
What Does Hospital Consolidation Mean for the Price of Your Health Insurance and Access?
- Health systems say consolidation allows them to improve efficiency and quality, but research shows it rarely saves patients money or improves outcomes.
- When health systems consolidate, they gain leverage — and they may use that leverage to raise prices.
- We need hospitals to adopt a better model of payment that rewards outcomes, not the volume of services provided. The value-based care model represents a solution.
Survey: Michigan Small Businesses Can’t Afford to Hire New Employees, Invest in Resources Due to Rising Health Care Costs
- A recent survey revealed 76% of small businesses struggle to hire due to health care costs and 83% said these costs impact investment in other business areas.
- Hospital and prescription drug costs significantly outpace the current 2.3% inflation rate, hindering health insurance affordability for small businesses, according to the survey.
- Experts advocate for a shift to value-based care, focusing on patient outcomes rather than the current fee-for-service model.
Using the ER: When Should I Go?
- Unlike your doctor’s office, a walk-in clinic, or urgent care, the ER is built to treat severe or life-threatening health problems — not sore throats or sprained ankles.
- 40% of emergency department visits are medically nonurgent, accounting for a big part of the affordability problem.
- Here’s a good rule of thumb: if it’s not life-threatening, and you can wait a few hours or even a day, it’s probably not an emergency.
- BCBSM is helping reduce unnecessary ER visits through value-based care — a smarter, more proactive way to manage health.
