Buying value in health care keynote address highlights business health care
Michael or Mary Rode
The Write Source for the BHCG
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Buying Value in Health Care Keynote Address Highlights Business Health Care
MILWAUKEE – September 30, 2014 – An audience of nearly 200 employers, health care providers, brokers, consultants, strategic partners and other stakeholders attended the Business Health Care Group’s (BHCG) (www.businesshealthcaregroup.org) annual meeting. The meeting, whose theme was, The Price is Right – Or is It?, was held today at the Crowne Plaza Milwaukee West. In addition to outlining its accomplishments and strategies, the BHCG presented its third Driving Meaningful Change Award to the Wisconsin Health Information Organization (WHIO). The BHCG also recognized two organizations for placing the most membership with the BHCG in 2013. The morning was highlighted by a keynote address by Dr. David Nash, founding dean of the Jefferson School of Population Health at Thomas Jefferson University.
The BHCG making an impact; positioning itself to meet future needs
Dianne Kiehl, BHCG’s executive director, shared the BHCG’s continued positive cost trends over the past eight years and its major initiatives in the past year. Cost results shared by Kiehl which demonstrated that the BHCG continues to outperform the market included:
• BHCG self-funded member employers’ costs, in aggregate, averaged only a 2.2 percent increase annually over the last eight years (calculated prior to benefit application to eliminate the impact of benefit design changes), compared with 8-10 percent annually for the southeast Wisconsin market.
• The BHCG saved self-funded employer members $957 million over the past eight years compared with market trend.
“As we have reported in previous years, the BHCG continues to outperform the southeast Wisconsin market as a whole as it relates to health care costs. While these results represent tremendous cost savings, we remain committed to purchasing health care based on value – the combination of high quality at an affordable price – Group’s Annual Meeting; Partnerships Recognized; Results Shared rather than solely on unit cost,” remarked Kiehl. “Our focus is on understanding quality and rewarding providers for their performance,” Kiehl added.
Dr. Nash, nationally recognized for his work in outcomes management and quality of care, shared his opinion that employers must take the lead in driving the change to purchase health care based on value rather than volume and offered his insights about how employers can embrace and lead the move from volume to value.
He also discussed how health care reform is accelerating a focus on population-based medicine and what it means for employers.
The BHCG honored the Wisconsin Health Information Organization (WHIO) with Driving Meaningful Change Award and recognized partners in success
The BHCG’s third Driving Meaningful Change Award was presented to the Wisconsin Health Information Organization (WHIO) for their commitment to improving health care quality, transparency and efficiency in the state of Wisconsin. Jo Musser, WHIO’s CEO accepted the award on behalf of her organization, while Jacqueline Gisch, vice president of quality administration of Aurora Health Care shared her organization’s experience using the WHIO data as a WHIO data subscriber. Kiehl presented a membership growth award to Johnson Insurance for placing the most membership lives and the most member employers with the BHCG in 2013. The Racine Area Manufacturers and Commerce was recognized for having the most groups join the BHCG through a sponsoring organization in 2013.
NOTE: Slides from Dianne Kiehl’s presentation will be available at http://businesshealthcaregroup.org/past-summary-events.html by Thursday, October 2.
About the Business Health Care Group:
The Business Health Care Group is a membership organization of nearly 1,000 employers in the 11-county region of southeast Wisconsin. The BHCG and its members share the common goals of moving the health care market through innovative action and partnering for effective change. Visit to learn more www.businesshealthcaregroup.org
