National Business Coalition on Health - Action Briefs

NBCH is pleased to announce a new series of action briefs developed to support the critical role purchasers and purchaser-led coalitions play as change agents in improving health and health care in employee populations and the community at large. Each action brief will center on a specific topic of interest highlighting why employers should care; using eValue8 data to better explain the role of health plans around the issue; and providing action steps and strategies employers can take to improve health and health care delivery.

The briefs include critical topics such as:

Patient-Centered Medical Homes: The patient-centered medical home (PCMH) is an important strategy within larger efforts to revamp the way care is delivered and paid for. By centering an individual's health care experience around strong primary care, PCMH seeks to bring order to a health care system that is dangerously fragemented.

Investing in Maternal Health: New mothers make up the fastest growing segment of the U.S. workforce. As many employers are faced with increased, pregnancy-related costs, now more than ever employers must focus on maternal health. It is important to remember that maternal health encompasses preconception, pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. This Action Brief outlines the business case for improved maternal health as well as how health plans are supporting this population based on data from eValue8 – a resource used by purchasers to assess health plan performance. Lastly, the brief offers evidence-based resources and actions employers can take to implement a maternal health strategy in the workplace.

The Importance of Supporting Child Health: In 2010, roughly one quarter of the U.S. population was under the age of 18. Considering that over half (55%) of this population is covered by employer-sponsored health insurance, it is critically important for employers to focus on wellness andprevention initiatives not only for adult workers but also for dependent children. This Action Brief outlines the business case for improved child health as well as how health plans are supporting the health of children based on data from eValue8 – a resource used by purchasers to assess health plan performance. Lastly, the brief offers evidence-based resources and actions employers can take to implement a family health strategy in the workplace.

COPD: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an important issue affecting employee health and productivity at work. It’s also costing employers three times more than what they spend on employees without COPD. About 70% of the 12 million people with diagnosed COPD and 12 million people with impaired lung function are under age 65. It’s also a major driver of AVOIDABLE health care costs. In 2010 the U.S. spent $29.5 billion in direct health care expenditures, with additional costs not captured in claims due to under-diagnosis and misdiagnosis. This Action Brief outlines the scope and costs of COPD; how health plans are addressing the issue based on data from eValue8 – a resource used by purchasers to track health plan performance – and actions employers can take to improve health and lower costs of their COPD population.

Value-Based Insurance Design: In 2010, the United States spent $2.6 trillion in health care expenditures with private employers footing the bill for nearly $743 billion (21%) of the costs. Despite continued frustration with rising health care costs in a seemingly unsustainable system, innovative payers and purchasers have identified a promising strategy that critically transforms the way health care services are chosen and paid for, with the goal of ultimately improving health and lowering costs. Value-based insurance design(V-BID) comprehensively addresses the way health benefits are both structured as well as utilized by employees.