Threats to Independent Brokers — Be Forewarned!

Big Box Healthcare Coming to Your Neighborhood Soon

Walmart, UnitedHealth link 10-year collaboration deal on value-based care

The partnership between the retailer and the vertically integrated healthcare firm — giant U.S. companies both with hundreds of billions of dollars in annual revenue — comes as Walmart looks to build out its care delivery network and UnitedHealth looks to expand the reach of its Medicare Advantage plans. Read article

UnitedHealth operates one of the largest private payers in the U.S. and is also the biggest provider of MA coverage with almost 8 million enrollees. 

Editor’s Note: 

  • Vertical integration is an arrangement in which the supply chain of a company is integrated and owned by that company.
  • Value-based healthcare is a healthcare delivery model in which providers, including hospitals and physicians, are paid based on patient health outcomes. Under value-based care agreements, providers are rewarded for helping patients improve their health, reduce the effects and incidence of chronic disease, and live healthier lives in an evidence-based way.

 

Chart above from Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF): Medicare Advantage in 2022: Enrollment Update and Key Trends


LOOKING FORWARD

Blue Shield of California CEO speaks at CMA
Leading Through the Pandemic, Lessons Learned and Future Goals in Healthcare 

Simplify, digitize, and automate. These are the keys to transforming the healthcare system and being ready for the next public health crisis, Blue Shield of California President and CEO Paul Markovich said at a recent California Medical Association’s (CMA) Group Advocacy Symposium in Pasadena, Calif. Read more here. 


What’s Coming: The next decade in healthcare: increased volumes and shifts in care sites

Inpatient and outpatient volumes expected to increase – see pdf here: Next Decade in Health care


It’s Not the Great Resignation, it’s the Great Realignment 

Radio Advisory’s Rachel Woods sat down with health care workforce experts Eliza Dailey, Monica Westhead, and Alex Polyak to discuss workplace qualities that have become more important to health care workers and what leaders can do to cement themselves as the employer of choice. 

Read the story

Related: For workforce strategy, forget ‘return to normal.’ Your workforce certainly has.


Post-Roe World Presents Big Challenges for Healthtech
Here’s how tech-enabled reproductive healthcare companies are responding to the overturn of Roe v. Wade. Read article.


LISTEN IN: Podcast on “Survey Shows Return to Office Trends and Employer Attitudes”

In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber employment law expert Matthew Roberts and Global Head of Occupier Thought Leadership at CBRE Group, Inc. Julie Whelan discuss current employer attitudes toward in-person work and returning remote workers to the workplace.

The most enduring change we will see moving forward is where employees are going to be performing their work, Roberts says in kicking off the podcast.

“Remote or hybrid work arrangements are now the norm instead of the exception,” he says. “As we enter a relative period of stability with COVID-19, employers are now at that stage of deciding whether to end remote hybrid arrangements and what to do with the commercial real estate and workspaces they had pre-pandemic.” More here


Employee Financial Wellbeing report: Year in review

How is the American workforce feeling, financially? Unlock an insider look at full-time employees and their money. Financial goals, fears, plans, and the most impactful features of the LearnLux holistic financial wellbeing program are represented.

  • Analysis covers six key categories: Stress, Confidence, Behavioral Finance, Goals, Education, and Expert Guidance.
  • Actionable insights for employers and consultants alike to turn data into strategy

Download report here.


Inflation is (finally) Hitting Healthcare 

While health care prices have so far been largely unaffected by record-high U.S. inflation, prices will likely increase more quickly going forward, leading to higher insurance premiums and more costly services for both consumers and employers in 2023. 

Read the story

Related: The 5 conditions driving health care spending, charted


9 Pieces of Unconventional Wisdom for Innovators and Change Makers

To loosen up creativity and recognize inherent cognitive biases to find innovative solutions, we need to challenge conventional wisdom. Win colleagues over to new ways of thinking about today’s constant waves of change, and create new pathways to innovation, and to personal and professional growth with these unconventional approaches. Read more here


Deep Web vs. Dark Web: Understanding the Differences

The internet is often compared to an iceberg. From the surface, we can explore everything that search engines like Google and Yahoo have to offer. But the surface level internet, like the tip of the iceberg, is only a small part of something much, much larger. 

The surface web, a term that refers to all the sites indexed by search engines, is only a tiny fraction of the greater internet. Below the top layer extends what is called the deep web, and further below that, the dark web. Read more. 


Words Aren’t Enough: The Risks of Inauthentic Policies

2 out of 3 workers don’t think pandemic racial justice policies are genuine

In 2020, as employers were grappling with the pandemic and renewed calls for racial justice, many responded with new policies and pronouncements. But according to this survey of nearly 7,000 employees in 14 countries around the globe, more than two out of three employees believed their organization’s coronavirus-related policies for the care and safety of their workers were not genuine. 

In white-majority countries, an astonishing three-quarters of employees reported that their organization’s racial equity policies were not genuine. The authors demonstrate that policies perceived as authentic or genuine predict increased positive job outcomes such as engagement and intent to stay, and identify empathy as a key driver to communicate policies authentically. Read more here


RESOURCES

15 tips to boost your work-from-home productivity

When it comes to work, everyone has different preferences and habits. But working from home can easily disrupt anyone’s daily routine. Below, we’ve rounded up tips to boost productivity and create a more positive work-from-home experience. Get your tips here


Tackle This Year’s Benefits Enrollment Period With Ease, courtesy of isolved

Research shows that a poor open enrollment experience would lead 64 % of employees to consider looking for a new job.Check out isolved FREE eBook, “The Broker’s Guide to a Smooth Open Enrollment” to help keep you on track and ensure a productive  meeting.


101: Small Group health Insurance Training Course with White Wing Insurance Services: How to Cross-Sell Insurance during Open Enrollment

Six Week Small Group Health Insurance Training starts Oct. 3 @ 10:00 AM (PST)

Realize 80% of your future revenue will come from 20% of your existing customer base. 

For a sneak peak: WWIS Cross Selling Tips You’ll learn seven tips to further your cross-selling efforts. (Add link to PDF) Cross-selling can really help you build your insurance business. Get started today and watch your revenue grow! Register here


WHO’S WHO

Allianz Partners announces appointment of new CEO and key leadership changes

  • Tomas Kunzmann, previously CEO of Mobility & Assistance and Board Member of Allianz Partners, has been named CEO of Allianz Partners, succeeding Sirma Boshnakova 
  • Laurent Floquet succeeds Tomas Kunzmann as CEO of Mobility & Assistance and Board Member of Allianz Partners
  • Patrick Espeut appointed Chief Financial Officer

Allianz Partners is a world leader in B2B2C insurance and assistance, offering global solutions that span international health and life, travel insurance, mobility and assistance. Customer driven, our innovative experts are redefining insurance services by delivering future-ready, high-tech, high-touch products and solutions that go beyond traditional insurance. Read more


LEGISLATION

In case you missed it! Dorothy Cociu’s thorough capture is worth the read!
2022: A Supreme Summer?
A Detailed Look Into This Summer’s Supreme Court Decisions that Affect Employer Health Benefits and Plan Decisions
SCOTUS Cases Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, Marietta Memorial Hospital Employee Health Plan v. DaVita, Inc.

By Dorothy M. Cociu, RHU, REBC, GBA, RPA; president, Advanced Benefit Consulting & Insurance Services, Inc.; VP, Professional Development, OCAHU


EVENTS & TRAINING

Featured: 

Small Group health Insurance Training Course 101 with White Wing Insurance Services: How to Cross-Sell Insurance during Open Enrollment

Six Week Small Group Health Insurance Training starts Oct. 3 @ 10:00 AM (PST)
Realize 80% of your future revenue will come from 20% of your existing customer base. 

For a sneak peak:  You’ll learn seven tips to further your cross-selling efforts. WWIS Cross Selling TipsCross-selling can really help you build your insurance business. Get started today and watch your revenue grow! Register here


September

  • GGAHU Complimentary Webinar: Modifications to Medicare and the Medicare Marketplace for 2023, Thurs., Sept. 22. Register for one CE credit.
  • EBN Webinar: COVID Silver Linings: How pandemic lessons will forever change healthcare delivery, Wed. Sept 28 11am PST, 2pm EST Register
  • WIFS National Conference, Sept. 29-Oct. 1, Phoenix, Arizona. Info here

October and beyond 

  • Custom Media Digital Health Free Webinar “Accelerating Healthcare’s Digital Evolution: A roadmap to Enterprise Intelligence” Oct. 4, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. PST Register 
  • National African-American Insurance Association (NAAIA) 2022 Annual Conference & Empowerment Summit, Oct. 5-7, Baltimore, MD. Info here 
  • Self Insurance Institute of America (SIIA) ENGAGE National Conference & Expo, October 9-11, Phoenix. Info: (800)851-7789 www.siiaconferences.org
  • Life Insurance Marketing and Research Association (LIMRA) 2022 Annual Conference, Chicago, Oct. 16 – 18. Register
  • HLTH 2022 Health Innovation Expo, Nov. 13-16, Las Vegas. Register 
  • Ellevate Women’s Leadership 2023 Summit, March 13-15, 2/23. JW Marriott just outside Las Vegas. Registration NOW OPEN. Don’t miss it!!!! Register 

CALIFORNIA BROKER Print Magazine: In case you missed these Sept. stories:
October issue will be out first week of October. Look for the feature on Women in Leadership through Mentoring by Jessica Word, Large Group Survey and Dan Clark on “Why Choose You.”

Sign up for a monthly print subscription by sending your physical address to: Calbrokermag@calbrokermag.com

Advertisers & Authors Wanted!
Spots still available in Nov & Dec 2022.
Contact editor@calbrokermag.com