Walmart Workers Who Need Spinal Surgery Can Soon Only Use Specific Hospital Systems To Try To Control Costs
Since 2013, Walmart has given the option for employees to travel to certain hospitals and has offered to pay for expenses as well as the full procedure. Half of the workers who volunteered to travel ended up avoiding the high-cost surgery even though their local doctors said it was needed, so the company is now expanding the policy so it's mandatory starting in January. Other health care spending news looks at diabetes, genetic testing, mammograms and retirement.
The Wall Street Journal:
To Curb Wasteful Health Spending, Walmart To Send Employees Traveling For Spine Surgery
Walmart Inc. said it will require its employees to use certain hospitals for costly spine surgeries, an effort to weed out unnecessary procedures and lower its health-care spending. The retailer has been trying since 2013 to encourage employees to undergo the surgeries at hospital systems known for their quality by offering to pay the full cost of the procedures and travel. But not all workers took Walmart up on the offer, and the retailer continued to pay for surgery elsewhere. (Evans, 11/14)
Stat:
A Startup For Diabetes Patients Will Only Get Paid By Insurers If Its Service Works
An ambitious startup that uses digital coaching and monitoring to try to help patients reverse type 2 diabetes, is making a big change to the way it makes money: Insurers and employers will now only pay Virta if its service works. Under Virta Health‘s new business model, announced on Wednesday, a health plan or employer will pay Virta a fee only if the patient is sufficiently engaged with its program after one month. The second payment comes after a year, only if patients lower their A1C, a measure of glucose in the blood, to a certain level determined on a case-by-case basis. (Robbins, 11/14)
The Philadelphia Inquirer:
Jefferson Adds A New Employee Perk: Free Genetic Testing
One of the region's largest health employers is offering its more than 30,000 workers an unusual new benefit: free genetic tests. Jefferson, the combination of Jefferson Health and Thomas Jefferson University, told employees in mid-October that they could take a panel of genetic tests that flag people at higher risk for certain cancers and heart problems, as well as those who may metabolize medications in unusual ways that could make them candidates for different dosing or alternative drugs. (Burling, 11/13)
The Philadelphia Inquirer:
Screening Or Diagnostic Mammogram? The Difference Could Cost You
It had been a few years since Deanie Gauntlett's last mammogram, so when the X-ray showed a few unusual spots, her doctor ordered a follow-up diagnostic scan. The diagnostic test had that same uncomfortable, is-this-over-yet squish, but was different in one discernible way: its price tag. Though Gauntlett's screening mammogram was covered in full by her health-insurance plan, she owed a $65 co-pay for the diagnostic version. (Gantz, 11/14)
Wyoming Public Radio:
Cloud Peak Cuts Post-Retirement Health Care
One of Wyoming’s largest coal companies cut health care benefits for its retired workers. In its third quarter report released October 25, Cloud Peak Energy said the move will provide it with $19.4 million in net income. It was announced to employees in August. The report also recounted an approximately 15 percent reduction in coal shipments compared to Q3 last year. Coal has been costlier to remove from the ground due to additional overburden from digging deeper. Cloud Peak explained it will provide benefits for the remainder of 2018 and give a lump sum contribution for 2019 benefits. It maintains an unfunded medical plan to eligible employees. (McKim, 11/13)
