Tag: insurance

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Onsite Employee Healthcare Centers
Reduce Wasteful Spending in Pharmacy Costs


Crowne Consulting Group Helps Employers Save Money
with Wholesale Prescription Programs 

April 17, 2018 (Ocoee, Fla.) – Beyond improving care and convenience, onsite healthcare centers are helping both employers and patients achieve significant savings in medical and pharmacy costs.

Crowne Consulting Group, Inc. is engaged in co-operating over 30 health and wellness centers for large employers across Florida. In addition to medical care, centers offer free pharmacy services with generic prescriptions available for employees, dependents, and retirees.  Employers pay low-cost wholesale rates on prescription drugs, which drastically reduce expenses for the employers. Patients benefit by conveniently walking away from appointments with free or low-priced medicine.

“Employers need innovative solutions because Americans are wasting millions annually on price gouging, clawbacks, and other forms of prescription drug overcharging,” said Ray Tomlinson, president of Crowne Consulting Group, which specializes in decreasing employer healthcare costs through customized onsite-healthcare models.

In addition to improving access to quality care, Crowne’s experts stay focused on helping employers combat the rising costs of specialty pharmacy drugs through drug-spending evaluations and cost-containment programs.  Spending control is vital according to a study released in March by University of Southern California – Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics, which found customers overpaid for prescriptions 23 percent of the time. Reports reference “clawbacks” as when customers unreasonably pay prescription copays that are higher than a drug’s actual cost.

JAMA Internal Medicine recently reported generic drug substitutions are critical in reducing wasteful spending in healthcare. The researchers specifically noted expenses can be mitigated with generic versions of statins as opposed to brand-name drugs with higher costs.

Through wholesale generic drug programs and onsite healthcare services, Crowne’s clients have reported multimillion-dollar savings in healthcare expenditures, while simultaneously enhancing care for patients.

 

About Crowne Consulting Group:  Crowne Consulting Group, Inc., founded in 1986, provides administrative oversight services for worksite health and wellness centers and is a related company with The Crowne Group, an employee benefits consulting firm specializing in employer solutions and personal lines of insurance.  Crowne serves public sector employers such as school boards, city and county government, sheriff offices, as well as private organizations.  Solutions for consumer-driven plans include health reimbursement arrangements, self-funded plans, onsite health centers, as well as risk management and human resources consulting.

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Employee Healthcare Costs
– Forecasting for 2018

Crowne Healthcare Costs Forecasting 2018As employers across America look ahead to 2018 budgets, experts predict the keys to successfully maintaining a healthy bottom line will be controlling actual service costs while also reducing medical risks.

According to projections from PwC Health Research Institute (HRI), medical costs in the 2018 employer insurance market will grow at a slightly faster rate than 2017.  HRI’s latest edition of “Behind the Numbers” lists price of services and rates of utilization as the leading factors affecting 2018’s projected 6.5% medical-cost trend.

“In a competitive labor market, employers are looking for new cost containment strategies beyond shifting more costs to employees,” according to HRI’s report, which also recommends employers take action by considering customized worksite-health-promotion programs, drug-spending evaluations, and a stronger focus to “tackle price” on provider arrangements.

An increasing number of employers are now choosing self-funded health plans as a first step in combating costs. Self-funded employers pay medical costs for services without paying insurance premiums to carriers each year. Notably, most self-funded plans will require reinsurance or a separate stop-loss policy for catastrophic events in order to financially manage long-term risks or losses.

Benefits experts can help organizations easily transition to self-funded programs.  Once self-funded, employers are positioned to mitigate risks and lower expenses through the customization of healthcare programs for employees, retirees, and their dependents.

“Shifting to self-funded plans and focusing on preventative care are two ways budget-minded employers in today’s market are achieving the greatest return from healthcare investments,” said Ray Tomlinson, president of Crowne Consulting Group, a benefits-planning firm specializing in self-funding and the operation of over 30 onsite and near-site employee health centers.

Employers are launching onsite health and wellness centers for plan members to combat rising healthcare costs.  Onsite healthcare specifically attracts self-funded groups because medical visit costs are paid directly by the employer without claims being filed through the more expensive fee-for-services model typically conducted by Group health insurance programs.  With an onsite-care model, however, the employer controls spending by paying significantly lower costs.

“Self-funded employers can substantially cut costs through customized risk management and on-site care programs, while patients reap the benefits of no out-of-pocket costs and easily accessible primary care, disease management, screenings, x-rays, wellness, and prescriptions,” said Tomlinson.

Crowne Consulting Group’s clients have included school districts, cities, counties, sheriff’s offices, and private organizations.  Contact Crowne or call 407.654.5414 for information and employer solutions.

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PRESS RELEASE

Employers Take Control of Medical Costs
With Self-Funded Health Plans

Nov. 16, 2016 (Ocoee, Fla.) – Healthcare cost control and risk management are critical reasons why Crowne Consulting Group and its benefits-planning partners are helping employers to self-fund their health plans.

While Crowne’s solutions have supported corporations, school districts, sheriff’s offices, and municipalities spanning Florida, the self-funding trend is spreading nationwide. Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI), a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit, published a July report on trends in self-insured health plans between 1996 and 2015.  A rise from 28.5 to 39 percent was reported for private employers offering self-funded plans.

For decades, a majority of large employers and government agencies have benefited from self-funded plans, but EBRI’s report notes an increasing percentage of small and mid-sized businesses self-funding. Additionally, October’s Market Realities report by Willis Towers Watson forecasts lower rate increases for self-insured plans compared to fully insured plans in 2017.

“Whether a decision to self-fund is for lowering insurance expenses or for managing government provisions, employers are achieving greater control of costs,” said Ray Tomlinson, president of Crowne Consulting Group, which is aligned with partners offering special programs with rate-caps from one of the nation’s largest stop-loss carriers for those risks who qualify.  “Reinsurance or external insurance for catastrophic events is essential in managing long-term risk and avoiding losses through high-cost claims.”

Crowne and its partners are also helping self-funded employers mitigate risks and lower expenses through the operation of onsite and near-site health and wellness centers.  In contrast to the typically expensive fee-for-service model of filing insurance claims, a self-funded employer can launch an onsite-care model and pay significantly less for medical services for employees, retirees, and their dependents. No-cost primary and chronic care, screenings, x-rays, wellness programs, and onsite pharmacies are among the benefits to patients of worksite healthcare.

About Crowne Consulting Group:  Crowne Consulting Group, Inc., founded in 1986, provides administrative oversight services for worksite health and wellness centers and is a related company with The Crowne Group, an employee benefits consulting firm specializing in employer solutions and personal lines of insurance.  Crowne serves public sector employers such as school boards, city and county government, sheriff offices, as well as private organizations.  Solutions for consumer-driven plans include health reimbursement arrangements, self-funded plans, onsite health centers, as well as risk management and human resources consulting.

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Employers are Self-Funding to Find Savings in Healthcare

Crowne Consulting Group launches affiliate corporation, Medical Risk Solutions,
to help employers transition to self-funded and to launch worksite health centers.

Sept. 23, 2015 (Ocoee, Fla.) – Various provisions of the Affordable Care Act have swayed employers to opt for self-funding in order to achieve the greatest return from their healthcare investments.

In response to the growing demand for risk management coupled with self-funded plans, the benefits experts at Crowne Consulting Group have launched an affiliate onsite healthcare company, Medical Risk Solutions (www.medicalrisksolutions.com).

Medical Risk Solutions specializes in helping employers to strategically transition from fully insured to self-funded or partially self-funded through its Guaranteed Program with a rate-cap for at least three years.

“Our clients leverage the power of partnerships with one of the nation’s largest stop-loss carriers, providing reinsurance with a guaranteed rate cap,” said Ray Tomlinson, president of both Crowne Consulting Group and Medical Risk Solutions.  “Also, in conjunction with trusted medical partnerships, we remain positioned to help employers implement employee health and wellness centers for reducing the cost of healthcare claims under the more expensive fee-for-service model.”

As a positive, self-insured plans are exempt from medical-loss-ratio requirements and aren’t subject to risk-adjustment.  Onsite healthcare for employees attracts self-funded groups because visits are paid directly by the employer.  No claim is filed.  Group health insurance typically is conducted in a fee-for-services model.  The more physician services, the higher the bill.  With an onsite center, however, the employer controls spending by paying a flat fee and costs without mark-up.

Florida-based Crowne Consulting Group has helped self-funded employers in Florida ranging from 200 to over 8,000 employees to launch onsite healthcare.  Employers have saved millions of dollars in healthcare costs, decreased prescription drug costs, and lowered operational expenditures.

About Crowne Consulting Group, Inc: Crowne Consulting Group, Inc., founded in 1986, consults and provides administrative oversight services for onsite health and wellness centers to employers and is a related company with The Crowne Group, an employee benefits consulting firm specializing in employer solutions and personal lines of insurance.  Crowne’s experts have experience in serving public sector employers such as school boards, city and county government, sheriff offices, as well as private organizations.  Solutions for consumer-driven plans include health reimbursement arrangements, self-funded plans, onsite health and wellness centers, as well as risk management and human resources consulting.

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Accessibility Churns Success

Employers are making healthcare more effective by offering medical services at or nearby the worksite. By handling all administration and operations, onsite care experts can help shift attention from disease management to disease prevention.  Over 30 employee health and wellness centers in Florida are drastically reducing health costs through the help of Crowne Consulting Group, Inc. and medical partnerships.

Onsite care extends benefits of free office visits, screenings, and increased physician face-time for employees.  Employers can stick with their current healthcare plan and benefits provider.  The only difference is that the employees now have the option to handle medical appointments and wellness visits at the worksite rather than at more costly outside providers.

“Costs for operating an onsite health center can be 60 percent less than paying for a fee-for-service model,” said Ray Tomlinson, president of Crowne Consulting Group. “And it’s not just employers seeing the savings – the employees are also reaping the benefits through the increased accessibility to care.”

Utilization proves to be high because employee health centers offer on-demand medical service for employees, their dependents, and the retiree population for no out-of-pocket costs.

  • With a free and reliable health center nearby, employees are more likely to keep chronic issues, such as hypertension and diabetes, in check.
  • Workers are equipped to take better care of themselves, while also taking less time off and requiring fewer serious medical procedures.
  • Quality healthcare in a convenient location reduces costs to employees, and, by extension, taxpayers.

Employers can experience additional savings and services when the workers’ compensation program is integrated with an onsite-health-center model.  One Florida school district slashed their Worker’s Compensation costs by 50 percent in one year.  Crowne and their medical partners have also teamed with top-rated firms to bring insurance products and management services for fully-insured and self-insured school districts.

When considering onsite care, it’s important to ask the right questions to ensure your operators are able to meet and exceed your needs for lowering health costs while making quality care more accessible to your employees.  With expertise in serving public sector employers such as school boards, city and county government, as well as private organizations – Crowne specializes in making healthcare more accessible and more affordable.

Contact Crowne’s Expert Now.

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Schools Clearing Health Care Hurdles

District Administration Magazine
December 2014
Feature Story, Posted 11/14/2014
By Alison DeNisco

Crowne Consulting Group and our client, Pasco County Schools, are featured in the December 2014 Issue of District Administration Magazine.  Here’s an excerpt:

“Pasco County Schools in Florida, a district of 10,000 employees, has been self-insured with Blue Cross Blue Shield since 2009. The district was fully insured for many years, but insurance carriers were increasing rates between 9 and 12 percent, says Kevin Shibley, executive director for administration at the District School Board of Pasco County.

Administrators determined that they could save those extra costs if they took on the risk of self-insuring, he says. “We have a long history of being stable, so we made the decision to go self-insured,” Shibley adds.

Since then, the district has not had an annual increase to its insurance plan exceeding 5 percent, Shibley says. It also worked with Crowne Consulting Group to open on-site employee health care centers, and saved $14 million over three years as a result.“

Visit District Administration to read the full article:
http://www.districtadministration.com/article/schools-clearing-health-care-hurdles

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Onsite and In Demand:
Helping Large and Small Employers to Lower Health Costs

With the various provisions in the Affordable Care Act and opt-out-only requirements for employee health coverage, it’s clear that Healthcare Reform will push many smaller employers to opt for self-funding.

As a positive, self-insured plans are exempt from medical loss ratio requirements and aren’t subject to risk-adjustment.

Onsite healthcare for employees attracts self-funded groups because visits are paid directly by the employer.  No claim is filed.  Group health insurance typically is conducted in a fee-for-services model.  The more physician services, the higher the bill.  With an onsite health center, however, the employer controls spending by paying a flat fee and pass-through costs without any markup.

Employers can stick with their current healthcare plan and benefits provider.  The only difference is that the employees now have the option to handle medical appointments and wellness visits at the worksite rather than at more costly outside providers.  As a result, the costs for operating an onsite health center are 30-70 percent less than paying for a fee-for-service model.

Dozens of onsite health centers popping up across Florida have succeeded with the help of Crowne Consulting Group, Inc. , which partners with Tennessee-based CareHere to handle administration and operations of the onsite health center.

While many private companies have opened their onsite health centers, public entities including cities, counties, and school districts, have led the charge in recent years.

Importantly, the Crowne-CareHere model is completely scalable, which means it can work for employers from small to large.  Crowne Consulting Group has helped self-funded employers in Florida ranging from 175 employees to 8,500 employees.  Employers have managed to save millions of dollars in healthcare costs and decrease their prescription drug expenditures.

See video about Onsite Care Sweeping Florida https://crowneinc.com/2012/10/.

What’s more is that it’s not just the employer seeing the savings – the employees are also reaping the benefits.  Employee utilization remains high because employee health centers offer on-demand medical service for employees, their dependents, and the retiree population for no out-of-pocket costs.