Tag: risk management

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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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For Immediate Release
For additional information, contact:
rtomlinson@crowneinc.com

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WELLNESS FOCUS HELPS EMPLOYER DECREASE HELATH COSTS

Florida school district enhances health benefits for 8,000 employees while cutting costs.

April 3, 2012 (Tampa, Fla.) – Rather than passing rising health costs on to employees, Crowne Consulting Group and Med-Vision, LLC helped Pasco County schools discover an innovative approach to cut costs by enhancing healthcare for its more than 8,000 employees.

By coupling onsite health and wellness centers with customized wellness programs to engage employees, Pasco County schools reduced health costs 5 percent last year, saving more than $155,000 per month. The district also flattened its prescription drug costs in 2011, thus defying the average 9.2 percent national rise according to a Segal health plan cost trend survey.

“Med-Vision’s health data analytics and wellness planning in combination with Crowne Consulting Group’s management of our CareHere health centers have been very valuable,” said Mary Tillman, Pasco schools’ director of employee benefits.

For zero deductibles and no costs, employees have free access to primary medical, screenings, lab work, X-rays, EKG, occupational health, wellness programs, disease management, and generic prescriptions.

Crowne Consulting Group assisted Pasco schools in opening three worksite centers in January 2011, and the district is considering adding a fourth later this year. The Crowne Consulting Group is co-administrators of 24 health and wellness centers throughout Florida, helping Tennessee-based partners CareHere, LLC total 100 health centers nationwide.

In addition to operating during hours convenient for employees, the patient-centric medical services allow for 20 minutes with clinic physicians as opposed to the average seven minutes. The operators also ensure patient information is kept confidential, according to HIPAA laws, and administer the district’s workers’ compensation matters and drug testing.

“Crowne Consulting Group and CareHere have been outstanding in setting up and operating our health centers,” said Tillman. “They provided orientations for our employees, and they even offered a prize drawing incentive to encourage utilization.”

Despite being able to access care through their current health plan, nearly half of the employee population visited the worksite centers within the first year. Employees totaled 26,000 medical visits, filled more than 15,000 prescriptions, and benefited from programs such as nutrition and smoking cessation in 2011.

Med-Vision, LLC, a health plan risk management and strategy firm, combed through the district’s health claims to determine what disease management and wellness programs were needed.

“Med-Vision helped write our wellness strategic plan, and they’re guiding our wellness committee in budgeting for doing the most good for employees through targeted health incentives,” said Tillman.

Health programs for 2012 include an “Employee Report Card,” which will allow employees to complete health risk assessments and track wellness program participation with the goal of earning cash rewards.
About Crowne Consulting Group : 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 a cumulative 100 years of experience in serving public sector employers such as school boards, city and county government, 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. Call 407-654-5414 or visit owd.dev/PCHP/CrowneGroup/wp for more information.

About Med-Vision, LLC: Founded in 2005, Med-Vision delivers health plan risk management and wellness strategies to help employer groups achieve optimal employee health and productivity. Med-Vision caters to the needs of self-funded employer plan sponsors and impacts health plan members across the nation. Med-Vision has helped corporations, healthcare facilities, municipalities, and school districts to reduce risk, reverse trends, and decrease healthcare costs while increasing quality of care for their employees. Call 813-205-1577 or visit www.med-vision.com for more information.

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