Rise in Specialty Drug Spend Spurs Innovative Cost-Saving Solutions
Specialty drugs continue to drive up pharmacy costs, accounting for over 50% of total drug spend for many self-funded health plans, despite being used by a small percentage of patients. But pharmaceutical and administrative solutions are available to help reduce that...
The Best Quality Care Starts Early, Says Harden at Conference
On October 1, MedBen Chairman and CEO Kurt Harden spoke on the topic "A Third-Party Payer’s Approach to Providing Quality Care While Minimizing Cost" at the 2024 Ventegra Client Conference. Ventegra serves as MedBen Rx's pharmacy benefits partner. "As a third-party...
MedBen Closing Early on October 18 for Employee Recognition Event
On Friday, October 18, MedBen will be closing at 12:00 p.m. EDT for a company employee recognition event. We will reopen at 8:00 a.m. EDT on Monday, October 21. As a reminder, many of your claims and benefits-related questions (including those pertaining to...
Be Sure to Remind Your Members about 2024 FSA Deadlines
If your plan offers a flexible spending account (FSA) and has a January effective date, please pass on these important reminders to your members. Upcoming FSA Deadlines: December 31, 2024: Last day to use 2024 FSA funds March 31, 2025: Final day for 2024 reimbursement...
Vision Specialists Share Their Better Eye Health Don’ts
An annual eye exam is essential to ensuring good vision and minimizing disease risk, but proper eye care shouldn't end there. Several eye doctors recently shared some things they don't do in order to maintain good ocular health. Among them: They don’t sleep in contact...
Harden, Yu Highlight Genomic Testing Benefits at Healthcare Innovation Conference
MedBen Chairman & CEO Kurt Harden and Profero Team Director of Precision Medicine Cynthia Yu were featured presenters at the 11th Annual Sherrill-Morgan Healthcare Innovation Conference on September 18th. Harden and Yu spoke on the topic of genomic testing — what...
MedBen “2025 ACA by the Numbers” Summary Available for Download
Is it time to start work on your 2025 employee health plan budget – or are you wondering about the 2025 Affordable Care Act (ACA) health plan's limitations and affordability percentages? MedBen can help. Our Compliance team has compiled "ACA by the Numbers," a...
TV Drug Ad Spend Focuses on Low-Benefit Medications
KFF Health News warns consumers not to take TV drug ads at face value: "A 2023 study found that, among top-selling drugs, those with the lowest levels of added benefit tended to spend more on advertising to patients than doctors. 'I worry that direct-to-consumer...
Have You Reminded Plan Members to Get Their Wellness Exam?
We've got some news that you may need to sit down for: 2024 is officially three-quarters over. So, if you haven't reminded your plan members about getting their annual wellness exam, now is the time to do it! Many plans may require members to get a wellness exam by...
Final Mental Health Parity Compliance Rules Released
On September 9, 2024, the federal Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) released information and a preview of the Department of Labor’s final Mental Health Parity regulations. The Final Rules are scheduled to be published in the Federal Register within the...
MedBen Passes Semiannual ISO 9001 Audit, Confirming Quality Commitment
On September 10, MedBen passed the semiannual audit of its ISO 9001:2015 quality measures. Independent auditors from consulting firm Intertek recommended that our ISO Certification continue. “[The] Audit was successfully completed in accordance with the Audit Plan as...
Employers Anticipate 7.8% Health Care Cost Hike in 2025
Employers say they expect their health care costs to rise 7.8% next year — the highest estimate in more than 15 years — according to the latest Business Group on Health member survey. Even factoring in cost-reducing plan design changes, respondents project costs to...