Hospitality Industry Health Insurance: American Health Strategy Project Aims To Lower Health Insurance Costs Through Increased Data On Employees Medical Leaves, Drug Utilization, Disability Claims And Demographics

 Until now, most employers setting up value-based insurance designs have relied primarily on medical claims data, which may or may not provide a complete picture of health risks lurking in their workforces, said Marianne Fazen, executive director of the Texas group.

In addition to medical claims data, employers participating in the American Health Strategy Project will collect data on family medical leaves, pharmaceutical and prescription drug utilization, short- and long-term disability claims, workers compensation claims, employee assistance program usage, disease management and employee demographics

The Texas Health Strategy Project is one of five initiatives announced in May by the Washington-based National Business Coalition on Health as part of the American Health Strategy Project, which intends to help employers use data from multiple sources to develop and implement value-based insurance designs. Such designs remove barriers that might prevent employees from receiving necessary health care, such as preventive screenings and maintenance medications.

While the Texas project is under way, the four other projects involving other coalitions—the Midwest Business Group on Health in Chicago, the Oregon Coalition of Health Care Purchasers in Portland, the Pittsburgh Business Group on Health and the Virginia Business Coalition on Health in Virginia Beach—are in various stages of deployment.

For more:   http://www.businessinsurance.com/article/20100905/ISSUE01/309059972