FIRSTnews
A Publication of First Source Benefits Group, LLC
February 2006 Volume III: Edition 7 Account Executive QUOTE OF THE MONTH Health Premiums Increase Due to More Utilization
Don’t join an easy crowd; you won’t grow. Go where the
A 13.6% increase in outpatient costs contributed to a large
expectations and the demands to perform are high”
portion of last year’s health insurance premium increase. On
the other hand, multi-tiered drug benefits and increased generic drug use have managed to temper that rise, according to
Did You Know?
…Baby boomers are called the Sandwich Generation due
In the latest study, researchers attributed more than 40% of the
to their increasing role as caregivers for their parents
rise in insurance premiums due to increases in the utilization of
…the average life span of a baby boomer is now 85
The report says that 86% of the health insurance premium
dollar is spent on services, 11% on administration, and just 3%
…to boomers, well-being and aging are synonymous. Being happy, healthy and secure are life requirements!
Patients Quicker to Switch to Generic Drugs
A new analysis confirms that workers are saving money by
Broker Silence on CDHPs Hampers
switching to generic drugs as they appear on the market, a trend
Implementation
that may provide hope for HR professionals and advisers to
A number of theories have been authored to explain why
employers have been slow to adopt consumer-driven
Generic dispensing rates for four drugs (Allegra, Arava,
health plans. A new study places some of the blame on
Amaryl and Zithromax) reached 87% with 30 days after the
generic equivalent became available, according to Medco
Pharmacy Benefit Management. The good news is these four
A LIMRA International study shows that CDHPs have
generic medications are just the start. With a number of popular
been limited to large employers. Smaller companies have
medications expected to move off patent in the next several
not adopted them because they have limited knowledge
years, there should be substantial prescription drug cost
of the options available to them and their brokers have
never approached some companies on the subject.
One insurer, Aetna, has recently introduced a new zero dollar
We at First Source Benefits Group have taken a very
copay for generics with some of its medical plans, making
proactive role in the area of consumer-driven health plans
generics essentially free to the customer.
such as HRAs, HSAs and self-funding. We strongly
believe these types of plans are here to stay and will
Almost 70 brand-name drugs, including Zocor, Zoloft and
greatly help our clients stem the tide of increasing health
Ambien, collectively account for more than $5 billion in U.S.
sales and are expected to become available as generics within
Rejoice! Spring Is Right Around the Corner!
The Urinary System This Version Last Updated On Friday, March 27, 2009 The urinary system consists of the following organs: two kidneys, two ureters, a urinary bladder and a urethra. The functional unit of the kidney is the Nephron. The functions of the urinary system include regulation of the body fluid volume, pH, osmolarity, and electrolyte composition; excretion of metabol
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