Latest Commentary

Big insurers, watch out: The little guy is entering the exchange market

With health insurance exchanges opening for enrollment in only a few months, insurers are prepping their businesses to compete in a new business-to-consumer market. But it's not only the big...

Feds dragging feet on insurance exchange education

The barrage of questions for federal officials regarding health insurance exchanges continues, piggybacking on a powerful Senator's comments that the online marketplaces were headed for a...

Mobile strategies give payers a leg up on competition

Mobile is no longer an option for payers; it's a necessity. Using mobile platforms has become a way of life for most people, whether it's reading articles through a mobile website on their...

Insurers must take action to prevent health exchange 'train wreck'

It's pretty typical of the 24/7 news media outlets to jump to report a story without either confirming, following up on or gathering more information. Case in point: Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.)...

Exchanges: Incorporate lessons learned from abroad

We're not alone. And we're certainly not the first. What am I talking about? Health insurance exchanges. Although it's a radical idea for us Americans to think of shopping for our health...

How Independence Blue Cross is changing the medical home landscape

When Independence Blue Cross launched its patient-centered medical home program three years ago, it set out to reach a lofty goal--transforming every primary care provider into a fully functional...

Payment reform: A marathon, not a sprint

There's been a lot of chatter among health insurance execs, consultants and industry experts that payment reform is a positive change. An absolute necessity, in fact. So why, then, did a recent...

BCBSNC bundles payments for better coordination, quality, costs

When I underwent knee surgery more than 10 years ago, I was faced with multiple bills from different providers, ranging from the surgeon, anesthesiologist and physical therapist. In some ways, the...

Listening to members helped Premera improve EOBs

I'm one of those kinds of people who barely scans instructions before jumping right into the task at hand, whether it's assembling new furniture or learning how to operate my new smartphone....

Guest Commentary: Consumer empowerment in insurance exchanges

Guest post by Debbie Gordon Remember when buying an airline ticket involved calling a specific airline to learn about flight options? Or, visiting a travel agent to flip through colorful brochures...