Insight, analysis & opinion from Joe Paduda
The work comp Pharmacy Benefit Management business has become hyper-competitive; total drug spend has dropped 6 of the last 7 years, there’s been massive consolidation of PBMs, margins are declining…all signs of a very mature industry. Sounds like a not-very-attractive-business…right? Well, … Continue reading A creative way to generate work comp PBM revenue.
Read More...Two news items hit the virtual desk this morning; hospitals will lose more than $50 billion this year, and consolidation among hospitals and health systems is continuing, isn’t improving quality, and is increasing health systems’ leverage over payers. The bad … Continue reading Worker comp payers – hold on to your purses and wallets
Read More...A dozen years ago, there were lots of relatively small companies delivering specific services to work comp payers. There were 10 PBMs. 5 bill review application and more diagnostic imaging vendors. Dozens of case management companies. Scores of IME firms. … Continue reading After the Coventry deal
Read More...After weeks of speculation – most of it pretty accurate – it’s official. In one of the more impactful transactions we’re likely to see this year, CVS/Aetna has agreed to sell Coventry Workers’ Comp Services to Mitchell/Genex. Terms haven’t been … Continue reading The Coventry deal is done.
Read More...Well, proving once again that I can’t/won’t learn from past mistakes, here are five of my predictions for 2020. The work comp insurance market will stay soft. As in mushy, pillowy, baby rabbit fur soft. Multiple factors make a strong … Continue reading Predictions for workers’ comp in 2020
Read More...in which I cover newsworthy stuff that happened this week… Uh…that’s why you buy insurance From Politico we hear CMS Administrator Seema Verna asked us taxpayers to pay for $47,000 worth of jewelry and other stuff stolen “during a work-related … Continue reading Hyper-expensive moisturizer, uninsured jewelry, drug prices, and those costly hospital mergers
Read More...Dr David Deitz moderated a panel of physicians tasked with describing the role of primary care in workers’ comp. Ed Bernacki, Jill Rosenthal of Zenith, and Will Gaines of Baylor Scott&White Health participated. The takeaways – Primary care for occupational … Continue reading Work comp – the physicians’ view
Read More...A few possible contributors – more providers than average – which creates demand, facility costs – and declining quality – due to significant healthcare system consolidation, attorney fees driven in large part by regulatory enablement, creative providers looking to suck … Continue reading Why are California’s work comp costs so high?
Read More...Yesterday’s top takeaway – the consolidation continues – and the impact can be seen on the exhibit hall floor. Sure there were some new names on the floor, but there seemed to be fewer companies exhibiting this year than in … Continue reading Vegas Day Two – Industry headwinds and poker
Read More...WorkCompWire’s Leaders’ Speak column features a two-parter from Jack Bailey of Bailey Southwell. He has worked on a lot of transactions in our space and knows a lot about deal-making. Bailey’s point about the growing importance of technology, and specifically … Continue reading Work comp services: Specialize or Generalize?
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