2009 Briefs

Health care solutions and benefits management for employers and HR teams. Providing direction on health care consumerism and population health and wellness.

Briefs: Avivia, HealthcareOne, Nightingale, MedNet Benefits, Three R's of Employee Benefits...

Nov. / Dec. 2009

Avivia Health has launched Avivia Select, a series of affordable disease management and wellness programs. The program has been designed for organizations with 5,000 to 25,000 employees and consists of three prepackaged solutions for individuals with chronic conditions and health risks. Programs are available nationwide and can be incorporated into virtually any health insurance program.

Level One includes a health risk assessment and a variety of interactive and educational tools and resources to support member self-care activities, access to web-based modules and health information, web-based activity reporting, employer communications toolkit, and optional incentives administration. Level Two includes all capabilities of Level One, plus enhance features such as unlimited 24/7 inbound calls to a health coach and outbound Avivia interactive voice response automated call for those identified as high and moderate risk. Members can transfer to a live health coach from the automated call. Level Three offers the capabilities of the other levels but expands upon them with population segmentation, risk stratification, and targeted outreach to moderate- and high-risk members. This level includes standard monthly activity and outcome web-based reporting, which includes ROI results. 

HealthcareOne offers individuals and employers an affordable alternative with their medical discount plans. The plans provides members discounts from 20%-60% of health care services, including doctor visits, hospital visits and stays, dental, vision, hearing, chiropractic, alternative medicine, and podiatry. HealthcareOne also offers prescription discount plans providing 10%-60% off brand name and generic prescription drugs. Because HealthcareOne is not an insurance company, everyone is accepted and can use the medical discount program.  Plans start at $29.95 per month, per family. More than 900,000 health care provider locations are accessible through the network.

Claims assistance firm Nightingale has become a regular contributor for YourMedicalBills.com, an online blog designed to assist patients in locating information about their medical bills and professionals who assist in the claim process. Nightingale has been assisting patients with their medical bills since 1993, providing services that reduce the cost of medical bills, help patients obtain health insurance, and find the best health care providers.


MedNet Benefits has launched a new comprehensive benefits website
, which includes an expanded reference guide to all of MedNet's products and services. MedNet clients include direct marketers, employers, and affinity organizations. Visit the site at www.mednetcatalog.com.


"The Three Rs of Employee Benefits: Recruiting, Retention and Rewards,"
written by Robert N. Arnoff and Leah Shepherd, is designed for HR professionals and discusses strategies involved in recruiting, retaining, and rewarding employees in today's economy. Topics include how to: increase return on investments in employee benefits, reduce employee turnover, save money on recruiting expenses, curb increases in health care premiums, customize benefit plans to better fit employee populations, work with benefits brokers and advisers more effectively, communicate to employees in a way that enhances their appreciation of benefits, and communicate with senior executives more effectively about the benefit plans. Arnoff is president of Arnoff and Associates Inc., an Ohio-based employee benefits firm specializing in group health, life, disability, dental, and retirement plans. Shepherd is former managing editor of Employee Benefit News.


New Applications Provide Employers with Competitive Position of Health Care Costs, Benefit Plans...
New Application from Thomson Reuters and HighRoads Provides Employers with a Deeper Understanding of the Competitive Position of Their Health Care Costs and Benefit Plans

Briefs: WellPoint, NorthStar, CHT, TSYS, Metlife, ConnectYourCare, Assurant Health, & more
Nov. / Dec. 2009

Lighthouse1 Helps Canopy Financial and CareGain Partners, Customers Avoid Service Disruption
Lighthouse1 has created a special migration program for customers and partners of Canopy Financial, including HealthDirect and CareGain.

Briefs: Benetrac, Best Doctors, Walgreens
Nov. / Dec. 2009

Briefs: FirstHSA, The Alcott Group, SHPS, Lockton, Flexible Benefit Service Corp.
Nov. / Dec. 2009

Evolution Benefits Acquires BEMAS Software Inc.
Cites market demand for a more seamless, integrated solution between administrative software and debit card functions.

Brief: Aetna and Concentra Announce New Worksite Wellness Offering


Briefs: TriHealix-TransEngen, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Optum Health, Aetna
April/May 2009

Briefs: WellPoint, NorthStar, CHT, TSYS, Metlife, ConnectYourCare, Assurant Health, & more
Nov. / Dec. 2009

CIGNA First to Offer Quicken Health Expense Tracker
Online Tool to Improve the Way Individuals Manage Their Health Finances

Briefs: HealthFitness, MHeSA, Aetna, URAC, Wellsource Health Solutions
Feb/March 2009

Briefs: Companion Global, DMAA, Fringe Benefit Group, G2 Microsystems
Feb/March 2009 Edition