A recent analysis by Comcast NBCUniversal uncovered the company could save $245 million on its $1.1 billion health plan by reducing emergency room visits to only those that represented true emergencies, shifting half of specialty visits to primary care providers, and reduce inpatient visits to a more “appropriate” level for the number of covered lives.
Mr. Leavitt expects the industry will experience “a new trend for large employers, to make sure our employees get the right care, for the right provider, in the right place, at the right time.”
Telemedicine is also likely to be embraced by large employers, as it allows greater access and means the employee is “never leaving the office.” Currently, most telemedicine services aren’t reimbursed, but many expect that to change, as insurers and employers seek lower-cost sites of care.
What’s so interesting about healthcare, Mr. Leavitt noted, is that so much focus by employers is spent on the front-end. Employers and patients are forced to analyze multiple plan options with different premiums, benefits and cost-sharing, when all that matters is the quality of the care. When more employers start focusing on reducing waste and improving quality in the care provided, and not just the plans offered, we can certainly expect big impacts for providers: those with efficient, coordinated care will prosper, and those without it will face a rough road ahead.
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