Webinar Recap: Disruption in Health Care

When is health care not an issue fraught with questions, contradictions and problems? Never, it seems, and in 2020 the issues are even more complicated than usual. 

 To try and parse them, ACG Kansas City hosted a panel discussion on September 18, Disruption in Health Care: Trends, Impacts and Opportunities, moderated by Matt Benge of Assured Partners. Panelists were: Andrew Azan, Aon Risk Solutions, Becky Fisk, Centrus Health and Dan Tasset, ValueHealth.  

While COVID-19 is obviously top of mind for most businesspeople, the long-term viability of our healthcare system is really what’s driving the discussion these days. For Tasset, the most important concept we can work on is bringing together an improved patient experience at a lower cost. 

“We need to shift responsibility for the product quality from the insurer to the doctor,” he said. 

Consumers need to learn how much their care actually costs and understand how that cost can be lowered by their actions, the panelists agreed. Wellness plans are a great idea that are being used by more and more employers to incentivize employees. 

“Four to five years ago we saw a great adoption to wellness plans, but they tailed off,” Azan said. “Now, we are seeing companies refocusing on it. They are making the investment up front because that’s the best mitigation strategy.” 

COVID-19 has changed things, to be sure, but this year perhaps less than it may in the future. As we get closer to open enrollment season for most businesses, many employers are sticking with their current plans - employers really want to take care of employees this year. Next year is when we may see changes, Azan said, in order to manage costs. 

If there is any good to come out of the pandemic, it is the rate at which it has changed the adoption of technology by medicine, Tasset said. 

“We’ve seen a proliferation in telehealth.”

Still, the biggest healthcare issues remain cost and consumer education.  

“We have got to figure out how to contain costs,” Fisk said, “and the consumer needs to understand what things cost.” 

Business leaders need to spend time on research, Azan said. 

“They need to spend time to understand that there are options,” Azan said. “To bring choice to their employees and higher quality care with lower costs.” 

Stopping the growth of healthcare as a percentage of the country’s Gross Domestic Percentage is essential, Tasset said. 

“We still see employers resisting making employees true consumers,” he said. “We also have to insist that providers give value-based care. We have to insist that providers stand behind their work, too.” 

How do we start educating consumers? Azan said that most carriers are providing customers the tools on costs regarding their providers. Next year there should be even more pricing transparency. 

“Doctors can also help guide patients,” Fisk said.