Julie Appleby
‘Holy cow’ moment changes the way state of Montana does business with hospitals
Marilyn Bartlett, the director administrator of Montana’s Health Care and Benefits Division, recalls thinking “holy cow” when she got an urgent directive from state legislators in late 2014: “You have to get these costs under control, or else.” So began Barlett’s high-stakes game of chicken designed to change how the state did business with its 60 hospitals, which accounted for 43 percent of employee health care costs, turning the normal purchasing process on its head.
Idaho Blue Cross jumps into controversial market for plans that bypass ACA rules
While Freedom Blues plans cover many of the “essential health benefits” required under the ACA, such as hospitalization, emergency care and mental health treatment, they do not include pediatric dental or vision coverage. One of the five plans does not include maternity coverage.