Unhealthy price hikes. (Editors Prologue).Rising health-care costs are like a broken record for those in the health-care and health insurance industries--the message that is repeated year after year. Treatments, technology and drugs continue to improve, and the price tag for these improvements continues to escalate. And with the baby-boomer generation approaching retirement age, health-care utilization rates and costs are expected to increase at a faster pace in the coming years.Jim Mead, president and chief executive officer of Pennsylvania's Capital Blue Cross, has been dealing with the problem throughout his 28-year tenure at the company "One of the issues that was very high on the agenda when I came here was rising health-care costs, and that's still the primary issue," he said in a recent interview. Insurers today are taking actions they hope will contain costs. They are pursuing strategies such as disease management, cost shifting and prescription-drug initiatives to rein in to check the speed of, or cause to stop, by drawing the reins. to cause (a person) to slow down or cease some activity; - to rein in is used commonly of superiors in a chain of command, ordering a subordinate to moderate or cease some activity deemed excessive. See also: Rein Rein health-care costs. (See "Multiple-Choice Questions", page 20.) Disease management considers the total health of a patient and offers a prescribed routine of wellness, prevention and treatment to avoid or delay acute episodes--and reduce costs. Also, insurers are doing more than just shifting the cost of health care to consumers--they're offering customizable benefits that allow consumers to select the kind of coverage they want. And generic drugs generic drug, a drug sold or prescribed under the nonproprietary name of its active ingredients or under a generally descriptive name rather than under a brand or trade name. are playing a large pan: in the effort by insurers to cut prescription drug prescription drug Prescription medication Pharmacology An FDA-approved drug which must, by federal law or regulation, be dispensed only pursuant to a prescription–eg, finished dose form and active ingredients subject to the provisos of the Federal Food, Drug, costs. National Recognition Best's Review received three national awards from the American Society of Business Publication Editors You can improve this article by adding links to related material, within the existing text. After links have been created, remove this message. For more information, see the .
Best's Review also won three East Coast regional awards from ASBPE ASBPE American Society of Business Publication Editors (professional membership society established in 1964 for business press editors) ASBPE American Society of Business Press Editors : * Gold, single news article, Goch, "Mold: A Growing Problem," November 2001 * Silver, information graphics, production staff, December 2001 * Bronze, overall typography typography (tīpŏg`rəfē), the art of printing from movable type. The term typographer is today virtually synonymous with a master printer skilled in the techniques of type and paper stock selection, ornamentation, and composition. , production staff, November and December 2001 David Hilgen is editor. You may reach him at (908) 439-2200, Ext. 5038, by writing to A.M. Best Co., Ambest Road, Oldwick, NJ 08858, or by e-mail at david.hilgen@ambest.com. The e-mail address See Internet address. e-mail address - electronic mail address for Best's Review is bestreview@ambest.com |
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