In Focus
News & Insight from Chelko Consulting
Apples to Apples: Comparing the Vaccines
After nearly a year of facing the challenging mystery of the COVID-19 pandemic, it appears relief is on the horizon. On December 11 and 18, the FDA granted emergency use authorization to the two mRNA COVID-19 vaccines developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna. read more…
One of Our Favorite Holidays
On behalf of everyone at Chelko and our clients, we would like to recognize the efforts of Lucia Vescera and Kelly Prymicz on National Pharmacist Day. read more…
Chelko Builds on Experience and Expertise with Latest Addition
With the recent addition of insurance industry veteran Karen Hallinin, the Chelko Consulting Group adds expertise and confirms its commitment to serving the employee benefit needs of employers in Central and Southern Ohio. As a senior advisor to the firm’s clients, Karen will help build on the great foundation established by Dirk Raderstorf and others in the bottom half of the state over the last 20 years. read more…
Is COVID-19 Worse than a Root Canal?
COVID-19 had a dramatic impact on work and life. Health care changed dramatically too, with huge drops in emergency room use and an immediate shift to telehealth. But how about dental care? Did it get lost in the “work from home” shuffle? The pandemic’s impact may have actually been bigger on dental than on medical care and prescription drugs. read more…
Finding Wellness at an Unwell Time
For many, finding gratitude and peace during this year’s holiday season will be difficult. 2020 has challenged and changed us. read more…
Keeping Score: Employee Health Spend Takes a Bigger Bite of Income
As you might have imagined, employees are spending more of their household income on health care services and coverage. read more…
Beware of the Fine Print
There’s a troubling trend among large administrators to prevent plan sponsors from effectively auditing their claims adjudication. Unfortunately, audits are one of only a few ways employers can hold TPAs and PBMs accountable for applying reasonable claim controls. After all, if they win new business by having broad networks, lower discounts, and lower fees, the easiest way to prop up that facade is to automatically pay almost every claim submitted by providers. read more…
Mental Health First Aid
The pandemic has disrupted work, family, and social routines, causing a rise in anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and other behavioral health issues like never before. That’s why we were so pleased to recently sponsor a Mental Health First Aid course for a group of our clients and roundtable members. read more…
Can Stop Loss Keep Living Up to its Name?
Anyone who’s followed our firm lately has probably heard us talk about the $1 million+ drugs already here and those coming to market over the next few years. While early in the game, we’ve already had a few clients incur enormous claims for these budget-busting medications.
It’s likely many of you reading this are familiar with some of the well-known drugs out there, but according to our latest survey, 73% of employers do not have a plan in place to avoid surprises related to high cost therapies like the ones we’re discussing. And while some of you may have a stop loss policy in place as a safety net to protect against such catastrophic claims, unfortunately, that may not be a foolproof strategy. read more…
COVID-19 Vaccine Considerations for Employers
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, companies across the globe have been working to develop a COVID-19 vaccine. As the pandemic continues on and vaccine clinical trials progress, there may be a possibility of a COVID-19 vaccine being approved for use in the foreseeable future.
The prospect of a vaccine is exciting to most, but also presents challenges for employers. Employers may be considering whether vaccination will be encouraged or mandated.
Employers must navigate the inherent legal risks and logistics of mandating or encouraging employees to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. To do so, employers should seek legal counsel to discuss which course of action is best for their organization. This article provides a general informational overview of considerations for employers. read more…
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Westlake, Ohio 44145
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Phone: 614.869.4140