The Departments of Labor (DOL), Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Treasury (Departments) issued a final rule that imposes new transparency requirements on group health plans and health insurers in the individual and group markets.

Specifically, the final rule requires plans and issuers to disclose:

• • Price and cost-sharing information to participants, beneficiaries and enrollees upon request: o A list of 500 shoppable services must be available via the internet for plan years beginning or after Jan. 1, 2023.
• o The remainder of all items and

services is required to be available for plan years beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2024.

• • In-network provider-negotiated rates and historical out-of-network allowed amounts on their website: o Detailed pricing information must be made public for plan years beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2022.

The final rule also allows issuers that share savings with consumers—resulting from consumers shopping for lower-cost, higher-value services—to take credit for those “shared savings” payments in their medical loss ratio calculations.

Contact us today to learn more.

Final Rule on Health Care Transparency Issued Read More

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a chronic health condition that affects how your body is able to turn food into energy. The food you eat is broken down into sugar (glucose) and released into your bloodstream. As your blood sugar goes up, your pancreas releases insulin. This allows the blood sugar to enter your body’s cells for use as energy. A person with diabetes doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t properly use insulin. There are two main types of diabetes:

• • Type 1 diabetes occurs when your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin. This type of diabetes is usually diagnosed in children, teens and young adults, but it can develop at any age.
• • Type 2 diabetes occurs when your cells don’t respond normally to insulin, which is known as insulin resistance. Out of the 34 million Americans with diabetes, approximately 90%-95% of them have Type 2 diabetes.

What are the symptoms of diabetes?

Diabetes symptoms vary depending on how much your blood sugar is elevated. People with Type 2 diabetes may not initially experience any symptoms. However, those with Type 1 diabetes may experience severe symptoms that can develop in a short amount of time.

Signs and symptoms of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes may include:

• • Thirst
• • Frequent urination
• • Extreme hunger
• • Unexplained weight loss
• • The presence of ketones in the urine
• • Fatigue
• • Blurred vision
• • Slow-healing sores
• • Frequent infections (e.g., gum, skin or vaginal infections)

How can you address diabetes?

In order to properly manage diabetes, it’s important to do the following:

• • Monitor your blood sugar—Carefully monitoring your blood sugar is the only way to make sure your blood sugar is within your target range.
• • Undergo insulin therapy, if prescribed—Many people with diabetes need insulin therapy to survive. There are multiple types of insulin available. Depending on your needs, your doctor may prescribe a mixture of insulin types to use throughout the day and night.
• • Eat healthy—Enjoy a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains, avoiding foods high in saturated fats and refined carbohydrates.
• • Stay physically active—Exercise lowers your blood sugar level by moving sugar into your cells where it’s used for energy. It’s important to aim for at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise a day.

Where can I learn more?

If you are experiencing symptoms of diabetes, contact your doctor. For more information on diabetes, visit the American Diabetes Association website at www.diabetes.org. Read More

Before being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, most people develop “prediabetes,” a serious medical condition in which blood glucose levels are higher than normal.

People with prediabetes often have no signs or symptoms, or don’t recognize them because they develop slowly over a period of time.

Risk Factors

If you are overweight and age 45 or older – You should be checked for prediabetes during your next routine medical office visit.

If your weight is normal and you are over age 45 – You should ask your doctor during a routine office visit if testing is appropriate.

If you are under age 45 and overweight – Your doctor should recommend testing if you have any other risk factors for diabetes, including:

• • High blood pressure
• • Low HDL cholesterol and high triglycerides
• • History of gestational diabetes or delivering a baby weighing 9 pounds or more
• • Family history of diabetes
• • Belonging to an ethnic or minority group at high risk for diabetes, including African-Americans,

• • Latinos, Native Americans, or Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders

Screening and Diagnosis

Screening guidelines for prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes are as follows:

• • Fasting blood glucose of 100 mg/dl or lower is considered normal.
• • Fasting blood glucose elevated to 100 – 125 mg/dl indicates pre-diabetes.
• • Fasting blood glucose elevated to 126 mg/dl or higher indicates diabetes.

If your blood glucose levels are in the normal range, follow-up tests should occur every three years. If your results indicate prediabetes, you should be re-tested every one to two years after your diagnosis.

Prevention and Treatment

If diagnosed with prediabetes, you can and should do something about it. Studies show that people with this condition can prevent or delay the development of Type 2 diabetes through lifestyle changes, including:

• • Moderate weight loss (reducing total body weight by 7 percent) Read More

The arrival of the fall and winter months signals many things, including flu season. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), flu activity peaks between December and February. It’s likely that flu viruses and the virus that causes COVID-19 will both spread this fall and winter.

Many symptoms of the common cold, the flu and COVID-19 are similar, so learn how to differentiate between them on the next page.

Flu Prevention

The flu vaccine is your best chance of preventing the illness, and it’s more important than ever this year. Currently, the CDC recommends an annual flu vaccine for anyone over 6 months of age.

In addition to getting your vaccine, there are some other

ways to help protect yourself during this flu season. Avoid close contact with people who are sick, and stay home when you’re sick. It’s critical to continue good hygiene by covering your coughs and sneezes, and washing your hands. Safety measures made a positive impact on flu cases earlier this year, and they will continue to be crucial as we enter flu season.

Get Your Flu Shot

If you’re unsure about getting a flu vaccine, here are some reasons why it’s especially important amid the pandemic:

• • Reduces risk of contracting both viruses at the same time—Battling simultaneous flu and COVID-19 infections could be much worse than battling either alone. Nobody knows what to expect until it happens—and then it’s too late.
• • Eliminates symptom confusion between the flu and COVID-19—You’ll be less likely to get flu symptoms like fever, cough and body aches. Those are symptoms that could be confused for COVID-19.
• • Reduces strain on the medical system—The flu and COVID-19 are both respiratory illnesses, so they rely on some of the same life-saving hospital equipment.

If you’re worried about staying healthy this flu season, please contact your doctor. Read More