Medical

Across Augusta and throughout the country, employers are running into several common pharmacy-related challenges. Pharmacy costs have quietly become one of the fastest-growing expenses for employers, and for many organizations, one of the least understood areas of healthcare spending.  What was once viewed as a relatively manageable portion of the health plan has evolved into a major financial pressure point for businesses of all sizes. Today, prescription drugs can account for anywhere from 25% to 40% of total healthcare costs for employer-sponsored plans, and that number continues to climb. Unlike

Early in my career, before I understood the employee benefits industry, I had a situation that completely changed how I think about healthcare decisions. I remember having a minor issue that could have easily been handled through a primary care visit or urgent care. Instead, I went straight to the emergency room because it felt like the safest and fastest option at the time. A few weeks later, I received the bill. What I thought would be a simple visit turned into a significantly higher cost than expected. It wasn’t

A new program to improve maternal health in nine rural counties is expected to have a ripple effect on healthcare systems in Augusta. The Rural Healthcare Access Partnership (RHAP), funded by a $1.2 million grant from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration is part of Wellstar MCG’s Rural Community Consortium. It is available in Jefferson, Burke, Emanuel, Washington, Glascock, Warren, McDuffie, Jenkins, and Johnson counties. Those have been defined as Maternity Care Deserts. “By that we mean that they may not have access to a OB or GYN provider

Before working in the employee benefits industry in Augusta, I was like many employees — I didn’t fully understand how health insurance actually worked. I remember seeing my monthly payroll deduction for health insurance and then hearing that our rates were going up again the following year. Like many people, I assumed insurance companies were simply raising prices because they could. (Which is not completely wrong.) At one point, after reaching my maximum out-of-pocket for the year, I remember thinking, “Well, if everything is free now, I might as well