This event is approved for 3 SHRM Professional Development Credits

Are you looking for strategies to better manage your organization's healthcare costs? Are you trying to wring more value out of your carrier, pharmacy, and vendor contracts? Did you attend the HPA's 101-level bootcamp and want to get deeper in the weeds? Look no further! The Healthcare Purchaser Alliance of Maine is hosting a new, 201-level mini-conference where we will share insights into a host of tactics Maine employers are using to deliver higher quality, more affordable healthcare to their employees.

Attendees will have the opportunity to learn from the industry-leading expert, Chris Deacon, on specific contracting strategies and tactics for their plan. Chris is a healthcare thought leader that brings a wealth of experience in both the public and private sector. Driven by her passion to change the healthcare system to truly benefit patients and purchasers, she focuses on bringing solutions and agency to self-funded and government-sponsored health plans. Following this event, HPA Members with over 250 health plan participants will be able to work with Chris one-on-one on their contracts.

The conference, generously sponsored by Johnson & Johnson Health Care Systems, will begin with a networking reception, followed by a series of short presentations where we will:

• Examine how employers' fiduciary duty under ERISA has evolved in recent years and what all employers need to do to meet the enhanced requirements;

• Dig into TPA and PBM contract terms that ensure access to data, fee transparency, flexibility, and other must-haves to manage plan spend; and

• Learn what to watch out for when evaluating point solution vendors and how to make sure you're achieving the outcomes you're paying for.

This event will be a great learning opportunity for any employer who is struggling with high healthcare costs and feels powerless to control year after year of premium increases. We hope you can join us!

Who Should Attend?

The ideal attendee is an HR professional who works for an organization with 50 or more employees on their health plan and wants to be proactive about controlling their organization's healthcare costs.

Thanks to our sponsor, Johnson & Johnson, we can offer scholarships for non-HPA member attendees. Send us an email if interested!

This event is approved for 1.5 SHRM Professional Development Credits

Join us on December 6th, where we'll gather to discuss critical topics that shape the future of healthcare in the state of Maine. This event, proudly sponsored by Kinotek, promises to be an informative and engaging session designed to help you stay up-to-date with the latest developments in the healthcare industry. Our expert speakers will share their knowledge and experiences, providing valuable perspectives on this crucial topic. Don't miss out on this opportunity to expand your understanding and network with professionals in the field. Mark your calendar and secure your spot today!

Leveraging Technology to Improve MSK Outcomes: Our event sponsor, Kinotek, is a pioneering company specializing in advanced body movement assessment technology. Chief Operating Officer, Joey Spitz, will share how the company uses state-of-the-art sensors and software, to enable healthcare professionals, athletes, and individuals to gain valuable insights into their body's biomechanics and improve MSK outcomes. Whether it's optimizing athletic performance or rehabilitating injuries, Kinotek's solutions are revolutionizing the way we understand and enhance human movement.

Legislative Affairs Update: Stay in the know about the local Maine legislative landscape affecting healthcare. HPA's Director of Value-Based Purchasing and Legislative Affairs, Lisa Nolan, will provide an in-depth update on healthcare-related legislation in the upcoming legislative session, carryover bills, and how it will impact healthcare purchasers.

Cost Management in Other States: Senior Program Director for the National Academy of State Health Policy, Maureen Hensley-Quinn, will share what other states are doing to address healthcare costs. She will cover valuable insights and best practices from across the country, showcasing innovative approaches to cost containment and improving the quality of healthcare services.

Connect with fellow Healthcare Purchaser Alliance members, industry professionals, and the event sponsor, Kinotek. Share ideas, experiences, and strategies to collaborate and improve healthcare purchasing efforts.

Who Should Attend: This event is essential for HR professionals, employers, benefits managers, legislators, and anyone involved in healthcare purchasing and policy decision-making. Stay ahead in the evolving healthcare landscape and make better-informed choices for your organization.

This event is approved for 1.5 SHRM Professional Development Credits

At our September member meeting we invite employers to delve into the dynamic and ever-evolving world of prescription benefits with Erin Albert, (MBA, PharmD, JD, DASPL) VP of Pharmacy Relations and Chief Privacy Officer at the Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company. As the cost of pharmacy benefits continues to grow as a share of total spend, staying abreast of the latest trends and developments in prescription benefits is crucial for both businesses and their employees.

This session is designed to empower employers with insights, cutting-edge strategies, and practical tips to optimize their employees' prescription benefits packages, and it will cover a wide range of topics, exploring the most significant trends and innovations impacting prescription benefits today.

Key topics to be discussed:

• What should you know about Specialty Drugs?

• Which ‘Bag’ for Specialty Medical Drug Spend and Management?

• Biosimilars Spend: The Battle Between High Rebate vs. Low Net Cost NDCs

• Weight Loss GLP-1s: Should they stay or go (on/off Formulary)?

• The Explosion of Gene & Cellular Therapies: Treatment & Costs

Attendees will leave the session equipped with a deeper understanding of current prescription benefits trends and an actual prescription checklist of pragmatic questions to ask of their PBMs, enabling them to make well-informed decisions that enhance the health and well-being of their workforce while optimizing costs.

Don't miss this opportunity to stay ahead in the competitive landscape of employee benefits and foster a healthier, more engaged, and productive workforce.

Join us on August 15th from 12:00-1:00 PM EST as we delve into the outcomes of Maine’s 131st Legislative Session with Lisa Nolan, the Healthcare Purchaser Alliance’s Director of Value-based Purchasing and Legislative Affairs. With over 2,000 bills introduced during this session, Lisa will focus on approximately two dozen of them that could have a direct impact on employee benefits and Maine’s healthcare system.

What to Expect:

• Overview of Key Bills: Lisa will provide a comprehensive overview of the key bills, related to employee benefits and Maine’s healthcare system, that were introduced during the 131st Legislative Session.

• Legislative Progress: Gain valuable insights into the current status of these bills within the legislative process. Lisa will discuss their progress, potential amendments, and the likelihood of passage.

• Impact on Employers: Understand how these legislative measures can affect employers in Maine. Explore potential changes to existing benefits, compliance requirements, and any cost implications for businesses.

• Healthcare System Implications: Delve into the effects of these bills on Maine’s healthcare system. Discover potential changes and their impact on the healthcare market in the state.

• Interactive Q&A Session: Engage directly with Lisa Nolan during a dedicated Q&A session. Seek clarification, share insights, and gain a deeper understanding of the legislative impacts.

Who Should Attend:

• Employers in Maine seeking to understand legislative impacts on benefits.

• Healthcare professionals interested in healthcare system reforms

• Policy analysts and advocates focused on Maine’s legislative developments.

Don’t miss this opportunity to stay informed about the significant legislative outcomes that can shape employee benefits and healthcare in Maine.

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This event is approved for 1.5 SHRM Professional Development Credits

At our June member meeting we'll be diving into reference-based pricing (RBP), a benefit strategy that is increasingly gaining traction in Maine and around the US. We'll be joined by Imagine360 for a brief presentation on how RBP works, how it has changed over the years, and what you need to know when considering if it's a good fit for your organization. We'll also have a keynote presentation from Nick Porter, President of Premier Workforce Solutions and VP of HR at Signature Healthcare, where he'll share his experience using RBP over the last five years. Nick will outline both the challenges and opportunities of implementing an RBP strategy, and he'll discuss the impact it has had on Signature's recruitment, retention, and healthcare costs.

In addition to the presentations on RBP, attendees will also get an update on what employers need to know about the work of the 131st Maine Legislature, including an update of relevant legislation and the likelihood of current bills becoming law.

Finally, we will hear from the Alliance's Director of Analytics, Sara Fitzgerald, about a new reporting product the HPA's analytics team has developed to help employers meet their newly expanded fiduciary duties.

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This event is approved for 3 SHRM Professional Development Credits

Are you looking for strategies to control costs and better engage employees and dependents? Look no further! The Healthcare Purchaser Alliance of Maine is offering an encore of its 3 hour mini-conference where we will share insights into a host of strategies Maine employers are using to deliver higher quality, more affordable healthcare to their employees.

The conference will begin with a networking breakfast, followed by a series of short presentations where we will:

• Explore trends in the healthcare market and examine how they're impacting your employees and business;

• Understand the pros and cons of being fully-insured, level-funding, joining a captive, and self-funding;

• Learn what to watch out for when evaluating TPAs, pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), and point solutions;

• Better understand how to leverage data to define and track your healthcare strategy;

• Identify a host of cost saving resources and strategies that business of all sizes can employ today!

This event will be a great learning opportunity for any employer who is struggling with high healthcare costs and feels powerless to control year after year of premium increases. We hope you can join us!

Who Should Attend?

The ideal attendee is an HR professional who works for an organization with 50 or more employees on their health plan and wants to be proactive about controlling their organization's healthcare costs.

REGISTER

This event is approved for 1.5 SHRM Professional Development Credits

The upcoming member meeting is a must-attend event for all those interested in learning about the fiduciary duty of employers. With ERISA attorney Chris Lockman as our first keynote speaker, attendees will have the opportunity to hear from a seasoned expert in the field and gain a deeper understanding of this critical aspect of employment law. Chris will explore the obligations and responsibilities of employers, and provide practical tips and insights to help attendees navigate the complexities of this subject.

In addition to Chris Lockman, attendees will also have the chance to hear from Mark Pinsley, Controller of Lehigh County, PA, who will discuss how his organization acted on their fiduciary duty and leveraged transparency tools to identify millions of dollars in savings. This is a unique opportunity to learn from a real-world example of a purchaser who has successfully prioritized its fiduciary responsibilities and used new transparency resources to drive real results. Mark will share his experiences, challenges, and lessons learned, providing valuable insights for attendees to apply to their own organizations.

With two such knowledgeable and experienced speakers, this member meeting is sure to be a valuable and informative experience for anyone looking to stay ahead of the curve on fiduciary duty. Attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of the topic, practical tips, and inspiration to take back to their organization.

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