In This Issue

Our employees are why so many of you are comfortable doing business with us. 

Please join us in congratulating recent employees who have been honored as Employee of the Month.

Summer 2011 has arrived!

Everyone at DGB hopes you are enjoying your summer and will take advantage of the nice weather, get your bodies moving, enjoy the outdoors and your friends and family.

Considering the whirlwind of change that has taken all aspects of health care on a wild ride, we felt that the calmer (hopefully) days of summer would be a good time to reflect back on all the positive and beneficial reasons to self-insure your health and welfare plans.  In times of great change, reacquainting ourselves with the basics can have a settling effect.  Read More....

Welcome New Clients!

Crowley Transportation, Inc. / Lyon & Billiard / MASS Mentoring Partnership, Inc. / Polamer Precision, Inc. /The Pension Service, Inc.

Spotlight On: OncoSentrics

Biologics first introduced OncoSentrics in 2005 and has already received accolades from payors for its focus on evidence-based guidelines and integrated clinical care teams which have resulted in an average $8 net return on investment.

OncoSentrics was developed with the understanding that cancer is not one disease with one clear course of treatment. There are more than 300 distinct types of cancer, varying stages of disease progression and more new cancer medicines than ever emerging from manufacturers' pipelines. And the world of cancer is constantly changing.

Along with positive developments such as earlier diagnosis, new promising treatments and longer term survival, come higher costs. Although, on average, plans have a 1% incidence rate for cancer diagnosis among enrollees, costs make up about 15% of a plan's overall healthcare costs. Without a cancer management strategy, cancer treatment costs are projected to escalate at a rate of 233% in just four years.

Biologics' singular focus on cancer, strong longstanding relationships within the provider community and determination to ease each patient's health, financial and emotional burden has translated into a robust set of offerings designed to most successfully - and cost-effectively - manage cancer.

The components of OncoSentrics include: chemotherapy plan of treatment review, patient management, claim review, provider relations and performance reporting - each leveraging Biologics' extensive oncology expertise to respond to the growing oncology services market, as well as to the highly individualized needs of cancer patients.

NEWS FLASH! Biologics Receives URAC Accreditation!

Contact your Diversified Sales Representative for more information about OncoSentrics at (888) 322-2524. 

Compliance Corner: HHS Releases Interim Final Rule on Women's Preventive Services

On August 1, 2011, Health and Human Services (HHS) released an interim final rule adopting additional guidelines for women's preventive services, including contraception, well-woman visits, support for breastfeeding equipment and domestic violence screening.  These items, explained more fully below, must be covered by non-grandfathered plans and insurers without cost-sharing in the first plan year that begins on or after August 1, 2012.

HHS took the recommendation of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) report issued on July 19, 2011 in developing their guidelines.  PPACA specifically directed the agencies to mandate the coverage of items and services recommended by certain advisory bodies.   Read More....

Please contact Dave Follansbee if you have any questions at dfollansbee@diversifiedgb.com. 

NOTICE: New Annual Assessment by the State of Maine for Childhood Immunizations

The State of Maine recently established a universal child immunization law. MRSA §1066 (the Maine Universal Immunization Law) is intended to make vaccinations free for all children residing in Maine.

The program is to be funded through assessments to Insurers and Self-Insured Plans that provide coverage to Maine residents.

For the period July 1, 2011, through June 30, 2012, the assessment will be $6.98 per month for each covered child life that resides in Maine. As your TPA, Diversified will be responsible for collecting and filing the assessments for its self-funded employers on a Quarterly basis.  The first assessment will be for the period July 1, 2011, through September 30, 2011, and will be added to your October bill. For more information on the web, visit http://www.mevaccine.org/

Please contact your Account Executive with any questions regarding your bill at (888) 322-2524.