Simon Stevens: NHS England & UnitedHealth!

Having enjoyed a wonderful trip to Chile it was nice or not so nice to have ones suspicion confirmed. 

Atacama© Am Ang Zhang 2015

Simon Stevens:

I  thought he is now with NHS England!

Perhaps he has never left UnitedHealth. Nowadays you can do two jobs!

GREAT BRITISH EXPERIENCE

UnitedHealth followed up on June 30 with another report for lawmakers pinpointing $332 billion in savings through better use of technology and administrative simplification. If enacted, those changes would potentially benefit UnitedHealth's Ingenix data-crunching unit. Ingenix, with annual revenue of $1.6 billion, is poised to establish a national digital clearinghouse to ensure the accuracy of medical payments and provide a centralized service for checking the credentials of physicians.

Stevens, an Oxford-educated executive vice-president at UnitedHealth, once served as an adviser to former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. In that capacity, Stevens tried to fine-tune the U.K.'s nationally run health system. Today he tells lawmakers that theU.S. need not follow Britain's example. Concessions already offered by the U.S. insurance industry—such as accepting all applicants, regardless of age or medical history—make a government-run competitor unnecessary, he argues. "We don't think reform should come crashing down because of [resistance to] a public plan," Stevens says. Many congressional Democrats have come to the same conclusion.

UnitedHealth has traveled an unlikely path to becoming a Washington powerhouse. Its last chairman and chief executive, William W. McGuire, cultivated a corporate profile as an industry insurgent little concerned with goings-on in the capital. From its Minnetonka(Minn.) headquarters, the company grew swiftly by acquisition. McGuire absorbed both rival carriers and companies that analyze data and write software. Diversification turned UnitedHealth into the largest U.S. health insurer in terms of revenue. In 2008 it reported operating profit of $5.3 billion on revenue of $81.2 billion. It employs more than 75,000 people. 

Stevens argues that while UnitedHealth will likely benefit financially from health reform, the company will also aid the cause of reducing costs. He cites what he says is its record of "bending the cost curve" for major employers. 

During a media presentation in May in Washington, Stevens said medical costs incurred by UnitedHealth's corporate clients were rising only 4% annually, less than the industry average of 6% to 8%. But that claim seemed to conflict with statements company executives made just a month earlier during a conference call with investors. On that quarterly earnings call, UnitedHealth CEO Hemsley conceded that medical costs on commercial plans would increase 8% this year. 

Asked about the discrepancy, Stevens says the lower figure he is using in Washington represents the experience of a subset of employer clients who fully deployed UnitedHealth's cost-saving techniques, including oversight of the chronically ill. "These employers stuck at it for several years," he says. "We are putting forward positive ideas based on our experience of what works."

"Wow!"

"So there is not reason for him to leave UnitedHealth! They love him. The best of British & of Oxford!"

"Perhaps he has not left UnitedHealth!"

"So perhaps a sort of UnitedNHS then!"

"Well despite what people say about Obamacare, even Stevens concede that:

.....the U.S. insurance industry—accepting all applicants, regardless of age or medical history—make a government-run competitor unnecessary, he argues.

"NHS as such was the most serious competitor to the Health Insurance Industry. It is serious because there is not even any co-pay!"

"And quality is the same as the actual specialist doctor on either side are the same."

"Only the coffee is better!"

"Whatever Stevens plan to do is not something most of us can begin to guess but my suspicion is that it would not be to anyone's liking..."

"Except the Health Insurance Industry."

"So, he will not follow the US example of insurance industry accepting all applicants, regardless of age or medical history."

"No way!"

"You see, UnitedHealth has decided to leave California because of that."

"Not profitable!"

"If Insurers need to cover everything in England, they would think twice and most likely do a California thing."

"And Stevens can go back to America then!"

Critics warn of more privatisation as UnitedHealth leads firms seeking £1bn worth of contracts

Documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act by the campaign group Spinwatch shine a light on the workings of an obscure group whose existence and limited membership has alarmed campaigners who want the NHS to remain public.

The Commissioning Support Industry Group (CSIG) is largely unknown to outsiders. Its members are jockeying to win an estimated £1bn of contracts advising the new doctor-led clinical commissioning groups that will be responsible for spending more than two-thirds of the NHS budget on purchasing patient care.

Supporters say it will empower doctors and bring in competition among NHS providers. Those awarded contracts to advise doctors' groups will be involved in patient care reforms, drug purchasing, negotiating hospital contracts and, crucially, outsourcing services to the private sector.

Critics who warn the reforms will see big consultancies given contracts to advise doctors' groups say their fears are confirmed after learning more about the CSIG. A series of emails between members of the group and NHS England officials reveal that UnitedHealth, the giant US health insurer that formerly employed NHS England's chief executive, Simon Stevens, chairs the group, provides its secretariat and recently paid for senior health managers to visit its care centres in the US on a five-day fact-finding mission.

Dr Chris Exeter, UH's lobbyist, who in 2011 worked on non-health matters for Low Associates, a lobbying firm run by Sally Low, wife of former health secretary Andrew Lansley, helps co-ordinate meetings of the CSIG, whose other members are consultancies KPMG, Capita, McKinsey, EY and PWC. Its meetings, which began in May 2013, are unminuted.

 Simon Stevens----Sell then Sail?