Towers Watson Announces Expansion of Exchange Solutions Segment

Jim Foreman to lead Exchange Solutions, Carl Hess to succeed Foreman as managing director of Americas Region

In a move designed to help employers better navigate the dynamic health care environment, global professional services company Towers Watson announced plans to unite the company-wide expertise and resources dedicated to health care exchanges and administration within its Exchange Solutions segment.

My thoughts: “Health insurance exchanges will play a significant role in how employers deliver health care benefits to their employees and families in the future. And as the marketplace evolves, I look forward to continuing to work with the Exchange Solutions team to deliver the best possible solutions to our clients.”

>> Read the press release

Listen in: My comments to NPR on the first days of the ACA plans

Guest host Barbara Bogaev leads “The Brave New World of Obamacare”

Listen to or download the Jan 2 podcast of “The Brave New World of Obamacare” on To The Point with Warren Olney.

I joined a panel of experts on exchanges, health care reform and insurance to give insights on ACA plans going into effect. To The Point tweeted key comments from each of us, including:

• Bryce Williams, Towers Watson, @brycewatch:
  The ACA could be major boost to entrepreneurship
• Sarah Kliff, Washington Post, @sarahkliff:
  36 hrs into Obamacare, vast majority can signon & signup w/in an hr
• Susan Shargel, Shargel and Company
  
• David Nather. Politico, @DavidNather
• Gerald Kominski: UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, @UCLAFSPH

In the full podcast, you’ll hear comments on these points and more:

The New Year brought with it medical coverage for millions of Americans under the Affordable Care Act. On Jan 1, about two million people began to receive private health coverage through the state health exchanges or the federal website.

With one of the nation’s most sweeping changes to social policy in decades, no longer can insurers deny coverage to people with pre-existing conditions, or charge them more for their coverage than other customers. It’s also the first time they can’t legally charge women higher premiums for the same coverage as men, and the first time they can’t set a specific limit on the amount they spend on “essential health benefits” for individual policyholders.

But there are a lot of “if’s” in the implementation of Obamacare:

• Will people be able to find a doctor who accepts their new plan?
• Are the nation’s healthcare providers ready for the change in policy?
• How will Obamacare shape the political climate this election year?