CEO Message
Summertime often means tackling the same projects we put off the year before. Why? I believe that sometimes we settle for just fixing a problem instead of solving a problem. If you just fix it, it will probably resurface again. But if you SOLVE it, you’ve engineered a solution that pays dividends for years to come.
The same is true for employers managing population health and rising healthcare costs. Too often, benefits leaders have to make short-term fixes, only to face the same challenges again the following year. The goal should be long-term solutions that improve health and lower costs.
The National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions’ new Pulse of the Purchaser Survey, based on 408 employers, offers an important insight: employers with full access to medical and pharmacy claims data are more likely to take action on hospital affordability, high-cost claims, and pharmacy benefit transparency. In fact, employers with full claims access reported using nearly four more high-value purchasing strategies than employers with limited or no access.
Data alone won’t lower costs, but it gives employers the power to make better decisions— evaluating networks and hospital prices, managing vendors, auditing claims, and pursuing strategies such as centers of excellence, site-of-care management, direct contracting, and reference-based pricing. Better data helps employers move from fixing problems to SOLVING them!
Read the full survey national report to learn from progressive employers across the country. And if you’re a Tennessee employer looking for actionable strategies to improve population health and healthcare spending, join HealthCareTN and learn from leading employers in our state.
Phil Belcher
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Announcing the Launch of the Memphis Employer Culture of Health & Wellbeing Collaborative
If you’re a Memphis based employer, come join the Memphis Employer Culture of Health & Wellbeing Collaborative - a new regional initiative from First Horizon Bank, HealthCareTN, and HealthNEXT - bringing regional leaders together for benchmarking, best practices, and data-driven solutions. HCTN employer member, the City of Memphis is already on board. Stay tuned for updates about the monthly collaborative sessions starting this Fall.
If you lead benefits, HR, or executive strategy in Memphis, this is your table - bringing proven strategies, peer benchmarking, and proven success. Contact Phil Belcher, pbelcher@hctnonevoice.org, to learn more and join the collaborative.
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Transparency Takes the Lead: Tennessee Hospitals & ASCs Earn National Recognition
Health care transparency is gaining momentum across Tennessee—see which hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers earned Leapfrog’s 2026 Full Transparency Badge for their commitment to publicly reporting information on health care quality and patient safety.
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After GLP-1s: The Next Cost Shock
GLP-1s were just the beginning and Rx consultants are now warning employers to brace for the next wave: high-cost specialty drugs targeting cardio-metabolic conditions!
Here are three drugs to watch in 2027:
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Tryngolza (for treatment of hypertriglyceridemia) - $40,000+
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Oveporexton (for treatment of narcolepsy) - $160,000
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Brepocitinib (for treatment of dermatomyositis) - up to $360,000/year
An aligned PBM partner is critical to managing this pipeline. Hear how Michele Ritala, Health Benefit Strategist at King County, WA, prioritized transparency in her PBM selection — “live” at HCTN's Dec. 8 Employer Conference in Knoxville.
Save the date because you won't want to miss this one!
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AI Coding/Billing Systems Draw Greater Scrutiny
AI isn't treating your members, but it may be billing you for their care. Providers are increasingly using AI to "optimize" coding and billing, and industry experts like Paul Keckley point to this as a key driver of rising healthcare inflation. The promise was lower costs and better quality. But here’s the reality: AI is often deployed to maximize provider revenue.
These "revenue optimization" systems are surfacing missed billing opportunities for practices and health systems - but they're also triggering federal False Claims Act investigations. With employers facing projected double-digit inflation in 2027, and legal experts warning that indefensible coding could mean lawsuits, this is a trend worth watching closely.
Join HealthCareTN and other Tennessee and national employers in D.C. where Jeffrey Townsend will present HCTN's legislative initiative at the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions conference, Wed., Nov. 18, in Washington, DC. HCTN members are invited to the conference (Nov. 16–18) (Register here) and Hill visit (Nov. 19) to interact with Federal legislators regarding the top employer healthcare issues.
| | HCTN MEMPHIS Employer Conference | | Featured Panel - Health Beyond Healthcare: The Factors Driving Outcomes and Costs | | |
Healthcare is more than just managing health risks. We have long been aware that 80% of health outcomes are related to social factors. Tackling Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) often feels outside an employer's control—but it doesn't have to be. Join our panel of experts to explore how innovative employers and other stakeholders are leveraging data, building targeted community programs, and delivering measurable health outcomes.
Attendees will learn
- How employers have leveraged data for greater insight
- How employers and other stakeholders have developed programs to address opportunities
- How actions have impacted outcomes
Speakers:
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Jeffrey Townsend (Moderator)
SVP, Projects and Analytics
HealthCareTN
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Dr. Shokea Miller
Nurse Executive Tri-South Market {West TN, Middle TN, AR, & MS}
Clinical Growth & Innovation
Cigna
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Dr. Mary Mulcare
Chief Medical Officer
SUMMUS
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Ashley Roberts
Director of Employee Benefits
Metro Nashville Public Schools
| | HealthCareTN Chattanooga Luncheon | | |
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Thursday,
October 8, 2026
STIR Restaurant
1444 Market St.
Chattanooga, TN 37402
11 am - 1 pm ET
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Join us for lunch and networking at STIR in Chattanooga. This gathering is an opportunity for HealthcareTN members and prospective members to connect with fellow employers, hear what’s shaping the self-funded market, & introduce a prospective employer colleague or peer to the HealthcareTN community.
The program will feature a sponsor presentation from Lockton on trends shaping the self-funded employer landscape, followed by a presentation from One to One Health on concierge medicine, the evolving role of primary care, & other timely issues facing employer health plans.
Come for the conversation. Bring a colleague. Leave with new connections & ideas.
| | National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions Forum | | One of the values HCTN membership is our association with the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions. NAHPC is a nationally renowned organization amplifying the employer voice and championing transparency, payment reform, and value-based purchasing. This fall we invite members to join HCTN staff in Washington DC for the following events associated with NA’s annual forum - Beyond Transparency. | | | | |
Annual Forum - Beyond Transparency - Seeing Clearly, Acting Bolding: The Employer’s Moment of Truth at Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, VA.
This is a premier national event with over 400 attendees and 80+ speakers. Note: Jeffrey Townsend will co-lead a panel on HCTN’s Policy Initiatives on Wed. Nov 18. Early bird pricing ends Sept 25.
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Come early for the pre-conference High-Cost Claims workshop - Monday, Nov. 16
High-cost claims continue to be one of the most significant challenges facing employer health plans. To help employers address this growing concern, the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions is offering a pre-forum workshop on November 16 in Arlington, VA.This intensive, four-hour workshop will equip employers with practical tools, expert perspectives, and effective strategies for addressing high-cost claims, with a particular focus on oncology and other complex care needs that are driving healthcare spending.
Register Here
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Stay for Hill Day - Thursday, Nov. 19
Each November the National Alliance schedules Hill Visits with federal legislators so they can hear from employers their concerns about the healthcare market. This is a very dynamic event. Last year several teams visited over 60 legislators. Attendees are eligible for a hotel stipend through the NAHPC (1night under $280) and must be placed on a schedule for security clearance. Please let Jeff Townsend know if you are interested in attending (jtownsend@hctnonevoice.org).
| | HCTN KNOXVILLE Employer Conference | | |
Employers are under increasing pressure to manage healthcare costs, but true cost control starts with understanding where plan dollars are going – and whether they are delivering value. Transparency is not simply a compliance requirement; it is a critical tool for uncovering the true cost of care, identifying hidden fees and misaligned incentives, and creating greater accountability across the healthcare ecosystem.
This conference will explore how employers can move beyond the traditional “buyer” mindset and take a more active role in managing healthcare costs. By leveraging unblinded data, transparent pricing, and stronger vendor accountability, employers can make more informed decisions, better align their partners, and take greater control of healthcare spending, while fulfilling their responsibility as prudent fiduciaries to act in the best interests of their plans and participants.
Register now to save your seat for this actionable conference!
| | Follow HealthCareTN on LinkedIn! | | | HCTN is a proud member of The National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions. | | | | |
