The FEHBlog noted on Sunday that OPM has released its FEHBP 2020 plan comparison tool in advance of Open Season.  Govexec.com reports on new features in the plan comparison tool

In terms of enhanced display, “as you’re scrolling through the different plans, the header bar is now frozen, so that people know where they are when they’re surfing,” the official said. The agency made some other technical changes to the website to improve visibility and organization of information. 

Overseas enrollees can now check a box so that they don’t have to enter their ZIP code to be able to search for plans. For Medicare enrollees, there is a new enhanced section that displays what they can expect to pay for services and benefits under Medicare parts A and B. 

Well done.  Moreover,

OPM is working to reduce the number of pages of plan brochures, which are also available through the agency’s website. * * * 

 Finally, for federal dental and vision coverage, OPM added links to the plans’ websites, provider directory and brochures. 

Good moves.

The FEHBlog noted CMS’s major Medicare 2020 payments to providers rule making last Friday. Becker’s Hospital CFO Reports provides nine key takeaways from these regulatory actions that impact the healthcare economy.

Last week, the FEHBlog provided two weeks on the HLTH conference. Here’s a third link from MedCity News. By the way, while this link like this one as well concern the patient experience, that’s the flip side pf the plan member coin.

Last 18 months or so there has been  a lot of press excitement about the creation of the Amazon – Berkshire Hathaway — JPMorgan healthcare consortium Haven Health to provide at least initially a health plan to their employees.  Becker’s Payer Issues reports that

JPMorgan is offering 30,000 workers in Ohio and Arizona two insurance plans under Haven Healthcare next year. The plan will be run by Cigna and Aetna and offers such perks as monthly financial rewards for meeting wellness goals, such as keeping blood pressure below a specific threshold. The money could be used to offset other out-of-pocket expenses, like prescriptions or physician visits, according to people familiar with the plan cited by Bloomberg.