BIA seminar to probe ways to control health costs

The rising cost of health care and the expense of providing benefits to employees will be the focus of a seminar sponsored by the Business & Industry Association of New Hampshire.

The half-day seminar, “Healthcare, C3 – Costs, Choices, Crisis?” is designed for company chief executives, human resources professionals and others interested in the subject. The seminar will be held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 12 at the Grappone Conference Center in Concord.

Sponsored by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, the New Hampshire Business Resource Center and Patriot Healthcare, “Healthcare, C3” will provide information about aspects of today’s changing health-care landscape, as well as ways employers can try to control rising health insurance costs without sacrificing important employee benefits.

Following registration and continental breakfast, the conference will open with remarks from Charlie Baker, CEO of Harvard Pilgrim.

Two presentations will round out the morning general session. First, Paul Spiess, Ned Helms and Jim Squires will present an update on the New Hampshire Citizens Health Initiative, discussing the program goals, progress during the past year and how businesses can help.

They will be followed by Kathy Bizarro of the New Hampshire Hospital Association and Leslie Ludtke and colleagues from the New Hampshire Department of Insurance, who will review newly created Web sites that provide cost and quality information about common medical procedures and New Hampshire hospitals.

During the second half of the program, conference attendees can choose two of three 45-minute breakout sessions that will cover such topics as workplace wellness programs, health insurance products like health savings accounts and health reimbursement arrangements, and universal health care. The latter session will include representatives from Maine and Massachusetts discussing their recent experience with implementing universal health coverage.

At the conclusion of the conference, lunch will be served, with a keynote address by Lisa Guertin, president of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in New Hampshire.

Cost for the seminar is $55 for BIA members and $75 for non-members. To register, go to acteva.com/go/nhbia or call 224-5388, ext. 116.