2020 December Forum

A Community Health Forum | December 1, 2020

U.S. employers spend billions of dollars on healthcare services. However, a lack of information limits the ability of employers to monitor the prices negotiated on their behalf, to implement innovative insurance benefit designs, and to ensure insurers are negotiating favorable prices. If employers have access to the information on prices needed to be better-informed customers, they can do a better job shopping for healthcare on behalf of their employees.

The National Hospital Price Transparency Studies, conducted by the RAND Corporation and led by the Employers’ Forum on Indiana, offer an unprecedented look into hospital prices relative to Medicare, allowing employers to compare costs across states on an apples-to-apples basis.

On December 1, the Kentuckiana Health Collaborative will bring together national and local experts to examine the results of the 2020 study, what they mean for our region, and how we can make healthcare more affordable.

Healthcare affordability affects us all. We invite all health and healthcare stakeholders to join us, including healthcare providers, health plans, employers, government, community organizations, and more.

Event Resources

RAND Study Summary 2020

“National Hospital Prices, Revealed” Slides

“The 2020 Study: What Has Changed in Kentucky, What Hasn’t” Slides

“Determining the Value of Hospital Services: The Colorado Experience” Slides

Event Recording

Featured Speakers

Robert Smith, MBA

Executive Director | Colorado Business Group on Health

Since 2010, Bob has worked with the Colorado Business Group on Health on piloting payment reform and promoting value-based purchasing in Colorado.

In his 38-year career as a healthcare executive, Bob has focused on strategic planning, business development, and performance-based contracting. He has facilitated various joint ventures, partnerships, and collaborative initiatives between health care providers and purchasers, working within the community hospital, university medical center, and managed care settings. The health plan he founded and operated for several years was called “the most successful provider-owned plan in the country” by Modern Healthcare magazine. Bob has overseen development and management of over 20 physician organizations.

David Kelleher, MS

Mr. Kelleher was the founding CEO of the Employers’ Forum in Indiana. He holds a Master of Science degree in Economics and has managed health care organizations since completing his military service in 1972. He was one of the founders of the first prepaid group practice in Indiana (MetroHealth) and served as its Executive Vice President from 1973 to 1986. He then founded HealthCare Options (HOI) and remains its President. Since 1986 HOI has developed and managed health care organizations and provided consulting services to health plans, medical groups, hospitals, academic medical centers and employers in 38 states. HealthCare Options managed the Employers Forum of Indiana from 2001 until 2015 and was one of the organizers of Quality Health First of Indiana. Quality Health First was a statewide, multi-payer, quality reporting and pay-for-performance program developed and managed by the Indiana Health Information Exchange. Mr. Kelleher was also the manager of the Central Indiana Beacon Collaborative.

Stephanie Clouser, MS

Data Scientist | Kentuckiana Health Collaborative

Stephanie fulfills the data needs of the KHC, including regional and statewide physician quality measurement reports, measurement alignment, and project data support. Stephanie holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and communication and master’s degree in analytics, both from Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky.

Nancy Galvagni

President and CEO | Kentucky Hospital Association

Nancy C. Galvagni is President of the Kentucky Hospital Association (KHA). As President, she is responsible for the effective operation and direction of all activities of the Association. She leads the organization in its activities regarding the development of public policy related to health care, advocating on behalf of its members, and furthering the mission of the Association to improve the health status of the citizens of the Commonwealth.

Ms. Galvagni is a graduate of The Pennsylvania State University, and has been employed by KHA for 40 years, serving in a variety of management, policy and advocacy roles during her tenure.

Jenny Goins, SPHR

Leadership and Healthcare Consultant

Former Commissioner for the Kentucky Employees’ Health Plan, with 290,000 members, the largest self-insured health plan in the Commonwealth. Also responsible for optional employer sponsored Group Life, Dental, and Vision Insurance programs. Prior to appointment as Commissioner, served for seven years as the Department’s Deputy Commissioner.

Retired from the United States Air Force/Air National Guard as a Chief Master Sergeant after a 25-year career that included duties related to combat communications, public speaking, journalism, human resources and education. The last 10 years in the Air Force were spent teaching leadership, supervision, and communication skills to military leaders and managing the teaching staff.

After military retirement, spent 10 years in the corporate world as both an organizational development manager and senior HR leader before joining the State. Continues to be a public speaker at national and local conferences, and provides training and motivational presentations for various non-profit groups and corporations.

Serves on the Executive Committee for the Kentuckiana Health Collaborative. Inducted into the Kentucky Military Hall of Fame in 2015.

Event Logistics

Read the Study

The RAND 3.0 National Hospital Price Transparency Study was released in September 2020. You can read the full report here.