With the unemployment rate at historic lows, it’s understandable that employers are searching for a competitive edge when recruiting new employees – and a comprehensive health benefits package may be the answer. Unlike fully insured plans that dictate… more »

“2019 marks the 30-year anniversary of Medical Benefits Administrators (MBA). The third party administrator began as a subsidiary… but has grown into our signature enterprise” states Kurt Harden, President and CEO of MedBen, in the 2019 Client Report.… more »

MedBen Senior Vice President & Chief Privacy Officer Caroline Fraker was recently named Chair of the Society of Professional Benefit Administrators (SPBA) effective June 1, 2019. SPBA is the national association of third party administration (TPA)… more »

MedBen medical and pharmacy claim costs rose only 0.4% per employee for clients in 2018, shattering national data norms that reported an average of 6% cost increases. Our pharmacy claim costs alone dropped 2.7% last year, due to the introduction our new… more »

MedBen facilitates direct-to-employer contracting, bringing together employers and providers in plans that promote regional care. Recently, a client looking for cost reduction opportunities saw the benefits first-hand. A manufacturer with a traditional… more »

MedBen Senior Vice President Caroline Fraker visited Washington, D.C. with fellow members of the Society of Professional Benefit Administrators (SPBA) Board of Directors on April 23, to speak with House Committee on Education and Labor officials on the… more »

Once again, MedBen has topped the list of Largest Central Ohio Employee Benefits Companies as ranked by Columbus Business First in their February 15, 2019 issue. "While we have clients all across the country, our roots are firmly planted in Central… more »

MedBen takes pride in its expert claim examiners – indeed, in our most recent audit our team received a payment accuracy rating of 99.9%. But when we receive a claim that merits further inspection, our advanced surveillance system lends a hand.… more »

The latest Employee Benefits Survey by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP) revealed that just one in five employers (20.1%) use spousal surcharges or carve-outs for health care coverage when other employer-provided health… more »

To our customers, consultants, and brokers: Happy new year from MedBen! In 2018 we celebrated our 80th anniversary, which gave us a chance to reflect on our beginnings and growth as a health benefits manager. It's great to reminisce but we prefer to… more »

There are plenty of benefits for employers who make the switch from fully-insured health care coverage to self-funding – and we’d be happy to share them all with you anytime – but perhaps the best reasons can be summed up quite simply: Savings,… more »

"Healthcare costs increasing at unsustainable pace" a recent Modern Healthcare headline reads. In a new study, PricewaterhouseCoopers predicts a 6% medical cost trend in 2019, as expensive new medical services and drugs and market consolidation make it… more »

On June 19 and 20, MedBen Vice President of Compliance Caroline Fraker revisited Washington, D.C. with fellow members of the Society of Professional Benefit Administrators (SPBA) Board of Directors, to speak with government officials on matters of… more »

In a new Columbus Business First article, reporter Carrie Ghose interviewed MedBen President Kurt Harden and Executive Chairman Doug Freeman about Harden's recent promotion to CEO as well as the company's recent activities and future plans. Freeman… more »

Plan language carve-outs don’t have to be limited to medical procedures or drug classes. If a provider charges above reasonable and customary prices, then an employer can amend their plan to direct that the provider’s claims should be processed using… more »

May 8 marks MedBen’s 80th Anniversary. Originally Hospital Service Association (HSA) of Licking County, we started out with two employees and a goal to provide employers and individuals with affordable health care coverage. And while our numbers have… more »

In a recent Modern Healthcare editorial, writer Merrill Goozner poses the question, "Is the era of healthcare cost control ending?" With the individual mandate dead, the Independent Payment Advisory Board shuttered, and Congress in no apparently hurry… more »

A new Network for Regional Healthcare Improvement (NRHI) report highlights the wide disparity of health care costs in U.S. states, with average costs ranging from 17% above comparable populations in Colorado to 16% below in Maryland. The report notes… more »

In recent years, U.S. health care spending has slowed significantly compared to the double-digit cost spikes we saw a decade ago. But there’s still room for improvement, so MedBen uses multiple containment strategies to keep client claim costs under… more »

Among the distinctive features of the MedBen reporting package is a series of reports that examine a group's "care gap." The idea behind a care gap measurement is straightforward: Individuals who get recommended exams and follow their doctor’s advice… more »