Healthcare Options for Employers Breakfast Program Scheduled for Feb. 8 in Portland

A breakfast panel discussion designed for employers on the changing health care market will be held Thursday, February 8 from 7:15 to 9 a.m. at the Mariners Church Banquet Center at 368 Fore St. (corner of Fore and Market streets) in Portland.

The event, entitled "Options and Alternatives in a Tumultuous Health Care Market," is open to the public and will feature a panel of health care benefits experts, including Deb Whitworth, vice president for human resources, marketing & communications at GHS Data Management, Inc., and Mark Anthoine, the president & CEO of Healey & Associates.

Persons wishing to attend the event, which is organized and sponsored by Maine Businesses for Social Responsibility (MEBSR), may call 761-4300 for reservations. The cost of the program, which includes breakfast, is $14 for the general public and $9 for members of MESBR. The program is designed for human resources professionals, business owners, managers and any employer with an interest in health care planning.

The ability to compete as well as attract and retain the best personnel to meet the numerous competitive changes in a global marketplace is becoming increasingly more difficult, organizers said.
"During these tumultuous times, evaluating and controlling benefits costs, while at the same time being able to offer an attractive and competitive benefits package, is an essential factor in maintaining sound business practices," said Deb Whitworth of GHS Data Management.

The program will outline the state of affairs in the Maine health care marketplace as well as identify several cost drivers that continue to exacerbate the problem. The state and federal government are at a crossroads with respect to managed care and government-sponsored health benefits and most individuals and businesses are reluctant to accept government-sponsored programs, opting instead to maintain freedom of choice in the delivery of healthcare services. The panel will give audience members practical ideas and suggestions toward evaluating their current situation, as well as thoughts on implementing innovative solutions that meet their employees' needs and also address the current challenges in the marketplace.

The panelists will outline several alternatives to traditional fully insured health coverage, including exploring higher deductible coverage, as well as models of partially self-funded options. Audience members will also be given the opportunity to submit negative and positive features of their current health plan to discuss with the panelists.

Panelists:

Deb Whitworth is Vice President for Human Resources, Marketing & Communications at GHS Data Management, Inc., an Augusta-based technology organization. With more than 20 years in human resources management, Whitworth has designed and implemented self-insured medical and dental programs for a variety of industries including health care, high tech, and financial services.

Mark Anthoine is the President & CEO of Healey & Associates, an insurance brokerage and financial services firm with offices in Auburn and Portland. A native of Maine, Anthoine has more than 20 years experience in the insurance field.

About GHS: GHS Data Management, Inc., manages, tracks, assesses and archives data for businesses, health care and state government, using a number of unique technologies in its delivery of services. For example, the Drugs for the Elderly or Disabled program (DEL), which provides discounted prescriptions for the elderly or disabled, was designed by GHS, as was the data management of the state's tuberculosis control program.

In 1999, the company introduced GHS/Rx, a prescription drug program for companies with self-insured medical benefits, and also in 1999, GHS began offering data card production services to make medical and prescription drug cards for its clients. The cards, which can also be formatted for identification cards and other uses, are made at the headquarters and the data management systems are housed there as well.

GHS Data Management also provides extensive, state-of-the art archiving services to help companies reduce, reorganize and manage or delete old files, and reclaim office space, as their company brochure puts it. And, the GHS data capture department provides rapid turnaround of raw data for its clients, from forms and reports to basic data entry. The State of Maine's Community Assessment Program is also managed by GHS. In business more than 25 years, GHS Data Management has 121 employees and clients across the state of Maine and in New England. For additional information on the company, visit their website at www.ghsinc.com.

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