Traverse Benefits

11/27/2025

10/17/2025

Up North, winter storms don’t scare us.

But open enrollment? That still catches a few employers off guard.

It shouldn’t. Handled right, open enrollment isn’t a scramble — it’s a leadership moment.

Dive into our latest blog to learn how to turn this season into a business advantage with guidance. https://bit.ly/47cpvph

10/01/2025

A first-of-its-kind deal with Pfizer is bringing U.S. drug prices down to match the lowest paid globally. That means lower pharmacy costs, stronger benefit strategies, and real savings for both employers and employees. FACT SHEET:

ADVANCING MOST-FAVORED-NATION PRICING: Today, President Donald J. Trump announced the first agreement with a major pharmaceutical company, Pfizer, to

09/22/2025

Major healthcare benefit changes are coming in 2026, and they’ll reshape how you support employees and manage costs. From expanded Dependent Care FSAs to new tax credits, HSA flexibility, and student loan repayment assistance—this is a shift you can’t afford to ignore.

Read more: https://bit.ly/3HUMdtB

08/19/2025

Nonprofit hospitals are under new scrutiny: while CEO pay jumped past $1M on average by 2023, frontline wages barely budged. A new Health Affairs study shows executive pay is outpacing worker pay — raising tough questions about fairness, community impact, and what it means to be a “nonprofit” in healthcare today.

The average wage of chief executives rose by 27.5% from 2009 to 2023, while the average pay for all hospital employees rose 9.8%, according to research in Health Affairs.

08/02/2025

This marks the largest coordinated push to connect health data across the country under open standards.

The Trump administration’s new CMS initiative is a first-of-its-kind, large-scale public-private effort to modernize U.S. healthcare through real-time data sharing and digital health tools.

Over 60 tech companies, health systems, and insurers—including Amazon, Google, Epic, and Cleveland Clinic—have pledged to follow a voluntary federal interoperability framework.

The goal is to create a unified digital health ecosystem that gives patients easier access to their records, supports chronic care management, and streamlines clinical workflows.

YES, while it builds on past efforts like Blue Button and FHIR standards, this marks the largest coordinated push yet to connect health data across the country under open standards.

More than 60 companies, including Amazon, Google, UnitedHealth and Epic, have pledged to participate in the initiative, which the CMS said would “deliver results” early next year.

07/27/2025

Prayers to the injuried and our responders. Prayers to our small, yet mighty town.

Eleven people were injured in what authorities called a “random” mass stabbing attack at Walmart Saturday afternoon in Traverse City. The suspect, a 42-year-old Michigan man, was taken into custody. As of press time late Saturday, six of the victims were in critical condition at Munson Medical C...

04/29/2025

Nimble strategies to modernize your wellness approach, keep pace and improve retention.

Read More (Also featured in the May 2025 issue of Traverse City Business News): https://www.traversebenefits.com/empower-your-employees-to-wellness-strategies-for-a-healthier-workforce/

04/21/2025

Big News!! Arkansas bans PBMs from owning pharmacies! "The law in particular will affect CVS and UnitedHealth, both of which operate physical pharmacies in the state along with specialty and mail-order pharmacy businesses."

The law in particular will affect CVS and UnitedHealth, both of which operate physical pharmacies in the state along with specialty and mail-order pharmacy businesses.

03/19/2025

Wonderful news for Blue Cross Blues Shield of Michigan enrollees: Group, Individual and Medicare Advantage products. Optum Rx is BCBSM's prescription benefit manager. Optum Rx is making it easier for Rx consumers to get their medications!

"Starting May 1, Optum Rx will eliminate reauthorizations — when drugs already being used by a patient need to be reapproved by their plan — for roughly 80 drugs. The program will cut up to 25% of all reauthorizations, or 10% of prior authorizations overall, the PBM said."

The massive pharmacy benefit manager plans to stop requiring coverage reauthorizations for roughly 80 drugs used to treat migraines, multiple sclerosis, high cholesterol and more.

01/24/2025

Employers can look forward to a brighter future with the return of a business-friendly Trump administration.

Read More (Also featured in the February 2025 issue of Traverse City Business News): https://www.traversebenefits.com/what-the-health-more-change-for-employers/