A discussion with Professor Milton Friedman on "Economic Myths and Government Untruths" With Ron Bachman

Healthcare Insight

05/06/21 Healthcare Insight Week 74

Ronald E. Bachman FSA, MAAA, CHC President & CEO, Healthcare Visions Ronald E. Bachman is an actuary, author, teacher, and healthcare consultant. He has been at the center of U.S. health care transformation advancing free market solutions to lower the number of uninsureds, expand mental health coverage, and promote the concept of healthcare consumerism. Bachman is a retired principle from PricewaterhouseCoopers, where he consulted to a broad range of clients including employers, HMOs, hospitals, physicians, indemnity carriers, BlueCross BlueShield plans, as well as State and Federal Agencies. He is currently the President and CEO of Healthcare Visions, a thought leadership firm dedicated to advancing ideas and policy initiatives that are impacting the U.S. healthcare market. Bachman is also a Senior Fellow at the National Center for Policy Analysis, the Wye River Group on Health, Newt Gingrich’s Center for Health Transformation, the Georgia Public Policy Foundation, and an Adviser to the Goodman Policy Institute. Solving the Uninsured Problem. Over the years Bachman has worked with, provided technical analysis to, and testified before the U.S. Congress several times. He has served as a designated expert to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the Department of Labor (DOL), the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and several members of Congress. Bachman was a technical resource during the 1993-94 Clinton Health Reform initiative. He provided input on mental health issues for the Affordable Care Act and is currently working with the Senate Health Committee staff on free market solutions within proposed repeal and replace legislation. Expanding Mental Health Coverage. From the mid-1990’s Bachman worked across the political aisle with the Carter Center, Senator Ted Kennedy, Senator Paul Wellstone, and Speaker Newt Gingrich on mental health parity. Bachman directly testified, provided risk analysis, and performed actuarial pricing to over 30 states in support of the passage of mental health parity legislation. His work on mental health culminated in the federal passage of the 2008 Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act and the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act. Promoting Healthcare Consumerism. In 2001 Bachman initiated the concept of account-based healthcare with the Bush White House and Treasury and the introduction of the 2002 Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs). He provided policy input in 2003 on Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). He provided input on Mental Health issues during the 2009-10 development of the Affordable Care Act. Bachman is currently an expert resource to the Senate Health Committee that is looking into Repeal and Replace legislation. Ron is a graduate of Georgia State University with a Masters in Actuarial Science. He is a 2018 inductee into GSU Risk Management Hall of Fame. He has B.S. in Applied Mathematics from Georgia Tech. Ron’s most recent book published in 2017 is “Understanding Healthcare Consumerism: Practical Strategies and Actionable Insights.” A sampling of his writings include: “Consumer-Driven Healthcare – The Future is Now”, “An Employer’s Guide to Patient-Directed Healthcare Benefits”, “An Employer’s Guide to Pharmaceutical Benefits”, “A Legislator’s Guide to Creating an HSA State”, “Lowering the Uninsured During an Economic Down Turn”, “An American Solution to Healthcare”, “Depression is a Bottom Line Issue – If CEO’s Only Knew”, and “Corporate Readiness for Healthcare Consumerism.” Ron has been Chairman of the Editorial Advisory Board for Field Media and the Institute for Healthcare Consumerism. Bachman has been on boards for Skyland Trail, Bryan University, the Georgia Charity Care Network, HINRI Labs, and Jacobs Ladder Autism Center.

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Healthcare Insight