PAC & Forth Episode 12:
John Shirikian & Steffanie Watkins
What does a new health care mandate really cost?
In this episode of PAC & Forth, we sit down with John Shirikian, President and CEO of the Association of California Life and Health Insurance Companies (ACLHIC), and Steffanie Watkins, the association’s Senior Vice President. ACLHIC represents 50 member companies, including the big six health insurers.
This episode dives into:
Why every new benefit mandate has a downstream premium cost that adds up fast.
The difference between coverage and cost sharing, and why Sacramento often blurs them.
Vertical integration and what happens when payers, providers, and PBMs share one roof.
Where physicians and health plans actually agree, including prior auth and credentialing reform.
A rare look at the system from the payer side and where physicians and insurers can find common ground.
For physicians who’ve been told payers and providers can never agree on anything, this is essential listening.
Tune in to hear where the path to fixing the system actually runs.
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