Tech innovator spotlight: FAIR Health’s Robin Gelburd

As president of FAIR Health, Robin Gelburd directed the launch of a free website dedicated to sharing information about healthcare prices and healthcare benefits so that employees and other consumers can better managed their healthcare expenses.

Gelburd is the recipient of a Dig|Benefits Technology Innovator Award, a program designed to recognize visionaries who are driving technology innovation in the employee benefits space. Winners will be honored at the Dig|Benefits conference May 19-20 in Austin, Tex.

The core of FAIR health’s website is the FH® Consumer Cost lookup tool, comprising both FH Medical Cost Lookup and FH Dental Cost Lookup. Powered by the nation’s largest repository of privately billed medical and dental claims, that tool allows consumers to estimate their out-of-pocket expenses for medical and dental care in their geographic area, to help them in choosing a health plan option during their employer’s enrollment period, planning out-of-network costs or negotiating with a provider.

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Over the next 10 years, Gelburd predicts “online tools and mobile apps will facilitate comparisons of plan features, including benefits, cost-sharing requirements and network participation. Cost estimates will address bundled services related to a procedure, setting more realistic expectations regarding the true cost of care. Transparency of allowed amounts for services will permit employees to better manage high-deductible health plan costs.”

In addition, she says, “as a result of next-generation cost transparency and consumer engagement tools, benefits personnel will encounter better-informed employees who will pose more sophisticated questions about their coverage [and] mobile-supported communications will become increasingly the default method for employee, benefits personnel, provider and plan communications.”

For more details on the Dig|Benefits event, including the agenda and registration information, visit the conference website.

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HR Technology Benefit management Benefit strategies Benefit plan design Benefit communication Dig|Benefits
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