Self-funded companies that are members of the Business Health Care Group (BHCG) in southeastern Wisconsin saw a two-year aggregate decrease of 9 percent per health plan member when compared with 2005 base year costs.
In 2007, the self-funded member companies experienced a 6.1-percent increase in medical costs (prior to benefit application), which was approximately 4 percent less than the Milwaukee market trend.
This result, coupled with the 13.7-percent reduction reported for 2006, produced a cumulative two-year savings of $32 million for the self-funded member companies.  When taking into account southeastern Wisconsin's medical cost trend, the program produced even greater savings, totaling an estimated $103 million, according to the BHCG.
An independent third-party research firm analyzed the data from all of the BHCG's 18 self-funded businesses - representing 55,000 health plan members.
Last year was the second full year for the health plan offering called Humana Preferred, created by Humana to support the BHCG's goal of bringing southeastern Wisconsin health care costs in line with the Midwest average. 
"Manpower has tangibly seen the positive results in our bottom line since we've joined the BHCG," said Jeffrey Joerres, chairman and chief executive officer of Milwaukee-based Manpower Inc. "Working in the employment services industry, we acutely understand the important work that the BHCG does in helping lower benefit costs for the employer, as well as helping our employees take control of their health care decisions."
In 2006, the BCHG reported that southeastern Wisconsin costs were 26-percent higher than the Midwest average, and that gap closed to 20 percent in 2007, according to the organization.
"This positive report confirms that we are making progress in solving the dilemma of affordable health care and the BHCG is looking forward to continuing our efforts of bringing together employers, consumers and the medical community to support the business environment of the southeast Wisconsin region," said Dianne Kiehl, BHCG executive director.
The BHCG is a membership organization of more than 675 employers and employer groups in the 11-county region of southeast Wisconsin. For more information, visit www.businesshealthcaregroup.org.

Humana Inc. also announced today that it will expand its Humana Preferred network of physicians and hospitals for southeastern Wisconsin in 2009.
The Humana Preferred network offers lower costs by including participating physicians who have shown the ability to guide members through treatment using resources most efficiently. 
"We have expanded the presence of our 2009 Humana Preferred network, giving consumers more choices in more areas for a better overall health care experience.  As a result of this process, we are confident that this will help BHCG continue making progress of bringing health care costs closer to the Midwest average," said Kristine Seymour, president of Humana's Wisconsin commercial market operations. 
The most significant changes will be the additions of St. Nicholas in Sheboygan, Physicians Health Network and St. Joseph's in West Bend and the West Bend Clinic to the Humana Preferred network.
The other health systems and provider groups that will continue to provide care to Humana Preferred network participants are: Aurora HealthCare and Medical Groups, Beloit Hospital and Physician Group, Columbia St. Mary's Hospital and Physician Group, Children's Hospital and Medical Group, Fort Atkinson Hospital and Physicians, Froedtert and Community Memorial Hospital, Medical Associates, Medical College of Wisconsin, Mercy Health System, ProHealth Care, Watertown Hospital and Physician Group, United Hospital Systems and Medical Group. 
Most notably, Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare continues to be excluded from the Human Preferred network.
The expanded Humana Preferred network will be available exclusively to BHCG member companies for effective dates beginning Jan. 1, 2009.  Humana will next evaluate bids from hospitals and health systems in 2011 for inclusion in the network for 2012-2014. Humana will re-evaluate physicians twice each year and will make changes to the list of physicians included in Humana Preferred network on an annual basis.

Waukesha-based Electronic Tele-Communications Inc. (ETC) today reported second quarter net earnings of $24,932, or 1 cent per Class A common share, which was an improvement over a net loss of $178,320, or 7 cents per share, during the same period a year ago.
The company's quarterly sales grew to $550,507 from $524,202 a year earlier.
Commenting on the results, ETC president Dean Danner said, "The return to earnings for the second quarter is a start, but with traditionally slow summer sales and numerous national economic issues including uncertainty related to the election year, we have a long way to go. Although parts of the telecom industry have improved, telephone system manufacturing and specifically our segment of the industry have yet to recover. We are continuing to invest in our product designs and to look for applications outside of our traditional customer base."
Electronic Tele-Communications supplies voice announcers and voice application platforms to domestic and foreign telephone utilities under the Audichron and Digicept brand names.
The company's thinly traded stock is sold through pink sheets over the counter.

Fond du Lac-based machine shop F. Ziegler Enterprises plans to move to a 60,000-square-foot facility, tripling its space, and plans to add 35 jobs within the next three years. Read more in SBT's daily roundup of headlines from newspapers across the state at www.biztimes.com/#news.

The nation's economic slump may ease somewhat, but will not see full-scale recovery during the second half of the year, according to the third quarter market review by Dr. Abdur Chowdhury, chief economist of Capital Market Consultants LLC and First Business Bank, the parent company of First Business Bank Milwaukee. Read more in this week's edition of the BizTimes Money bulletin.

A grand opening celebration was held recently to commemorate the completion of renovations to Windsor Court Apartments at 1831 W. Juneau Ave. in Milwaukee. To view a photographic slideshow of the event, visit the latest edition of SBT Around Town.

The BizTimes Stock Index lost 3.70 points to close at 137.50 Monday, but local stocks snapped out of their doldrums with a strong rally this morning. The largest local gainers this morning were Badger Meter Inc. (up $2.66 to $55.92), Kohl's Corp. (up $2.95 to $44.53) and Harley-Davidson Inc. (up $1.41 to $39.23). The largest local decliners this morning were Bucyrus International Inc. (down $1.20 to $57.05) and Twin Disc Inc. (down 66 cents to $18.49). The BizTimes Stock Index was created by Small Business Times and is monitored by North Shore Bank. The index, which measures the stock values of publicly held companies based in southeastern Wisconsin, is updated daily and can be viewed at www.biztimes.com.

A Google-Yahoo marriage would create an Internet search monopoly that would not be good for other businesses or consumers, according to Ruben Hopkins, author of today's Milwaukee Biz Blog.