Six Ways to Fix the American Healthcare System

Lack of Competition in Marketplace, Hidden Revenue Streams, and Poor Health
Habits are Key Drivers of U.S. Healthcare Crisis, Says Samuel H. Fleet,
President, AmWINS Group Benefits
WARWICK, R.I.--(Business Wire)--
The fever for healthcare reform is running high in Washington, D.C., and
politicians are lining up on both sides to offer "treatment plans," says Samuel
H. Fleet, president of AmWINS Group Benefits. He adds, "But policy makers are
missing many of the key opportunities to address what is really broken about the
system."

Today, Fleet released a healthcare reform position paper, "The Six Ways to Fix
Our Healthcare System," www.amwinspresskit.com/news, which chronicles the main
issues that should be clearly addressed for healthcare reform to truly make a
difference.

Summary includes:

1.Restore Competition in the Marketplace

The four largest carriers in the country have 99% of providers in the network
and in most states, the #1 carrier has 60-70% market share. Fleet comments that
"in any other industry, this would raise antitrust issues, but for healthcare,
no one seems concerned." His solutions - break up the BUCA monopoly (Blue Cross
Blue Shield, United Healthcare, CIGNA and Aetna) and restore competition to the
marketplace.

2.Enable the American Consumer to Become an Astute Buyer of Quality Healthcare

Fleet insists that the key to cost control is to bring transparency to pricing.
For example, a California patient who needs a chest X-ray is charged anywhere
from $120 to $1,519; in fact within a few blocks in Sacramento the price climbs
from $451 to $790 from one hospital to the next. The solution - every provider
must disclose the net prices that they charge and consumers need to know how to
find high-quality care.

3.Eliminate Hidden Revenue Streams

Fleet says to do away with fragmentation in the healthcare delivery system, and
instead, all Pharmacy Benefit Managers must fully disclose all sources of
revenue or profit, block doctors from owning the diagnostic machines they refer
their patients to, ban trips, money and other incentives from drug companies to
doctors and force hospitals to disclose profitability and markup to implant
devices.

4.Our Health - NOT Healthcare - Crisis

"The nation is hysterical over 18,000 cases of Swine Flu, yet we have 100
million obese people in this country," said Fleet. He contends that the current
administration should create an aggressive public campaign to promote a healthy
lifestyle, restore funding for physical education in schools, as well as
institute the use of prevention-based healthcare.

5.Facilitate Administrative Efficiency

Real savings can be realized by ensuring that the government define a standard
for claims submissions between providers and payors, drive a set of rules for
dealing with pended claims that makes sense, among others.

6.Protect the Risk Pool

Finally, Fleet insists that the only way to make universal coverage work is to
make sure it`s universal. The first step - mandate that all employers offer
insurance or force them to contribute to a government fund. In addition, Fleet
asserts that, "we need to limit coverage to basic minimums set nationally," and
to ensure that everyone can afford coverage, we should require carriers to pool
risk above a certain amount per claimant.

For "The Six Ways to Fix Our Healthcare System," please visit
www.amwinspresskit.com/news or to speak with Samuel Fleet directly, please
contact Kristen Jones at (410) 821-8220.

About Samuel H. Fleet

Fleet is the president of AmWINS Group Benefits of Warwick, R.I., a leading
wholesale broker of comprehensive group insurance programs and administrative
services. With more than 20 years of health and benefits experience, Samuel
Fleet has proven his unmatched expertise with the rapid rise of his company from
a small regional organization to one of the most successful insurance
wholesalers in the country. Fleet, over the last several years, has positioned
AmWINS Group Benefits as the leading industry administrator and authority on
group medical programs.

About AmWINS Group Benefits

AmWINS Group Benefits is a leading wholesale broker of comprehensive group
insurance programs and administrative services. Working with benefit brokers and
consultants, AmWINS Group Benefits designs, distributes and administers
customized health benefit products and services for retired and active
populations in private and public organizations. Its parent company, AmWINS
Group, is one of the largest independent insurance wholesalers in the United
States. AmWINS Group Benefits is headquartered in Warwick, RI. More information
about AmWINS Group Benefits is available at groupbenefits.amwins.com.

AmWINS Group Benefits Division
Lisa Kuszmar, Director of Marketing, 704-943-2680;
lisa.kuszmar@amwins.com
or
IMRE
Kristen Jones, 410-821-8220; Mobile: 443-279-9539;
kristenj@imre.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009