AArete

CMS approved a 2.48% Medicare Advantage rate increase for CY27, giving payers a sigh of relief. After risk adjustment implications, this translates to a 5% effective rate, an improvement over the initial proposed increase of just 0.09%. However, cost constraints still require plans to consider growth strategies that look beyond increasing enrollment.    Among clients, we’re seeing some pulling back from challenging markets, while others are poised for strategic growth. The difference comes down to operations: focused strategies and benefit design, high Star ratings, and investments in automation and AI.    In this month’s Payer Pulse newsletter Elizabeth Levy & Maulik Bhagat break down what they’re seeing in the market and how plans are positioning themselves for sustainability. #AArete #PayerPulse #HealthcareConsulting #DigitalTransformation #StarsRatings 

AArete is excited to share that our Behavioral Health IntelliScan™ has been recognized as the "Best Data Visualization Solution" in the 2026 MedTech Breakthrough Awards. This recognition highlights our innovation and leadership in addressing behavioral health. Read the full press release here: https://lnkd.in/gXqqR2vn #Healthcare #BehavioralHealth #AI #PaymentIntegrity #DataAnalytics #HealthTech #MedTechBreakthrough #Innovation #HealthcareConsulting

Inspired by the energy and impact coming out of the WBL (Women Business Leaders of the US Health Care Industry Foundation) Summit 2026 👏 Last week, Gina Hedstrom RN MBA DHA and Diane Body joined a powerful community of women leaders who are redefining what leadership looks like in healthcare. From bold ideas to real conversations around innovation, equity, and system transformation, this wasn’t just a conference, it was momentum in action. We’re proud to have leaders like Gina and Diane representing AArete and contributing to meaningful dialogue that’s shaping the future of healthcare. #AArete #WBL #HealthcareLeadership #WomenInLeadership #HealthcareInnovation

AArete Founder & CEO, Loren Trimble, has been named a 2026 Top Consultant by Consulting Magazine joining an elite group of industry leaders.   Loren received the Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his significant impact and leadership within the consulting profession.   We’re thankful for his dedication to guiding our firm and inspiring the next generation of consulting professionals. https://lnkd.in/gPGTWdud   #AArete #Leadership #Consulting #TopConsultants #IndustryRecognition #BusinessLeadership

Happy Earth Day! 🌎🧡   Our internal volunteer ERG AArete Impact & Development (AAID) celebrated the occasion with other Aon Center tenants for their annual Earth Day Fair. Our mini daisy planter kits were a big hit with visitors!🌼   We’re proud to be part of a workplace that encourages greener choices through initiatives like recycling and composting programs, energy-efficient operations, EV charging, bike-friendly commuting, and even an active beehive to support native plants. 🐝   AArete is also proud to partner with Terrapass as part of our commitment to sustainability. With their help, we are offsetting our carbon footprint for a greener, carbon-neutral future.   What are you doing to celebrate Earth Day?   #EarthDay #AArete #Sustainability #Green

Procurement isn’t just about finding the lowest price… it’s shaping strategy. 👀   In this month’s Optimization Outlook, Kenneth Ballard and Tyler Higgins break down how procurement teams can level up from order-takers to true business drivers.   💡 Find hidden waste with usage analytics 🤝 Turn vendors into strategic partners 📊 Get involved before decisions are made 🚀 Build real category expertise   The takeaway? Procurement that stays reactive gets left behind. Procurement that embeds into operations drives serious impact. #AArete #Procurement #Newsletter #TheOptimizationOutlook #Consulting

If your analytics can’t tell you what to do next… are they actually working? 👀   In this month’s Payer Pulse, Scott Rees dives into why reporting-first analytics are holding health plans back and how to turn data into real decisions that move the business forward.   Less dashboards. More action.   #PayerPulse #HealthTech #AITransformation #HealthcareLeaders #DataDriven #AArete

We're proud to be recognized as one of America’s Top Management Consulting Firms 2026 by Business Insider and Plant-A Insights Group.   Based on evaluations of our healthcare consulting expertise and client satisfaction, we are honored with a 4.5-star ranking.     Thank you to our clients and teams for helping us achieve this honor! https://lnkd.in/gPJwBz25 #AArete #ConsultingLeaders #Excellence #BusinessInsider

We’re officially 18 🎂   For 18 years, our people have been the heart of everything we do, and this year made that clearer than ever. Being named a 2026 USA Today Top Workplace reflects the culture our team has built together for nearly two decades.   We’re proud of how far we’ve come and even more excited about what’s ahead. As we keep growing, we’re always looking for great people who want to do meaningful work and be part of something special. Check out our open roles below! https://lnkd.in/e5zpVbqZ #AArete #EmployeeExperience #TopWorkplaces #Anniversary #ConsultingExcellence

The No Surprises Act was designed to protect patients. But for health plans, the operational complexity to maintain compliance and control costs is creating an unanticipated burden. With IDR dispute volumes up 39% from 2024 to 2025, plans face growing pricing uncertainty, increased risk of overpayment, and mounting administrative strain. At the same time, providers are prevailing in most cases, accounting for about 88% of dispute outcomes in the first half of 2025. We’re seeing it firsthand with our clients who need strategies for NSA compliance and out-of-network pricing. Plans need a scalable, end-to-end approach that delivers: ✔️ Defensible reimbursement decisions that reduce overpayments   ✔️ Disciplined operations to enable consistent, accurate and scalable execution ✔️ Confidence in NSA compliance   ✔️ Clear network contracting strategies to reduce NSA exposure AArete helps build that strategy. Is adherence to NSA requirements creating costly operational challenges and increasing regulatory complexity for your plan? Comment and let us know where the pressure is hitting the hardest. #AArete #Confidence #Consulting #ThoughtLeaders #NoSuprisesAct