Interview with Christine Cooper from United States

I assume the role of a Chief Executive Officer at aequum.

aequum, meaning ‘what is fair and just,’ supports employer-sponsored health plans with compliant and strategic solutions to lower risk, manage costs, reduce spending, gain potential savings and maximize plan value. Its sister organization, Koehler Fitzgerald LLC, provides legal advocacy and defense of plan participants engaged in medical billing disputes.

Since its inception, aequum has represented more than 425 self-insured health plan sponsors and their participants and resolved (to date) 10,000+ claims for more than 5,000 member patients – saving nearly $40 million ($39.99m).

aequum is a first-of-its kind tech-driven company in the complex field of medical billing. It’s team of specialists employ information technology and data-driven solutions to manage costs and sustain health coverage as a benefit, creating a competitive financial advantage for plan sponsors and improving the “health and wealth” status of their participants.

It is a distinct honor to be selected from among so many deserving and accomplished women nominated for this prestigious award. I am immensely proud of the aequum team and what we have achieved together that has made an impact on our industry by leveling the playing field for those challenged by the complexities of medical billing.

Winning this award shows that aequum is having an impact on the healthcare system in the U.S. aequum is striving to “level the playing field” of medical billing, which is no small feat in a system that makes medical billing confusing and incomprehensible to patients. This award demonstrates that we are making a difference.

My task involves ensuring that we effectively communicate the significant influence of aequum within the healthcare system and the employee benefit sector. This recognition serves as a significant catalyst in propelling us even further along this trajectory.

My ideation process involves first educating myself more and more about the United States’s healthcare system and its challenges, including our partners’ pain points. I then focus on creating solutions to those pain points with associated opportunities.

For example, we are constantly changing and improving our processes to meet the needs of our partners. In doing so, we often find new ways to help our existing partners, as well as ways to expand and market our services more broadly.

My definition of a successful organization is one that has a team that is collectively invested and supportive of the company’s vision and mission. At aequum, our mission is to “level the playing field of medical billing” by supporting employer plan sponsors and their employee participant with transparent information and a clear understanding of their rights, so that they can make the most cost-effective healthcare decision.

Helping clients employ the most effective tools and resources to achieve the right balance between a benefit package that is both adequate and affordable yet financially sustainable. This is especially challenging given current economic and labor force conditions, and new government policies and regulations.

The United States supports health plan design innovation that allows our partners to offer unique solutions that better meet employee healthcare needs and that enable employers, as plan sponsors, to sustain coverage as a benefit.

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed a much larger segment of Americans as being financially fragile – living paycheck to paycheck and unprepared for regular household expenses, let alone out-of-pocket medical expenses. Now, compounded by a potential national recession, and coupled with an ever-increasing rate of inflation, employers and employees alike are at a level of heightened concern over the potential for significant increases in the cost of medical services, drugs, supplies and devices.

As a proactive approach to counter inflationary trends, aequum recommended that plan sponsors focus on helping participants build savings rather than purchase more costly insurance. Leveraging Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) as part of a ’health and wealth’ rewards strategy can optimize financial preparedness.

More than a year ago, the United States healthcare system marked a turning point with the passage of the No Surprises Act (NSA) to address concerns about “balance billing.” The NSA applies to participants in employer-sponsored health plans. It protects participants from “surprise” bills for certain emergency services and care received from out-of-network providers at in-network facilities. aequum is taking action to ensure its members incorporate the most effective tools and strategies that go far beyond simple NSA compliance.

The value of having the right medical billing partner facilitates all the strategic designs and processes – acting as an agent of change, embracing technology innovation and advocating for “what is fair and just.” The right partner will offer value-added services through turnkey solutions, innovative plan designs, administrative and compliance support, as well as participant legal representation.

This support provides invaluable guidance to navigate federal and state healthcare regulations, identify areas to lower risk, reduce costs and maximize value.

Providing all Americans with access to affordable, quality healthcare is one of the greatest economic challenges of our time. This is especially concerning for employers who are understandably looking for ways to reduce and manage costs in order to sustain healthcare coverage as an employee benefit.

Most employers are impacted by surging healthcare inflation and higher employee utilization of clinical services. Given projected trends, employers can expect significant cost increases to their health plans now and into future years. Employees are just as financially vulnerable as they are seeing their health plan premiums rise faster than their wages.

Many are at a point of “financially fragility” – unprepared to pay high deductibles, co-pays and out-of-pocket costs. It is widely recognized that the surging costs of healthcare services and prescription drugs to treat acute and chronic conditions can lead to personal bankruptcy.

For participants in an employer-sponsored health plan, healthcare consumerism brings an opportunity to engage and better understand the information incorporated in the explanation of benefits. There also are strategies that take advantage of price transparency to capitalize on cost containment initiatives and fully optimize value. This insight has potential to transform an employee’s health coverage usage, putting the economic purchasing power and decision-making in their hands.

Professionally, I was inspired by Ruth Bader Ginsberg. She was completely dedicated to her work and had one of the cleverest legal minds. She could look at an argument and see a way to relate it to her opponents in a way to pin them into a corner. She was quiet but so effective and she broke through many barriers.

Personally, I am inspired by my daughter. She is 10 years old and fearless. She is always willing to try new things and take risks. I have learned a lot through raising a daughter that doesn’t limit herself or let her gender hold her back.

Having a wonderfully supportive team that shares the same passion in what we are trying to accomplish in the healthcare and benefit space! aequum would not be where it is without everyone who pours their energy into making it run smoothly each and every-day.

Our team is invested in helping support our mission of “leveling the playing field” when it comes to medical billing and bringing relief and peace of mind to those on the receiving end of medical billing.