How Lehigh Valley Business Coalition on Healthcare (LVBCH) Drives Healthcare Value Through Employer Collaboration

By Carl Seitz, President, Lehigh Valley Business Coalition on Healthcare (LVBCH) , who has over 30 years of experience in non-profit healthcare. Since 2017, Carl Seitz has led LVBCH, growing its membership by nearly 50% and expanding its influence across Pennsylvania and beyond. Under his leadership, the coalition has secured impactful grants like the Hospital Fair Price Initiative and negotiated cost-saving health benefit contracts.

When it comes to tackling rising healthcare costs, the Lehigh Valley Business Coalition on Healthcare (LVBCH) is proving that collaboration isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a powerful strategy for change.

We spoke with Carl Seitz, President of the Lehigh Valley Business Coalition on Healthcare (LVBCH), to gain his perspective on how the coalition is leveraging collaboration to share resources and drive meaningful results in improving healthcare value to their more than 270 members with nearly 400,000 covered lives.

The rising cost of healthcare is a persistent challenge for employers, with opaque pricing often leaving organizations struggling to manage their budgets.

Recognizing this, LVBCH took a proactive approach by participating in the Hospital Fair Price Initiative, through the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions.

This initiative analyzes regional and state healthcare pricing to uncover hidden inefficiencies, identify cost drivers, and push for transparency across the system. By collaborating with local employers, insurers, and healthcare systems, LVBCH has worked to foster a more equitable and cost-effective healthcare environment for its members.

For more details on this impactful initiative, visit the official announcement: LVBCH Receives Grant to Address High Healthcare Costs.

Mental health has become a critical focus for employers, and LVBCH has led the way. Through a partnership with Health Advocate, LVBCH introduced an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to ensure behavioral health services for its members.

The Results:

• Comprehensive support for employees, including virtual counseling and work-life services.
• Improved mental health access, leading to better productivity and reduced absenteeism.
• Cost-effective solutions that align with employer goals for holistic healthcare.

This program highlights LVBCH’s forward-thinking approach, proving that addressing key health areas—whether mental health or chronic conditions—delivers measurable value.

Healthcare costs aren’t just rising—they’re unsustainable. Musculoskeletal (MSK) disorders alone are a leading driver of these costs, with lost productivity and expensive treatments adding billions to the burden.

Here’s the tie-in: LVBCH’s efforts around pricing transparency and mental health access are models for addressing MSK care challenges. By applying similar strategies, employers can:

1. Analyze MSK Spending: Identify inefficiencies in current spending and prioritize value-driven treatments.
2. Collaborate for Better Solutions: Work with other employers to negotiate cost-effective care options.
3. Emphasize Holistic Care: Expand support to include both mental health and MSK conditions, which are often interconnected.

When coalitions like LVBCH lead the charge, they create a ripple effect—reducing costs, improving care, and setting a benchmark for others to follow.

Visit LVBCH’s Website to learn more about their initiatives.

The newsletter is brought to you by AposHealth’s flagship solution Apos?.

Over 150,000 people worldwide have already been treated for knee, lower back, and hip pain- with Apos?, enjoying a better life while simultaneously reducing healthcare costs for themselves, insurance companies, and employers.

Learn more at www.aposhealth.com