Things are changing quickly, at first it was little things like you are now a primary care provider instead of a GP or Family Physician. Today I read that we are now First Level Providers , or Second Level Providers instead of a specialist. What's in a name....? Everything. Nomenclature often defines the culture, and new vocabulary and abbreviations change the way we think, write and do.
I am now lumped in with "Vision Care Providers"....which seems to lump me in with Opticians, and Optometrists. One thing I was always challenged with is the relative lack of sophistication and/or knowledge as to the difference between and O.D. (Optometrist) and M.D. (Ophthalmologist). In recent years Optometrists become certified in therapeutics for treatment of some eye conditions. The threshold for medical treatment has been lowered substantially.
Health Reform iinvolves both quantity and quality of health care. During the most recent decades there are many who argue that quantity does not equate with quality of care. Measuring quality is challenging at to where to look. Recent ideas include better outcomes (ostensibly measured by the number of reductions in readmission after hospitalization within the first 30 days of discharge. That metric however encompasses a small measure of health delivery.
The outpatient, or ambulatory service setting presents the majority of health expense and visits, save for long term care of the aged population.
The affordable care act will markedly increase outpatient services for states who have opted-in for medicaid expansion. This will be covered in an upcoming edition.
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Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Saturday, February 22, 2014
HealthLeadersMedia: Search for ROI in EMR Patient Safety and Life and Death of Small Systems
HealthLeadersMedia , a publication produced as an online and print journal measures and reports on opinions of CEOs in hospital and group medical practices. HCLDRs reports on ‘hot topics’ in the economics of the health systems.
ln the January/February 2014 edition several areas emerge as newsworthy.
Front page:
In Search of EHRs ROI
Life or Death of Small Systems
Patient Safety
Table of Contents
Addressing Physician Engagement
Post-acute Care and the Care Coninuum
The Uneasy Journey
Cost- Cutting and the Revenue Cycle
Analytics and Value
Tech Takles Medication Managment
A recent HealthLeaders conference when asked what the most pressing problems were for CEOs and CFOs, responded with the challenges of investing and cutting costs. Any investment of capital will reduce operating expense, and must show a return of investment over a planned recapture period.
According to CEOs and CFOs the biggest waste is electronic health records. Many, but not all state, the reasons given are multiple:
In Search of ROI in EHRs
“Rip it and Replace it”. Installation of EHRs requires a total redesign of work flow, and not just pasting an EHR on present administration. In additon to the cost of the physical EHR and software significant time, and expense are added in training and loss of efficiency in operations. Initial EHRs are often not designed with this in mind.
The “hunt for ROI” is a challenge, at the start. Are the measures strictly financial or should they include other metrics, such as reduction in errors, quality of care, safety issues, workplace satisfaction, measurement of multiple metrics. The shift to EHR also creates a shift in worker skills, proficiency in typing,and computer skills as well as experience in specific EHRs. Not only are clinical skills and scientific prowess important but familiarity with multiple software systems.become critical for the search by HR for suitable employees. This also extends the training period for new employees which has an indirect effect on the costs of hiring new employees.
Scott Mace writes, “The key to ROI is to start with a baseline and ‘redesign your thought system and processes to leverage the value of electronic records, or any IT solution. There are lessons to be learned from other industries. (HBR “Don’t automate, Obliterate”) describes how Ford first implemented information systems.
Life or Death of Small Systems:
Perhaps the greatest indicators for this threat has been the rapidity of mergers and acquisitions. Scaling upward seems to imply stability and a major advantage to market share and negotiating power for hospitals and providers when dealing with insurers. This will only increase as the PPACA effect grows. For small systems the risks are inherently greater making strategic changes quickly. For some doing nothing does not seem to be a viable option, however making a big change may mean nothing in the long run. Large systems are no longer giving lip service to the promise of reduced overhead and making a serious commitment to efficiency by integrating their hospitals into an operating company structure as opposed to the holding company structures of the recent past.
Community health systems require a unique approach to ACO and develop a creative approach, such as offering PCP services in physician drought areas. Some even develop a presence close to mega-hospitals such as the Mayo Clinic. (Ridgeview, in Minnesota).
Patient Safety
A decade ago young new graduates would enter the system and would loyally follow their senior mentors, diligently follow their lead and rarely second guess. Several things have ocurred to change the relationship. There are now fewer opportunities to buy a senior physician’s practice, so there is less impetus to follow along passively.
In some hospitals the tables have turned on the senior guard. A new world order is now leading upstart youngsters to teach their senior attendings and physician leaders a new paradigm. These changes improve quality while reducing waste, inappropriate care, and the opportunity for medical error and harm. The new doctors say their strategies avoid millions in unnecessary spending, tens of thousands here and there adding up into millions of dollars.
The ‘new’ order leads one CEO who recites a quote attributed to Ghandi,
“There goes my people. I must follow them, for I am their leader”.
“The fact is they are ‘doing the right thing’, putting us on course to control utilization and cost. Basic routines are questioned, such as lab sets, use of IV antibiotics in lieu of effective oral antibiotics, and even such things as packaging gloves singly if only one glove is needed.”
The current edition of HealthLeaders dives into many other areas as well. It is a good reference for anyone in the hospital industry, and physician leaders as well. Medical staff leaders will find this to be an excellent source when interfacing with the hospital “C”suite.
The insertion of the Accountable Care Organization into provider/hospital relations requires a team approach, and HealthLeadersMedia facilitates this progress.
The ultimate goal is to improve the quality of patient care and insure wellness.
Readers can find the entire content of this edition at Health Leaders
Enrolled in Covered California...Have insurance? Think Again
Even hardcore supporters of the affordable care act are speaking publicly about the shortcomings and misdirections of the Afffordable Care Act… and the necessity to modify the law. Still there is much resistance to repealing the law.
The enrollment process is somewhat easier, however the choices are still a challenge. It is stragiht forward on selecting your level of eligibility. Choosing plans is more of a challenge, especially if some of the information is incorrect such as providers, hospitals and other service providers.
Enrollment data is beginning to accumulate, however there have been no public announcements regarding payment of premiums, nor analysis of types of policies.
The selection process is important. For some levels the copays and deductibles are very high. Although premiums appear to be low in some cases patients will need to be prepared to spend substantial portions of their income for medications, copays for laboratory, imaging and other testing. For those who are relatively healthy and do not ‘consume’ much in the way of health care it won’t be a burdern. For those who have chronic and/or serious illness who may need to be seen three or four times in a month….say a newly diagnosed diabetic, (they may be faced with four provider copays amounting to $160.00 and other copays for labs and/x-rays. Add this to the premium, and the monthly payment rises. For those on subsidies this additonal burden on a modest income is significant.
For those who are euphoric about finally obtaining insurance coverage some will be surprised to find all is not well and the plans fall short of ‘guarranteeing’ health care for them. A challenge will be finding a provider who accepts affordable care act plans. It is going to require 12 months or more to feret out the good from the bad policies.
Providers are on the line as well. Many high deductible policies will place hospitals at risk, when their patients cannot afford a deductible of 10,000-12,000 dollars. This will require cost shifting to balance the equations, and will not alleviate some medically induced bankruptcies.
PPACA AND OUTPATIENT PROCEDURES
HealthCare LeadersMedia expects the Affordable Care Act to cause the number of outpatien proceures to increase for those opted-in for Medicaid expansion in the PPACA. And according to figures there is a spread seen as examined by state. By 2015 California stands to perform 46 million outpatient procedures, while a state such as Texas (opted-out for Medicaid expansion) will decrease by 53 million cases. (reported by Truven Health Analytics)
These figures are further broken down by specialty. Two specialties which create a significant number of ambulatory surgeries, and among the top tier of expense are cardiology and orthopedics. Medicaid opt-in vs opt-out produces some signifcant differences in reimbursement that outweigh numbers of cases. The split per specialty mirrors that of the total number gained or lost in 2016.
Mental health services (Psychiatry) are already in short supply and have previously been throttled by the lack of reimbursement by insurers. PPACA has mandated an increase in these services as a covered benefit. For those states who are opted out the medicaid eligible population will suffer relative to states opted-in. Those who live in states opted-out of Medicaid expansion will not have access to insured care for outpatient psychiatry services.
As expected the variance is greatest for California and Texas which are outliers in the data. In 2016 the volume of Cardiology cases in Califonia will increase by 672,000, while Texas will forgo 840,000 cases. These figures also reflect population differences and the number of medicaid eligible patients in each state.
For orthopedic surgery California (opted-in) will benefit from over 299,000 outpaitent orthopedic cases, while states such as Florida and Texas (opted-out) stand to lose near 300,000 orthopedic cases.
The choice to opt-in vs opting out not only effects who will receive benefits in the eligible population but will have significant effects on the hospital industry. The number of outpatient surgerie outweighs the number of inpatient surgeries. Using the present fee for service reimbursement rates under FFS hospitals have been advantaged by higher reimbursement reflected by higher cost. The loss of coverage for medicaid eligible patients not only places them in jeopardy, it also creates significant differences in the infrastructure necessary to deliver these services.
Outpatient services in states who have opted-in will need a business plan to expand capacity which includes not only physical plant, but skilled workers, such as surgical techs, surgeons, expendables as well as revising operating schedules, reducing turn-a-round times and the like.
DME suppliers will reap these benefits in opt-in states.
The figures represent the number of cases gained vs the loss of gain by opting out. The opt-out numbers are a speculation, and do not represent an actual decrease in cases. The number of procedure in any case will not decrease in states that have opted-out.
Increased demand for services always encourages efficiency and technical breakthroughs, to decrease loses and encourage profitability, much as occured with small incison cataract surgery and the development of small incision surgery in cardiology,general surgery and orthopedic surgery.
While ‘futurists’ attempt to predict the effects of the new law, serendipity and the butterfly effect should be expected.
This article also appears in Health Train Express, February 22, 2014. http://healthtrain.blogpot.com
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Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Doctors now Taking Payments from bitcoin
Some say physicians are IT luddites, however there are some indications that a select few are examining other payments that border on bartering. Bitcoin is bartering in the internet age, where privacy and security have bcome a thing of the past.
Bitcoin is a virtual currency which offers total privacy and anonymity in payments. Explaining how and why it works goes beyond the scope of my blog, other than to offer it's positive impact it may have in this time of health reform, and new business models such as concierge or direct payment models. It remains to be seen whether it is a 'fad' or will become an alternative form of payment, such as PAYPAL.
Lower transaction costs, increased privacy protections lead some practices to accept controversial e-currency.
But it's also getting strong positive attention, especially from Internet thought leaders, because the Bitcoin system, which depends on no centralized authority but rather a loosely affiliated community of techies, offers some key breakthroughs in the areas of information exchange – particularly between parties unknown to each other – and digital cryptography.
The legal status of this so-called cryptocurrency is in flux worldwide, as various policymakers, monetary bodies and tax agencies get up to speed on its true ramifications.
In the meantime, curious people can still educate themselves and explore this new payment alternative without fear and in relative safety. Doctors who have taken bitcoins have found that doing so is both simple and relatively "unmagical," as San Francisco physician Paul Abramson, MD, put it.
The legal status of this so-called cryptocurrency is in flux worldwide, as various policymakers, monetary bodies and tax agencies get up to speed on its true ramifications.
In the meantime, curious people can still educate themselves and explore this new payment alternative without fear and in relative safety. Doctors who have taken bitcoins have found that doing so is both simple and relatively "unmagical," as San Francisco physician Paul Abramson, MD, put it.
Abramson, founder of My Doctor Medical Group, is a former software programmer and trained electrical engineer with a significant personal interest in privacy.
Bitcoin will only be attractive to 'techies' for the time being. and there are caveats for users intent on the new system of bitcoin.
Bitcoin has been a subject of scrutiny due to ties with illicit activity. In 2013, the US FBIshut down the Silk Road online black market and seized 144,000 bitcoins worth US$28.5 million at the time.[9] The US is considered Bitcoin-friendly compared to other governments, however.[10] In China, new rules restrict bitcoin exchange for local currency,[11] and the European Banking Authority has warned that Bitcoin lacks consumer protections,[12] Bitcoins can be stolen, and chargebacks are impossible.[13]
Commercial use of Bitcoin, illicit or otherwise, is currently small compared to its use byspeculators, which has fueled price volatility.[14] Bitcoin as a form of payment for products and services has seen growth, however, and merchants have an incentive to accept the currency because transaction fees are lower than the 2–3% typically imposed by credit card processors.[15]
There are many unanswered questions about the new "currency"
Many bitcoin enthusiasts are particularly excited about the existence of a relatively secure currency that is not controlled by a government or other central authority.
Rather, the Bitcoin system is managed by software and mathematical principles, and is made possible by a peer-to-peer network that shares the burden of tracking bitcoins to ensure nobody counterfeits any, or spends the same bitcoin twice.
Saturday, February 15, 2014
The Failure of Information Technology
Hospitals, providers and patients are increasingly frustrated with the affordable care act. The project management for the ACA was seemingly run by a Whitehouse intern.
Implementation guidelines, mandates and dates for the Affordable Care Act, seemingly were set arbitrarily with little or no assessment for success or failure.
In California where the ACA was immediately accepted and optimistically initiated with its own brand of Health Benefit Exchange, name aptly "Covered California" there were enormous problems with the web site and a crushing overload of telephone registration services.
I can attest to these challenges as I had the responsibilty to enroll a member of my family.
The next axe falling is the Small Business Benefit Exchange where employers shop for employee policies. The computer process again limped along and numerous insurance agencies reverted to paper enrollment forms, a seemingly obsolete method of doing business, which however often is superior to IT. Failure of digital systems often creates more expense than doing it right the first time with proven methods. In a self-directed study of forms on computer vs hand written, with check off boxes we demonstrated the hand method to be faster and more accurate.
What is most frightening is that most of our support systems are becoming digital. If a particular process or enrollment does not fit into the pre-determined matrix it creates a bottleneck and the system stops.
Implementation guidelines, mandates and dates for the Affordable Care Act, seemingly were set arbitrarily with little or no assessment for success or failure.
In California where the ACA was immediately accepted and optimistically initiated with its own brand of Health Benefit Exchange, name aptly "Covered California" there were enormous problems with the web site and a crushing overload of telephone registration services.
I can attest to these challenges as I had the responsibilty to enroll a member of my family.
The next axe falling is the Small Business Benefit Exchange where employers shop for employee policies. The computer process again limped along and numerous insurance agencies reverted to paper enrollment forms, a seemingly obsolete method of doing business, which however often is superior to IT. Failure of digital systems often creates more expense than doing it right the first time with proven methods. In a self-directed study of forms on computer vs hand written, with check off boxes we demonstrated the hand method to be faster and more accurate.
What is most frightening is that most of our support systems are becoming digital. If a particular process or enrollment does not fit into the pre-determined matrix it creates a bottleneck and the system stops.
Friday, February 14, 2014
Nuts and Bolts on The Health Train Express
In the coming weeks our format will be changed. Our pages have become cluttered with unnecessary links that are seldom used. Because these links slow page loads significantly we are eliminating all but a few. We will continue to 'back link' to relevant content housed on our own servers. Rather than load a link to all pages we will limit links to within the text of our posts. The changes may create an image that will be unfamliar to readers.. Rest assured the content will be the same and the 'author' is still in the room.
Physician Experience vs. Expectation
During the past decade we have witnessed the corporatization of medicine. Solo private practice physicians in the U.S. are dwindling rapidly in the United States, except perhaps for a few selective specialists and in underserved areas. Some physicians are experimenting with the new "Direct Payment" model or "Concierge Medicine"
Although private solo or small group practices offer autonomy and control, there are disadvantages. Those who join an integrated health system, or become employed by a hospital gain administrative support and the ability to negotiate insurance contracts with more bargaining power than a small provider. However there are serious trade-offs. Physicians who sell their practice to a hospital find that hospitals receive failing grades in their prowess to run medical practices.
This is a relatively new phenomenon and hospital management may improve in the next several years. Kaiser seems to have met the challenge by forming a separate entity for a medical group which then interfaces with the hospital. The governance structure is distinctly separated. This allows the providers negotiating power and the abiity to make more decisions for themselves.
There are other issues in making this transition to a group practice. Cultural clash and generational difference can also affect the new relationship.
Modern Health Care presents this case
"Dr. Janet Chipman worked for more than a decade in a busy surgery practice she owned with three other physicians, treating patients and sharing the responsibility of running a multimillion-dollar business. She says she valued the autonomy of private practice, which was a common career path among her peers and one she sought when she finished her training.
"But nearly three years ago, Chipman and her colleagues signed an employment contract with Baptist Health, a Kentucky hospital operator that has doubled its number of employed doctors to 485 in the past three years. They felt that joining a sizable health system would boost their negotiating leverage with health insurers and make it easier to recruit surgeons into the practice. They'd also have more bargaining clout with vendors. And it would be more viable to participate in one of the new alternative payment and delivery models, such as an accountable care organization
Even so, Chipman had plenty of doubts before signing the deal. “The decision was incredibly hard for me personally,” she said. “I came from the culture of having your own practice and your independence.”
Not so for Dr. Nicole Lee. The first-year fellow in maternal and fetal health at the University of Mississippi will enter the workforce in two years. She expects to go directly into hospital employment. That's because working for a large health system likely will mean less on-call duty, allowing her to balance work and personal life. “If I have a family, they will definitely be my priority,” Lee said. “Being on call every other week is not feasible to me.”
Other factors enter decisiono making processesRegular work hours, enhanced family life
Guaranteed on call coverage
Working for a large health system likely will mean less on-call duty
Younger physicians work ethic has changed, largely bevause of new workoplace rule setting strict liits for work hours, and call schedules, caliing for controls much like the airline industry for pilots to reduce risks of error due to fatigue. When thes physicians enter the workforce they carry over this new ethic in private prctice.
Doctors moving from independent practice to employment may be more autonomous, business-savvy and likely to prioritize work over other obligations. But they also may chafe under bosses and rules. “They're used to setting the rules,” said Dr. T. Clifford Deveny, Catholic Health Initiatives' senior vice president for physician services and clinical integration. “One of the things you give up is that complete independence.”
Younger doctors may have no experience with or desire to take on demanding call schedules or leadership roles. “They're looking for lifestyle,” said Danise Cooper, manager of physician recruiting specialists for Cejka Search
Thrown together, once-independent physicians and younger doctors may clash over how to share the
workload and rotation duties. In addition, physicians may differ in how they respond to their employer's invitation to participate in quality improvement or strategic efforts. And since physicians may treat one another's patients, some doctors may worry about how their colleagues' work ethic and attitudes and accessibility to patients may reflect on them and influence their patients' satisfaction.
Cultural discord among doctors can lead to costly turnover. Culture conflict ranked in the top five reasons for turnover among doctors in the most recent retention survey by the American Medical Group Association and Cejka Search. Hospitals lose revenue when doctors depart.
The shift is taking place relatively quickly, and may accelerate even more with the mandates of the Affordable Care Act, as more physicians are saddled with non-medical responsibilities.
Twenty percent of U.S. doctors worked for a hospital in 2012, according to the American Medical Association. That figure rises to 26% if you include doctors in a medical practice partly owned by a hospital. Six years earlier, 16% of doctors were hospital employees..
The growth in direct hospital employment of physicians has accelerated for a variety of reasons, including new payment models offered by public and private insurers that bundle payments for hospitals and doctors for entire episodes of care or establish financial incentives for providers to coordinate care and achieve better outcomes and lower costs. These new models require closer collaboration between hospitals, physicians and other providers, and may be easier to achieve when physician practices are more closely integrated with health systems.
Although private solo or small group practices offer autonomy and control, there are disadvantages. Those who join an integrated health system, or become employed by a hospital gain administrative support and the ability to negotiate insurance contracts with more bargaining power than a small provider. However there are serious trade-offs. Physicians who sell their practice to a hospital find that hospitals receive failing grades in their prowess to run medical practices.
This is a relatively new phenomenon and hospital management may improve in the next several years. Kaiser seems to have met the challenge by forming a separate entity for a medical group which then interfaces with the hospital. The governance structure is distinctly separated. This allows the providers negotiating power and the abiity to make more decisions for themselves.
There are other issues in making this transition to a group practice. Cultural clash and generational difference can also affect the new relationship.
"Dr. Janet Chipman worked for more than a decade in a busy surgery practice she owned with three other physicians, treating patients and sharing the responsibility of running a multimillion-dollar business. She says she valued the autonomy of private practice, which was a common career path among her peers and one she sought when she finished her training.
"But nearly three years ago, Chipman and her colleagues signed an employment contract with Baptist Health, a Kentucky hospital operator that has doubled its number of employed doctors to 485 in the past three years. They felt that joining a sizable health system would boost their negotiating leverage with health insurers and make it easier to recruit surgeons into the practice. They'd also have more bargaining clout with vendors. And it would be more viable to participate in one of the new alternative payment and delivery models, such as an accountable care organization
Even so, Chipman had plenty of doubts before signing the deal. “The decision was incredibly hard for me personally,” she said. “I came from the culture of having your own practice and your independence.”
Not so for Dr. Nicole Lee. The first-year fellow in maternal and fetal health at the University of Mississippi will enter the workforce in two years. She expects to go directly into hospital employment. That's because working for a large health system likely will mean less on-call duty, allowing her to balance work and personal life. “If I have a family, they will definitely be my priority,” Lee said. “Being on call every other week is not feasible to me.”
Other factors enter decisiono making processesRegular work hours, enhanced family life
Guaranteed on call coverage
Working for a large health system likely will mean less on-call duty
Younger physicians work ethic has changed, largely bevause of new workoplace rule setting strict liits for work hours, and call schedules, caliing for controls much like the airline industry for pilots to reduce risks of error due to fatigue. When thes physicians enter the workforce they carry over this new ethic in private prctice.
Doctors moving from independent practice to employment may be more autonomous, business-savvy and likely to prioritize work over other obligations. But they also may chafe under bosses and rules. “They're used to setting the rules,” said Dr. T. Clifford Deveny, Catholic Health Initiatives' senior vice president for physician services and clinical integration. “One of the things you give up is that complete independence.”
Younger doctors may have no experience with or desire to take on demanding call schedules or leadership roles. “They're looking for lifestyle,” said Danise Cooper, manager of physician recruiting specialists for Cejka Search
Thrown together, once-independent physicians and younger doctors may clash over how to share the
workload and rotation duties. In addition, physicians may differ in how they respond to their employer's invitation to participate in quality improvement or strategic efforts. And since physicians may treat one another's patients, some doctors may worry about how their colleagues' work ethic and attitudes and accessibility to patients may reflect on them and influence their patients' satisfaction.
Cultural discord among doctors can lead to costly turnover. Culture conflict ranked in the top five reasons for turnover among doctors in the most recent retention survey by the American Medical Group Association and Cejka Search. Hospitals lose revenue when doctors depart.
The shift is taking place relatively quickly, and may accelerate even more with the mandates of the Affordable Care Act, as more physicians are saddled with non-medical responsibilities.
Twenty percent of U.S. doctors worked for a hospital in 2012, according to the American Medical Association. That figure rises to 26% if you include doctors in a medical practice partly owned by a hospital. Six years earlier, 16% of doctors were hospital employees..
The growth in direct hospital employment of physicians has accelerated for a variety of reasons, including new payment models offered by public and private insurers that bundle payments for hospitals and doctors for entire episodes of care or establish financial incentives for providers to coordinate care and achieve better outcomes and lower costs. These new models require closer collaboration between hospitals, physicians and other providers, and may be easier to achieve when physician practices are more closely integrated with health systems.
Is Obamacare Unraveling?
By ROBERT LASZEWSKI
Rumors have been circulating in the marketplace all week that the administration was thinking of extending the individual health insurance policies that Obamacare was supposed to have cancelled for as much as three more years.
Those rumors have now come out into the open with Tom Murphy’s AP story on Friday.
He and I agree, and his statement is not a question, rather a rhetorical statement. It does not take a rocket scientist to analyze what has happened in a very short time. The initial HBE rollout was and remains a fiasco, which will set the plan back several years. Yes it is possible to enroll if you don't work and can afford to spend over one hour on hold, and/or navigate the HBE websites. I can only speak to Covered California's health benefit 'Marketplace'. They should have called it "The Shopping Maul'. Surely you will feel mauled by the process. It is a cross between the last day of shopping before Christmas, and 'Black Friday'
The deadlines were foolish for an unproven system. It was only tested at its launch. Fail Whale there.
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
FEDERAL HEALTH BENEFIT EXCHANGES: COVERED CALIFORNIA, BREAKING NEWS
Exchange enrollments at 3.3 million, big jump in January
By Paul Demko
Posted: February 12, 2014 - 5:15 pm ET
(Story updated at 6:15 p.m. ET)
Nearly 3.3 million individuals signed up for private insurance plans through the state and federal exchanges during the first four months of the open enrollment period, HHS reported Wednesday. The total represents significant growth in January, but is still less than halfway toward the goal of 7 million enrollments by March 31.
State exchanges enrolled 1.4 million individuals through the end of January, while 1.9 million individuals signed up through the federal exchange, according to figures released by the CMS on Wednesday. The federal exchange, in particular, showed momentum in January: Nearly 40% of total enrollments through the federal HealthCare.gov website occurred last month.
It's very, very encouraging news,” HHS Secreatary Kathleen Sebelius said on a call with reporters Wednesday.
However the total numbers only show a small part of the enrollment issues. Demographics vary widely from state to state in terms of age, health, and gender.
“We're seeing a growing population of Americans who are young, healthy and well covered, and these younger Americans are signing up in greater proportions,” Sebelius said.
A significant number of new enrollees are from those who had pre-existing policies cancelled at the end of 2013.
Catastrophic Options
Hardship Exemptions (Qualifications)
However, in some states exchange customers continue to skew significantly older. In Ohio and Wisconsin, for example, only 21% of enrollees were between the ages of 18 and 34.
A gender discrepancy is also emerging, with women representing 55% of those seeking coverage. In some states, the gender imbalance is even more pronounced. Women account for 60% of signups in Oregon and 62% of exchange customers in Mississippi.
A significant number of new enrollees are from those who had pre-existing policies cancelled at the end of 2013.
Catastrophic Options
Hardship Exemptions (Qualifications)
However, in some states exchange customers continue to skew significantly older. In Ohio and Wisconsin, for example, only 21% of enrollees were between the ages of 18 and 34.
A gender discrepancy is also emerging, with women representing 55% of those seeking coverage. In some states, the gender imbalance is even more pronounced. Women account for 60% of signups in Oregon and 62% of exchange customers in Mississippi.
HHS also issued data for the first time on the type of plans being purchased on the exchanges. More than 60% of state and federal exchange customers opted for silver plans, which are designed to cover 70% of medical costs
Last week, the Congressional Budget Office reduced its estimate for how many people will sign up for coverage in 2014 from 7 million to 6 million, due in part to the rocky rollout of the federal exchange and continued problems with some state marketplaces.
There is still no data available on how many individuals have actually made their first premium payment. Even after enrollment and premium payment it remains to be seen how many will find a suitable provider. Magnifying this issue in California is massive errors in the provider directory listing providers who will not accept Covered California.
A massive deception has been built into Covered California. Policies called Blue Shield PPO (Silver Plan) are not ordinary Blue Shield PPO plans. Not only that but there is a difference between group PPO plans and Individual Family Plans (IFP).
I contacted a wel established medical group (Inland Empire) (120 providers) to inquire about their providers enrolled in Covered California. I was told tthey accept the group Blue Shield PPO, but NOT the IFP.
This will come as a great shock to those enrolled in many Covered California plans.
Precautionary note: Check with your chosen provider to ascertain if they accept your specific plan under Covered California. Covered Callifornia is a general term and means very little. Be certain to find if the specific plan that was signed up for is truly available.
Many patients will present to the doctor's office and find they do not have a provider.
Important News: Covered California is updating it's Provider Directory. Check with your chosen provider to corroborate their participation. Urgent Care Centers are also specific to a planBe certain your chosen provider is aa member of the medical staff of your chosen hospital.
Important News: Covered California is updating it's Provider Directory. Check with your chosen provider to corroborate their participation. Urgent Care Centers are also specific to a planBe certain your chosen provider is aa member of the medical staff of your chosen hospital.
The Health Benefit Exchanges say that enrollment can be changed until March 31.2014.
Note: This article will be updated weekly.
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Affordable Care Act..Obama admits "THERE MAY BE STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS.
...Hinges No Longer Squeak, They Are off the Doors.... California today announced the expansion of customer service agents for COVERED CALIFORNIA.
CoveredCA is hiring an additional 350 telephone agents to meet the continuing demand to enroll for Covered California. The California Medical Association also reported; Health Reform and Covered California News
The Treasury Department on Monday rolled out more tweaks to the health-care law's requirement that all large employers--those with 50 or more workers--provide insurance coverage to their workers. This is the part of Obamacare was supposed to take effect at the start of 2014, but was delayed by the White House this past summer as the White House was facing significant push back from employers.
Covered California is hiring more workers to fix service problems
California's health insurance exchange is racing to fix persistent service problems before it faces another surge of Obamacare applicants eager to beat a March enrollment deadline. The state is drawing on a $155-million federal grant it received last month to improve service ahead of the March 31 sign-up deadline under the Affordable Care Act. The Obama administration is counting on California to deliver another big wave of enrollment to compensate for a shaky rollout nationwide.
350 workers added to Covered California call lines
Hundreds of customer service representatives will be added to Covered California’s phone lines, to help cut wait times and to enroll more state residents into health care plans before a March deadline, state officials announced Monday
California health exchange pulls doctor directory again
California's health insurance exchange pulled its online doctor directory again after some physicians were wrongly listed as accepting patients' coverage plans, spurring a blame game between insurers and providers. A major error was made in the provider directorty for private insurers Covered California published the incorrect list of providers. Many have not signed up to be providers under California law. Covered California requires a different set of rules including unique reimbursement rates. Many providers do not even know they are llisted, and when they present themselves to the MDs office they will find the doctor' office unable to accept them.
For 3 million, 'affordable' health care might not be
The lure used to get uninsured Americans to sign up for health law coverage was the promise of generous premium subsidies.The promise comes with a catch for almost 3 million people earning three to four times the federal poverty rate: They may have to pay up to 9.5% of their income toward that premium before the government subsidy kicks in. That could take a substantial bite from their budgets — potentially as much as $600 a month for a family of three earning $58,590 to $78,120. As a result, some middle-class families may decide health insurance is beyond their reach and pay a penalty rather than buy coverage.
CoveredCA is hiring an additional 350 telephone agents to meet the continuing demand to enroll for Covered California. The California Medical Association also reported; Health Reform and Covered California News
The Treasury Department on Monday rolled out more tweaks to the health-care law's requirement that all large employers--those with 50 or more workers--provide insurance coverage to their workers. This is the part of Obamacare was supposed to take effect at the start of 2014, but was delayed by the White House this past summer as the White House was facing significant push back from employers.
Covered California is hiring more workers to fix service problems
California's health insurance exchange is racing to fix persistent service problems before it faces another surge of Obamacare applicants eager to beat a March enrollment deadline. The state is drawing on a $155-million federal grant it received last month to improve service ahead of the March 31 sign-up deadline under the Affordable Care Act. The Obama administration is counting on California to deliver another big wave of enrollment to compensate for a shaky rollout nationwide.
350 workers added to Covered California call lines
Hundreds of customer service representatives will be added to Covered California’s phone lines, to help cut wait times and to enroll more state residents into health care plans before a March deadline, state officials announced Monday
California health exchange pulls doctor directory again
California's health insurance exchange pulled its online doctor directory again after some physicians were wrongly listed as accepting patients' coverage plans, spurring a blame game between insurers and providers. A major error was made in the provider directorty for private insurers Covered California published the incorrect list of providers. Many have not signed up to be providers under California law. Covered California requires a different set of rules including unique reimbursement rates. Many providers do not even know they are llisted, and when they present themselves to the MDs office they will find the doctor' office unable to accept them.
For 3 million, 'affordable' health care might not be
The lure used to get uninsured Americans to sign up for health law coverage was the promise of generous premium subsidies.The promise comes with a catch for almost 3 million people earning three to four times the federal poverty rate: They may have to pay up to 9.5% of their income toward that premium before the government subsidy kicks in. That could take a substantial bite from their budgets — potentially as much as $600 a month for a family of three earning $58,590 to $78,120. As a result, some middle-class families may decide health insurance is beyond their reach and pay a penalty rather than buy coverage.
Monday, February 10, 2014
Faith based and Charitable Funding as An Alternative Solution
Have charitable organizations....faith based religious, and other non-profits furnish health care financing...Keep your health care away from government
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