From the editor
Dear Healthcare Intelligence Network Client, 
The United States spends more money on healthcare than other developed countries, and yet their outcomes are worse, according to a new study from Johns Hopkins.
But political infighting is preventing the country from achieving ways to deliver care more effectively and efficiently.
The study, published in JAMA, attempts to dispel several common misconceptions informing the current healthcare debate. Among them: that the aging of the population and the large numbers of tests and treatments being prescribed have been primarily responsible for escalating healthcare costs. Researchers assert that the prices of drugs, medical devices and hospital costs have driven up the costs of healthcare in this country over the last decade, and that it's not the elderly that are ratcheting up healthcare costs, but those under 65 with chronic conditions.
What is needed to fix the system? An investment in primary care doctors, and a unified government, among other things.
Policymakers can start coming together on the latest news from the White House: insurers can extend current insurance plans that would otherwise be canceled into 2014, and Americans whose plans have been canceled can choose to re-enroll in the same kind of plan.
In the past few weeks, some Americans have been notified by their health insurance companies that plans they bought on the old individual insurance market were being cancelled, often because these plans no longer met the ACA's requirement to cover basic benefits like prescription drugs or doctors' visits. These people now have an additional year of coverage.
Some news that no one can debate: 106,185 Americans selected health plans in the first reporting period of open enrollment (October 1st through November 2nd); 975,407 customers made it through the process but have not yet selected a plan; and an additional 396,261 customers were determined eligible for Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). These results, from an issue brief from HHS, show that the level of interest is strong, and that enrollment should grow substantially throughout the next five months.
In other news: diabetic patients treated in the ED who were enrolled in a program sending daily automatic text messages improved their level of control over their diabetes and their medication adherence, according to a study from the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.
The text messaging program, called TExT-MED, is low cost and widely available for those patients who have no other source of medical care. Details inside.
Today is the last day to take our Healthcare Trends in 2014 survey. From an early surge in Medicare accountable care collaborations to the rocky introduction of ACA-mandated health insurance exchanges during a government shutdown, healthcare in 2013 has been nothing short of unpredictable. Please tell us about the last 12 months and how your organization is preparing for 2014 and you'll receive a free executive summary of the compiled results, and your responses will be kept strictly confidential.
Your colleague in the business of healthcare,
Cheryl Miller
Editor, Healthcare Business Weekly Update Contact HIN:
www.hin.com
(888) 446-3530
(732) 449-4468
Fax: (732) 449-4463
[email protected] This week's featured download: >>Return to top |
November 18, 2013
Vol. XV, No. 43
Sponsored by:
Institute for HealthCare Consumerism's IHC FORUM
The Institute for HealthCare Consumerism's IHC FORUM is the only national event focused 100 percent on innovative health and benefits management, bringing to life IHC's collaborative online community and informative publications. Through workshops, general sessions and networking opportunities, attendees obtain insights from key policy makers, legal experts, thought leaders and peers. The IHC FORUM allows employers, brokers, consultants and health plan administrators to LEARN, CONNECT, SHARE to arrive at actionable, cost-saving strategies for their businesses.
This week's industry news:
- United States Has Higher Medical Costs, Worse Outcomes Than Other Developed Countries
- Healthcare Trends & Forecasts in 2014
- The Doctor Will Text You Now: Post-ER Follow-Up That Works
- 2013 Healthcare Benchmarks: Mobile Health
- Healthcare Business White Paper: Home Visits in 2013
- BCBSM-Munson Contract Embraces Value-Based Reimbursement Approach
- New Chart: Reimbursement Models Used by ACOs
- 2012 Benchmarks in Patient Registry Use for Accountable Care
- New CMS Data Sharing Tool Provides Remote Access to Medicare Data
- Guide to Physician Performance-Based Reimbursement
- 7 Ways for Case Managers to Engage Members Telephonically
- Telephonic Case Management Protocols to Engage Vulnerable Populations
- Infographic: Most Expensive Healthcare Technology
- Medical Home Neighborhoods
Join our Online Communities:
You'll be emailed a synopsis of the survey results.
This week's industry news
3.) The Doctor Will Text You Now: Post-ER Follow-Up That Works Diabetic patients treated in the emergency department who were enrolled in a program sending daily automatic text messages improved their level of control over their diabetes and their medication adherence, according to a study from the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. Get the full story.
4.) 2013 Healthcare Benchmarks: Mobile Health  This resource delivers a snapshot of mobile health (mHealth) trends, including current and planned mHealth initiatives, types and purpose of mHealth interventions, targeted populations and health conditions, and challenges, impact and results from mHealth efforts. Learn more about this resource.
5.) Healthcare Business White Paper: Home Visits in 2013 - House Calls Foster Medication Adherence, Patient Satisfaction As a result of home visit programs, patient satisfaction increased for 87 percent of organizations and medication adherence has increased for 81 percent, according to new metrics from the Healthcare Intelligence Network. Almost 80 percent of respondents to HIN's Home Visits e-survey conducted in August 2013 visit some percentage of their patients or health plan members in their homes. Download this HINtelligence report for more data on home visits as reported by 155 healthcare companies, including home visit program components, results and ROI, specific responses from hospital/health systems, and successful home visit work flows, processes and tools as told by respondents in their own words. Download this complimentary white paper.
6.) BCBSM-Munson Contract Embraces Value-Based Reimbursement Approach Munson Healthcare and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM) are launching a new value-based hospital reimbursement agreement in northern Michigan designed to improve patient care and medical outcomes while also enhancing efficiency and holding down the cost of care. Get the full story.
7.) New Chart: Reimbursement Models Used by ACOs  As the number of public and private accountable care organizations nears 500, participants are fine-tuning the ACO model. In the few years since the ACO model entered healthcare's consciousness, administration has shifted from hospital-led to physician-only leadership to PHO-helmed ACOs. We wanted to see which reimbursement models are being used by ACOs.
8.) 2012 Benchmarks in Patient Registry Use for Accountable Care  This resource provides actionable data from more than 100 healthcare companies on their current and planned use of registries and the impact of registry use on healthcare quality, efficiency and cost, and demystifies registry use and provides best practices for implementation from Crystal Run Healthcare, a 200-physician practice in Orange County, N.Y., and other healthcare organizations. Learn more about this resource.
9.) New CMS Data Sharing Tool Provides Remote Access to Medicare Data
Designed to make the healthcare system more transparent and accountable, CMS's new Virtual Research Data Center (VRDC) promises secure, timely access to data at a lower cost, according to CMS.
Get the full story.
11.) 7 Ways for Case Managers to Engage Members Telephonically Telephonic outreach by healthcare case managers helps to bridge the care divide, supporting and improving the health of vulnerable and high-risk populations, says Jay Hale, LPC, CEAP, director of quality improvement and clinical operations at Carolina Behavioral Health Alliance (CBHA). But it isn't always easy, given the lack of face-to-face contact. Here he explains how to keep members engaged. Get the full story.
12.) Telephonic Case Management Protocols to Engage Vulnerable Populations  This resource describes a suite of tools to facilitate identification, interaction, surveys, follow-up action, resource matching, and member engagement and outreach for a behavioral health population that is also a template for case management and care coordination of any organization's hard-to-reach or vulnerable members. Learn more about this resource.
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This webinar explores Steven Valentine, president, The Camden Group, and Catherine Sreckovich, managing director, healthcare, Navigant, views on how to provide a roadmap to the key issues, challenges and opportunities for healthcare providers and payors in 2014. 
This resource explores newly minted reimbursement formulas at two health plans and two independent practice associations (IPAs), providing payor and provider perspectives on the formula development process; clinical, quality and efficiency measures in use; physician incentive payments and program outcomes. 
If payment inequities can be addressed, communication and technology tools in place in large physician multispecialty groups make them ideal candidates for a medical neighborhood, suggests Terry McGeeney, MD, MBA, director of BDC Advisors. Dr. McGeeney, who spent 13 years of his practice career in a large multispecialty group, has also seen some FQHCs and managed Medicaid programs that do a good job of linking community and social supports required in medical neighborhoods.