Mar 30, 2012 | Laboratory Pathology
Now in its fifth year, Indiana’s CDHP now covers 90% of eligible state employees
Many pathologists and clinical laboratory managers are carefully watching for evidence that new healthcare delivery models can deliver improved patient outcomes at a lower cost. Now comes evidence that a consumer-directed health plan (CDHP) for Indiana state employees—that incentivizes consumers to manage their healthcare dollars more carefully—is saving money for both employees and the state.
According to a story in the Centre Daily Times (CDT), state officials in Indiana claim that the state’s CDHP has reduced the state’s overall health benefit costs and met with high subscriber satisfaction.
Governor Mitch Daniels and other Indiana officials claim that, since introducing the CDHP in 2006, the Hoosier state’s overall health benefit costs are down by more than 10%, with only 2% of subscribers switching back to a traditional plan, the CDT reporter wrote.
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Dec 24, 2010 | Laboratory Management and Operations, Laboratory News, Laboratory Pathology
New White Papers Just Added
There is a new resource library for clinical laboratory managers and pathologists that contains White Papers on contemporary topics involving clinical laboratory management, pathology administration, and the medical laboratory testing marketplace. This White Paper library is hosted at www.DarkDaily.com/white-papers and is a useful new information resource for the clinical laboratory profession.
The White Paper resource library is another example of how the Internet and Web 2.0 creates new educational opportunities for medical laboratory professionals and pathologists. The White Papers on clinical laboratory and pathology topics can be accessed 24/7 from anywhere in the world. Each White Paper can be downloaded immediately as a PDF.
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Jun 17, 2009 | Laboratory News, Laboratory Pathology
Clinical laboratories can provide that missing education about CDHPs to patients
Even as enrollment in Consumer-Directed Health Plans (CDHPs) and Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) climbs steadily year after year, a new study reveals that most physicians are unprepared to help their patients understand and better use these forms of health insurance. This is a barrier to CDHP acceptance and an opportunity for clinical laboratories.
CDHPs—and their close cousins, HDHPs (high-deductible health plans_—are designed to shift more responsibility for healthcare decisions to patients. Many physicians, however, are unprepared to advise patients enrolled in CDHPs about cost-effective treatment options. This is the finding of a 2008 survey of 525 randomly selected doctors published in the American Journal of Managed Care . Nearly half, 43%, of doctors responding to the survey admitted knowing “a little” or “not at all” about CDHPs or HSAs. At least 33% of surveyed physicians said they are “somewhat” knowledgeable. Only 24% of physicians surveyed claimed “much” or “a great deal” of knowledge about CDHPs.
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Mar 30, 2009 | Laboratory News, Laboratory Pathology
Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) recently launched Project SwipeIT. This is an ambitious project to motivate the entire healthcare industry to adopt an electronic patient ID system by the end of 2009! The initiative asks insurers, providers, vendors and professional groups to commit to the deadline, as outlined by the Project SwipeIt portal on MGMA’s Website.
MGMA, a trade association of medical practice management professionals, estimates a nationwide electronic patient ID system could save providers $1 billion annually in unnecessary administrative costs and denied claims. Pathologists and laboratory administrators know that adoption of electronic patient ID would be a great benefit for clinical laboratories and pathology group practices.
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Jul 11, 2007 | Laboratory News, News From Dark Daily
Remember Steve Case, the founder of AOL? He’s back and wants to again redefine the Internet by launching a new healthcare website—RevolutionHealth.com. Case is wagering that consumers will willing pay almost $100 per year to subscribe to premium services such as digital medical record (DMR) storage, help with insurance claims, and telephone services designed to provide health coaching and doctor matching.
Case’s main competitor, WebMDU seems to be reacting to the new competition. Recently it revamped its site and converted many of its fee-based services into free services for its visitors. WebMD has created a new service on its Web site: storage and maintenance of health records, which it will offer to consumers for free. WebMD is profitable primarily because of its advertising revenue—tapping into the huge advertising budget of pharmaceutical companies—rather than making money from subscription fees paid by consumers using its Web site and services.
Case predicts RevolutionHealth.com will be profitable because of the growing push towards consumer-driven health plans (CDHPs). Dark Daily has noted before that people are becoming increasingly interested in their own healthcare, researching their conditions and physicians online and elsewhere.
RevolutionHealth.com will entice people to try paid services by offering a free trial. Users who sign up for RevolutionHealth.com in the site’s first 90 days will get free telephone consulting and free digital record services for one year. That promotion is going on right now, so sign up for a free account and try it out if you’re intrigued!
It is questionable whether RevolutionHealth.com can become profitable in an age where people can easily access many Web-based services free-of-charge. The company may have to adjust its model in the long-term and rely more on advertising, as its competitors already do.
Clinical laboratories and pathology group practices are likely to benefit from all the promotion and consumer education that will accompany the launch of RevolutionHealth.com. Steve Case will be spending liberally to attract consumer attention to his new e-business. He needs for consumers to find it easy to access healthcare information and services using the Internet. As more consumers grow comfortable going to the Web for these purposes, they will begin to look around for the Web sites of their physician and their laboratory. That is why enterprising laboratories may want to enhance their Web sites to provide highly personalized consumer information.
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