Telemedicine Will Become Default, With More Virtual Treatments, Expert says
What’s next for virtual care? And what about the blossoming trend of virtual-first hybrid care?
Sean Mehra, a telehealth specialist, predicts the next 10 years of virtual care – and explains why the trend of virtual-first is the way to go, in the view of many.
The COVID-19 public health emergency may be coming to an end in May. The boost the pandemic gave telemedicine into the mainstream cannot be understated.
But what’s next for virtual care? And what about the blossoming trend of virtual-first hybrid care?Mehra discusses whether virtual-first is the way to go, what the impending end of the public health emergency means for virtual care, how patients implementing technology into their healthcare routines can help and where telehealth will be in five and 10 years.
Dive deeper here at Healthcare IT News
MEDICARE
Sponsored by AGA
Medicare Advantage Enrollees Vulnerable to Financial Challenges
Research reveals the financial discrepancies between Medicare Advantage (MA) and Medicare Supplement beneficiaries.
- An eHealth report surveyed over 3,800 Medicare enrollees and found Medicare Advantage members more financially vulnerable than those with Medicare Supplement.
- Nearly three in four Medicare Advantage members live on less than $50,000 per year, while 52% say they cannot afford any monthly premiums.
- While both MA and Medicare Supplement enrollees are largely satisfied with their coverage, to the tune of 89% and 87%, respectively, MA beneficiaries are more vulnerable to higher premiums and other costs.
GROUP BENEFITS
Sponsored by Word&Brown
Significant non-compliance penalties are no joke!
Annual 2023 Employer Compliance Responsibilities
By Paul Roberts
Each year brings annual compliance responsibilities to employers regarding their health plans, federal Affordable Care Act (ACA) compliance, and COBRA responsibilities. It’s important for employers to be aware of — and adhere to — these responsibilities, supported by their health insurance brokers. An overlooked compliance item can result in significant non-compliance penalties in the federal ACA and COBRA spaces.
Six Experts Weigh In on Large Group Trends
INDUSTRY MOVERS SHARE INSIGHTS
California Broker Asks:
What are the most effective ways to sell to large groups in California right now? Are there particular benefits or other aspects that brokers are honing in on?
Health insurance brokers should ensure they are providing
both strategies and solutions for their large clients. Brokers are evaluating market trends and plan-utilization behavior to ensure products and plan offerings align with the needs of their clients — and their employees.
Dena Allchin,
Director of Large Group Sales,
Word & Brown General Agency
List of the six experts:
TAMI ADAMS, VP Key Accounts, Southern Call. Sales and Account Management, UnitedHealthcare
DENA ALLCHIN, Director of Large Group Sales, Word & Brown General Agency
MISTY BAKER, Director of Compliance and Government Affairs, BenefitMall
CINDY JONES, SVP, Benefits Consulting department head, Dickerson Insurance Services
BRIAN SULLIVAN, Market director for Southern California, BenefitMall
LOU M. ZINZI, Head of Client Management, Group Benefits, Guardian Life Insurance Co. of America
Two Out of Three Patients Have Never Disputed a Medical Bill
Patients don’t usually contend medical bills, but when they do, their chances of getting charges removed or reduced are high, according to a YouGov survey commissioned by revenue cycle firm AKASA.
To learn how often patients challenge medical bills, AKASA sponsored the survey of 2,026 adults, including those with employer-sponsored high-deductible health plans.
- Almost two-thirds of respondents (64%) said they have never disputed the accuracy or validity of a bill, which was the case for 78% of uninsured individuals.
- While 78% of respondents reported getting charges reduced or removed when they did contest a bill, it sometimes took more than six months for it to be.
COMMISSION COACH
Sponsored by Commission Solutions
Best Practice Successor Guidelines: Commission Protection
A Successor has a responsibility to back you up when you need it most, in any life event. They need to agree in writing to pay you or your loved ones for the amounts outlined in the Successor agreement you reach. Your Successor should be able to step into your shoes at any time, protect your commissions based on the terms you define, and your Successor agrees to perform. All agreements need to include a purchase agreement which stands the test of time and addresses how you or your beneficiary gets paid.
TECHNOLOGY
Recent CMS and CDC Rulings Offer Hope for Digital and Virtual Care
Digital health companies are taking heart in a recent CMS decision to create a unique reimbursement code for AppliedVR and a CDC announcement that video-based directly observed therapy (DOT) for medical management is equal in effectiveness to in-person treatment. The CDC determined that the DOT virtual platform could be used as an equivalent to in-person medication monitoring for tuberculosis treatment.
These actions may open the door for more health systems to embrace innovative new treatments, as long as they’re supported by payers.
As healthcare executives and digital health companies converged on Nashville this week for ViVE 2023, the prospects for new tools like digital therapeutics and virtual technology seem to be improving.
FEEL GOOD NEWS
4 strategies to be a less-stressed leader
Stress is endemic in today’s health care workforce, but the good news is that leaders have much more control over their stress levels at work than they might think. The most effective leaders take steps to proactively keep their own stress in check—while modeling healthy habits for their teams.
Use this infographic to review effective stress management strategies that can help you become a less-stressed leader.
FEATURED EVENT:
LAAHU’S ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM is one of the largest in the state. attracting well over 500 attendees.
Professionals working in the Southern California health insurance sector have access to the best networking and educational opportunities.
Come to connect with others and gain knowledge from renowned speakers.
REGISTRATION NOW OPEN :
LAAHU 2023 Annual Symposium –
Pasadena Convention Center. April 25, 7am to 5pm PST
Info: 800-676-1628. Register here.
PRICES GO UP $20.00 AFTER MARCH 31ST
INDUSTRY CALENDAR
- March 31, 10:30 am PST, White Wing Insurance National Meeting to announce a new partnership with UnBlinded Co-Founder Sean Callgay
- Learn more here: https://www.whitewinginsurance.com/unblinded Register.
- April 6, 11:30 – 1:30 pm PST on Zoom, WIFS How To Get Inspired About Financial Literacy, Virtual By Zoom. Guest Speaker: Alanah Phillips. No charge. Registration Required
- April 10, 9:30 am PST, CAHIP Orange County 26th Annual Charity Golf Classic. Contact CAHIP-OC at (714) 441-8951, ext. 3 or at orangecountyahu@yahoo.com.
- April 19, LPRT Masterclass, www.nabip.org
- April 25, LAAHU 2023 Annual Symposium, 25, 7 am to 5 pm PST, Pasadena Convention Center. April Info: 800-676-1628. Register
CONFERENCES
- April 10-12, MedicareCon, Las Vegas, NV. Register
- April 11-14, Virtual Fourth National Medicare Advantage Summit by Global Health Care, Virtual/Online Live Video; Media Partners: Harvard Health Policy Review, Health Affairs and Inside Health Policy.
Contact: (800) 503-0078. Registration@hcconferences.com. Register - May 8-10, CAHIP Capitol Summit Sacramento. Register
- May 18, CAHIP Desert Cities Health Care Summit, Palm Valley Country Club Palm Desert, CA. Register
- June 5-7, Q4LIVE, San Diego, CA. Register
