Viewing entries tagged with 'Health Plans'
ICYMI: AHIP Statement on AMA "Report Card"
Posted by The Campaign on June 14, 2010 at 1:54 PM
Statement from AHIP Press Secretary Robert Zirkelbach on the AMA report card:
"Health plans and providers share the responsibility of making the innovations and investments needed to improve efficiency in our health care system. A recent AHIP survey found that nearly one-fifth of all provider claims are not submitted to health plans electronically, and more than 1 in 5 claims are submitted by providers at least 30 days after the delivery of care.
"Health plans are investing in cutting-edge technologies to make it easier for providers to submit claims electronically and receive payment quickly. For example, health plans are working with providers in New Jersey and Ohio to implement portals that would simplify administrative processes and enable doctors in these states to spend more time with their patients.
"Government data show that soaring medical costs - not health plan administrative costs - are the key drivers of rising health care costs. In fact, the percentage of premiums going toward health plans' administrative costs has declined for six straight years."
Of Note:
According to AHIP's most recent health care claims receipt and processing time survey:
- Nearly one-fifth of all provider claims are not submitted to health plans electronically.
- There is often a notable lag before health insurance plans receive claims from health care providers. In 2009, 22 percent of claims were received from health care providers more than 30 days after the date of patient service, and 12 percent of claims were received more than 60 days after the date of service.
- Health insurance plans processed nearly 99 percent of "clean" claims within 60 days, and 97 percent within 30days.
- In 2009, approximately 75 percent of claims were adjudicated automatically -- that is, using automated verification and validation processes that do not require manual intervention -- up from 68 percent in 2006 and 37 percent in 2002.
According to AHIP's survey on out-of-network charges:
- "Some out‐of‐network providers are charging exorbitant prices - several hundred or even over a thousand percent of the Medicare reimbursement for the same service in the same area. Recent examples: $4,500 for an office visit when Medicare would have paid $134; $14,400 for removal of a gallbladder when Medicare would have paid $656; and $40,000 for a total hip replacement when Medicare would have paid $1,558."
POLL VAULT: New Deloitte Survey -- Majority Think New Reform Law Will Lead to Higher Medical Prices and Higher Taxes
Posted by The Campaign on June 11, 2010 at 7:42 AM
With reform now the law of the land more and more surveys are being released about people's expectations of the impact of the new law on the health care system and on their personal health care. The latest survey comes from The Deloitte Center for Health Solutions (DCHS), part of Deloitte LLP, in which they survey 1,019 adults aged 18 and older.
The results are very interesting with questions ranging from impact of the reform law on access and costs, to the effectiveness of certain provisions to people's view of their own insurance coverage.
Here are some key highlights from the survey:
43% of all adults surveyed think they will be "worse off" under the new law vs. 36% that think they will be better off
- Among those with employer-provided coverage, 46% think they will be worse off
76% think the cost of the reform bill will be higher than expected
- Among those with employer-provided coverage, 82% think the cost of the reform bill will be higher than expected
53% DISAGREE with the statement "The reform will reduce health care costs in the long term"
- 66% think that hospitals and physicians will increase prices
- 54% think the price of medication will increase as a result of the new law
- Only 30% think cuts in the rate of growth of Medicare costs will be effective
76% think taxes will increase
- 78% of people with employer-provided coverage think taxes will increase
- 80% of individually insured adults think taxes will increase
One stat probably won't hear but it is really telling: "Of the 82 percent of consumers surveyed who consider themselves 'well' or 'adequately' insured, 96 percent are 'very satisfied' or 'satisfied' with their insurance company's performance in serving their needs."
FACT CHECK Redux: Polls Show American People Satisfied With Their Health Plan
Posted by The Campaign on January 27, 2010 at 2:50 PM
Much of the focus of recent polling has been on specific reform proposals. However, a number of surveys conducted throughout 2009 showed a common thread -- people's satisfaction with their own health insurance or health coverage.
We have included a number of these findings below:
CNN/Opinion Research:
- 74% of people are satisfied with their personal health insurance coverage.
- 83% of people are satisfied with their own health care.
Employee Benefits Research Institute:
- Fifty-eight percent of those with health insurance coverage are extremely or very satisfied with their current plan, and approximately one-third (30 percent) are somewhat satisfied.
Fox News/Opinion Dynamics:
- 84% of people surveyed said the quality of their personal health insurance was either excellent or good.
- 83% of people surveyed said the quality of care they receive is either excellent or good.
Quinnipiac University:
- 85% of Americans are very or somewhat satisfied with their own health insurance plan.
The University of Texas/Zogby International:
- 84% of people are satisfied with their health care.
The Washington Post:
- 81% of people are satisfied with their health insurance coverage.
- 88% of people are satisfied with the quality of care they receive.
The New York Times:
- 77% of people are satisfied with the quality of their own care.
- 77% of people said that basic medical care covered by their health insurance plan is affordable.
Democracy Corps:
- 72% of people are satisfied with their own health insurance coverage vs. 75% in 1993 - not a significant change.
- 76% of self-identified independents are satisfied with their coverage as are 72% of Democrats and 78% of Republicans.
Gallup:
- "Among all Americans, 83% say the quality of healthcare they receive is either ‘excellent' or ‘good.' Only 16% say it's either ‘only fair' or ‘poor.'"
- "Americans are only a bit less positive about their own healthcare coverage, with 67% describing the coverage they now have as excellent or good."
- Gallup's conclusion: "At the same time, [Americans surveyed] are pleased with the quality of medical treatment in the country, and are mostly satisfied with their own healthcare quality, coverage, and costs."
CNN/Opinion Research Poll:
- In March 2009, 73% of Americans were satisfied with their own health insurance coverage. NOTE: In November 2007, the satisfaction rating was 69%.
Employee Benefits Research Institute:
- 93% of people enrolled in a traditional health care plan were satisfied with the quality of coverage they received through their health plan (including 31% extremely satisfied).
- 93% of people enrolled in a traditional health care plan were satisfied with their plan.
- 86% of people enrolled in a traditional health care plan were likely to stay with their current plan.
POLL VAULT: New Pew Poll Shows Americans Trust Health Plans More than Government
Posted by The Campaign on January 14, 2010 at 10:40 AM
Pew Research Center released its latest poll today, and there was an extensive section on health care and health care reform. One of the questions posed was "Who do you trust more when it comes to deciding what kinds of medical procedures should be covered by health insurance?"
Here are the results from that question:
“More Americans trust private insurance companies rather than the government to make decisions about what kinds of medical procedures should be covered by health insurance. A 45% plurality is more confident in insurance companies, 31% are more confident in the government, with 16% volunteering that they do not trust either.” (p. 16)
NOTE: This is a net positive of 8% of people trusting private insurance companies more than the government with respect to decisions over medical procedure coverage decisions from July 2009. (p.48)
“Among the 54% of Americans who say they have insurance through a private insurance company, more trust private insurers (45%) than the government (29%). Among the 24% who say their main source of insurance is a government program, 47% trust private insurers more, while 27% trust the government more.” (p. 17)
Click here for the full results.
