Viewing entries tagged with 'admin simp'
BREAKING NEWS: Health plans collaborate to streamline health insurance paperwork in New Jersey
Posted by The Campaign on February 11, 2010 at 4:50 AM
The New York Times today reports on the announcement by health plans in New Jersey to launch a pilot program to “offer doctors and hospitals the ability to use a single Web portal to check a patient’s coverage and track claims”. A few excerpts are below:
• “As part of the discussion last year over how best to overhaul the nation’s health care system, the insurance industry promised to do its part by tackling the burdensome paperwork involved in paying medical claims. Despite the health care legislation’s impasse in Congress, the insurers say they still plan to make good on their promise.”
• “The effort is aimed at one of the most vexing problems in the nation’s insurance system: hospitals and doctors spend enormous amounts of time and money trying to determine whether a patient has coverage or why a claim was denied. Tens of billions of dollars each year are said to be wasted because of such administrative inefficiency.”
• “’The pilots are a great example of the industry’s commitment to voluntarily make progress eliminating the administrative hassles that physicians face,’ said Ronald Williams, the chief executive of Aetna.”
• “The promise to produce significant savings through streamlining paperwork was made as part of the industry’s discussions in June with the White House. But the pilot project effort has taken place parallel to the general discussions over the health care legislation, said Karen Ignagni, the president of America’s Health Insurance Plans. The move by the insurers to develop standards and systems to make it easier for doctors to determine a patient’s coverage and get paid will continue regardless of the status of any federal legislation, she said.”
• “’We wanted to make sure we were taking a leap,’ said Ms. Ignagni, who said the two state projects were a way for the insurers to test different Web systems and see what technology worked best for the hospitals and doctors before eventually beginning other efforts.”
For the full article, click here.
ICYMI: Youngstown Business Journal Daily -- Health Plans Collaborate to Cut Costs
Posted by The Campaign on October 07, 2009 at 7:37 PM
Health Plans Collaborate to Cut Costs
Oct. 6, 2009 5:56 a.m.
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Eight major health plans have launched a collaborative initiative intended to simplify information flow between health plans and doctors’ offices, and later between health plans and hospitals, officials said.
For the full story click here.
ICYMI: Making It Easier for Doctors To Spend More Time with Patients
Posted by The Campaign on October 05, 2009 at 8:16 PM
Making It Easier for Doctors to Spend More Time With Patients
“Mark Jarvis, senior director of practice economics at the Ohio State Medical Association, said the new system will provide ‘transparency and clarity and the physician and practice staff will have more time with patients.’” Full story here.
-- Cleveland Plain Dealer, Eight Ohio insurance companies plan to simplify billing for doctors, consumers, 10/05/09
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“‘We applaud the efforts of health plans and providers to continue to work together to reduce administrative expenses in an effective manner, slowing the growth of health-care costs, which could ultimate make health-care coverage more affordable for Ohioans,’ [Ohio Insurance Department Director Mary Jo] Hudson said in a release.” Full story here.
-- Columbus Business First, Web site in works to save docs, insurers time, money, 10/05/09
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“‘Initiatives that streamline health care administration, such as this effort, have great potential to slow the growth of the cost of care and contribute to savings nationally,’ said Karen Ignagni, president and CEO of America's Health Insurance Plans.” Full story here.
-- Associated Press, Paperwork angst drives Ohio doctor, insurer effort, 10/05/09
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“The program, which allows access to such information on 91 percent of the state’s residents with insurance coverage, is a model for a national system that once implemented would help ‘bend the curve’ in growing health care spending, said Karen Ignagni, president of America’s Health Insurance Plans.” Full story here.
-- CQ, Insurers See ‘Curve-Bending’ Savings From Paperwork Changes, 10/05/09
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“‘This landmark initiative in Ohio demonstrates the commitment of health plans to simplify healthcare and the potential that exists to achieve savings through efficiencies in what we used to call “paperwork,”’ said AHIP President and CEO Karen Ignagni in a written statement.”
-- ModernHealthCare, Insurers announce initiative to ease paperwork, 10/05/09
