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Calendar Aetna Seeks A Smaller Rate Hike
Regulatory Pressures May be Forcing Moderations
May 4-7 Aetna, Inc. has backed off a proposal insurers are aware of both the federal health
submitted to the California Department of reform law, and a bill in the Legislature that
8(2/>-*4/(!<++-=/(;/-4!->!'3&+/=/(4!N*-1:+A! Insurance earlier this year to raise rates on its would provide more scrutiny and require their
<!0/+=1++/-4!->!/++1)+!+1=3!(+!<8O+!(40! individual policyholders an average of 17.9%, applications be much more rigorous in terms
:(22/(;/.)!=(*)A!PABA!B)/0!(40!M(4!F-**/+-4! and instead will raise rates just 12.2%. of what they’re putting forward for rate
(*)!E)&4-;)!+:)(E)*+A!GK##JG$6KQIA Aetna twice agreed to reduce the rate increases,” said Anthony Wright, executive
82/=E!9)*)!L-*!F-*)!M4>-*@(;/-4 hike after a review by Insurance director of Health Access, a Sacramento-based
Commissioner Dave Jones, having led a advocacy organization.
request for a 15.6% increase last month but Aetna’s rate ling was made public at
since reducing it further. The new rates go into virtually the same time the Assembly Health
May 11-13 effect for about 43,000 policyholders on July Committee approved AB 52 Tuesday. That bill
1. would allow state regulators to reject rate
“Aetna policyholders will benet from hikes considered excessive, and permit civil
Aetna’s decision to lower their proposed July litigation by consumers to potentially block
9-+:/;(2!<++-=/(;/-4!->!?-1;3)*4!8(2/>-*4/(! 1st rate increase,” Jones said in a statement rate increases. The federal Patient Protection
(441(2!@));/45A!?;A!B)5/+!B)+-*;6!C(4(!
'-/4;A!<!0/+=1++/-4!->!/++1)+!=-4>*-4;/45! issued late Wednesday night. He added that and Affordable Care Act also requires insurers
3-+:/;(2+!/4!?-1;3)*4!8(2/>-*4/(!>-*!"#$$! the change will save Aetna’s enrollees about to publicly announce rate increases in
(40!%)&-40A!D)&4-;)!+:)(E)*+!/4=210)! $6.8 million in premiums over the next year. advance of their imposition.
');)*!'*-4-.-+;6!FACA!!GH"IJGK"IA Last year, Aetna sought and received Currently, no regulatory body in
permission to raise rates an average of 19% on California has the right to reject health
82/=E!9)*)!L-*!F-*)!M4>-*@(;/-4
its approximately 65,000 individual insurance premium increases outright, but
policyholders in California, although some insurers are clearly under increased pressure
saw their premiums go up as much as 30%. to keep their rates in line. Jones publicly
In a ling with the DOI last month, Aetna announced his support for AB 52 in two
June 3-5 claimed its medical costs increased 14.9% in statements issued by his ofce on Wednesday.
2010. It projected an increase of 12.5% for Blue Shield of California last month
2011. backed off on a series of rate hikes that would
8(2/>-*4/(!9)(2;3!8(*)!7)(0)*+3/:! An Aetna spokesperson would only have increased some premiums for individual
<=(0)@&A!B)4(/++(4=)!R+@)*)20(!B)+-*;6! conrm that it was working with DOI on its policyholders by as much as 87%. The
M40/(4!S)22+A!?:-4+-*)0!%&!;3)!8(2/>-*4/(! rate application and declined further Department of Managed Health Care recently
F)0/=(2!<++-=/(;/-46!;3/+!).)4;!/+!/4;)40)0! immediate comment. sent a letter to the San Francisco-based health
;-!51/0)!@)0/=(2!:*(=;/=)+!;3*-153!;3)! “I’m not ready to declare victory until I
1:=-@/45!=3(45)+!%)/45!T*-153;!%&!
*)>-*@A!GHUIJGVUIA take a look at the new ling, but I will say the
Continued on Next Page
82/=E!9)*)!L-*!F-*)!M4>-*@(;/-4
E-Mail
info@payersandproviders.com with
the details of your event, or call
(877) 248-2360, ext. 3. It will be
published in the Calendar section,
space permitting.
www.lakesidecommunityhealthcare.com
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Payers & Providers NEWS Page 2
Continued on Page 3
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Payers & Providers NEWS Page 3
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Payers & Providers OPINION Page 4
9-21:)!;6!<++1)!$=
Small Practices Avoid EHR Installation
'(&)*+!,!'*-./0)*+!/+! Changes Must Be Made to Encourage Adoption
>1%2/+3)0!).)*&!?31*+0(&!%&!
'(&)*+!,!'*-./0)*+!'1%2/+3/456! With the federal government’s electronic health all the trafc to exit and take back roads.
778@!A4!(441(2!/40/./01(2! record (EHR) incentive program hitting high- Bottlenecks and trafc jams would be a way of
+1%+B*/>C/-4!/+!DEE!(!&)(*! gear, early signs are that it is a success. life, commerce could not ow smoothly and
FD$GE!/4!%12H!1>!C-!$#! The program for providers ling for the transportation costs would be high. !
+1%+B*/%)*+I@!<C!/+!0)2/.)*)0!%&! payments through the Medicaid system began Three steps in particular will help improve
)J:(/2!(+!(!'KL!(CC(B3:)4C6! on Jan. 6 in about a dozen states and has EHR adoption rates among small medical
-*!(+!(4!)2)BC*-4/B!4)M+2)CC)*@ already distributed $37 million in payments. groups:
The Medicare system incentive program will 1. EHR systems must improve their usability.
begin nationwide on April 18. ! While most EHR systems have improved steadily
These payments will be awarded to physicians in terms of speed and ease of use in recent
A22!(0.)*C/+/456!+1%+B*/%)*!(40! and hospitals that have demonstrated years, some physicians still nd them difcult to
)0/C-*/(2!/4N1/*/)+O “meaningful use” of EHRs through use. One area that holds signicant
FP==I!"GPJ";Q# either Medicaid or Medicare. potential is voice recognition. Many
/4R-S>(&)*+(40>*-./0)*+@B-: The government’s goal is to older physicians are used to
have virtually 100% of the nation’s dictating their notes. Advanced
T(/2/45!(00*)++O physicians and hospitals using and EHRs now incorporate dictation
P$P!U@!V-22&M--0!W(&6!X1/C)!Y exchanging EHRs for patient data.! and voice commands. !
Y1*%(4H6!8A!E$Z#Z However, we are seeing some 2. Health information exchanges
trends that indicate a substantial (HIEs) must expand. HIEs are
number of physicians, primarily in currently operating only in scattered
W)%+/C) small medical groups, will be left regions around the country.. It is
MMM@>(&)*+(40>*-./0)*+@B-: out. ! very difcult for physicians to
L(B)%--H A survey conducted in early realize signicant value from
MMM@R(B)%--H@B-:[>(&)*+>*-./0)*+ 2010 by SK&A found that only EHRs when they cannot send and
?M/CC)* 28% of solo practitioners had By Brad Melis receive information from other
MMM@CM/CC)*@B-:[>(&)*+>*-./0)*+ adopted EHRs, while 71% of physicians and hospitals. !
physicians in large medical 3. EHR vendors must become
groups (26+ doctors) had done so. A more more involved with the meaningful use program.
recent survey, conducted after the meaningful Vendors must become more committed to
\0/C-*/(2!Y-(*0 use program was launched by the National helping physician customers meet the
XC).)4!?@!9(2)4C/4)6!'*)+/0)4C6! Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), found that meaningful use standards. Too often, vendors
?3)!8(:0)4!]*-1> while 41% of ofce-based physicians are feel their obligation is to simply get their EHR
planning to achieve meaningful use and qualify installed in a physician’s ofce.
^-++!]-20%)*56!<::)0/(C)!'(+C! for the incentives, 14% said they were not Second, vendors should take the time to get
83(/*:(46!7-+!^-%2)+!V-+>/C(2!,! planning on qualifying or applying for involved in working with federal ofcials in
T)0/B(2!8)4C)* payments.! shaping Stages 2 and 3 of the meaningful use
Who are these reluctant physicians who program.
A4C3-4&!W*/53C6!\_)B1C/.)! remain dependent upon paper records? Studies There will be no turning back the clock; the
K/*)BC-*6!V)(2C3!ABB)++!8(2/R-*4/(! show them to be solo practitioners or era of EHRs has arrived. Small, independent
physicians in smaller, independent medical medical groups face a unique set of challenges
V)4*&!7-1%)C6!83/)R!XC*(C)5&!
`RR/B)*6!a))4(4 groups that are not closely afliated with a when implementing EHRs and connecting to
hospital. They tend to be older physicians who larger regional networks. Our national drive to
T(*H!L/41B(4)6!T(4(5/45! are not comfortable with computers or the adopt EHRs and move to a new level of
K/*)BC-*6!A2.(*)b!,!T(*+(2 Internet. ! efciency and accountability will not be
We can’t afford to ignore small medical complete until we get these physicians
groups. About 40% of all physicians are solo incorporated into the new world of connectivity.
practitioners or work in a medical group of six
or less. When the federal incentive program
'1%2/+3)*[\0/C-*J/4J83/)R ends in four years, if we have 20 or 25% of the Brad Melis is executive vice president of
nation’s physicians unable to collect and ChartLogic in Salt Lake City.
^-4!X3/4H:(4
transmit EHRs, it will be considered a failure.
)0/C-*S>(&)*+(40>*-./0)*+@B-: Op-ed submissions of up to 600 words are
For example, imagine a 1,000-mile interstate
highway with a gap every 100 miles, requiring welcomed. Please e-mail proposals to
editor@payersandproviders.com,
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Payers & Providers MARKETPLACE/EMPLOYMENT Page 5
COPE Health Solutions is a leading health care corporation based in Los Angeles,
California. Our mission is to help our clients achieve visionary, market-relevant health
care solutions. Our vision is for our clients to be recognized for their best practices in
workforce development and clinical integration.
The Senior Project Manager will be responsible for all activities related to Clinical
Integration Solutions (CIS). He/she will be responsible for project planning and
implementation on internal and external projects for Clinical Integration Solutions, which
may include working with the Regional Safety Net ACO, Camino de Salud Network,
Provider Practice Redesign and Care Transitions & Coordination.
Required Skills and Experience: M.P.H., M.B.A., or M.H.A. required; minimum 5 years
Project Management experience with specific experience in the healthcare industry; and
Project Management Professional (PMP) certification preferred.
PROJECT MANAGER
Clinical Integration Solutions
The Project Manager is responsible for managing major tasks on internal and external
projects for Clinical Integration Solutions, which may include working with the Camino
de Salud Network; Provider Practice Redesign (one component of Clinical Integration
Solutions designed to expand access to specialty care services); Care Transitions &
Coordination; and Translational Research.
Required Skills and Experience: B.A. or B.S. degree; skill set related to effective project
management, including strong work ethic, attention to detail, time management, ability
to prioritize, problem solving, adaptability, and willingness to learn; and prior experience
with health care operations or research preferred.
To apply for a position or for more information about COPE Health Solutions, please
visit our website at: http://copehealthsolutions.org/careers.
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Payers & Providers MARKETPLACE/EMPLOYMENT Page 6
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Or visit: www.payersandproviders.com
*New England Journal of Medicine, 2004.
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Payers & Providers MARKETPLACE/EMPLOYMENT Page 7
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