National Redesign Could Save $2.4 Trillion

When it comes to providing high value healthcare, the HealthPartners Medical Group is doing something right. HealthPartners Medical Group costs are currently 8 percent lower than the Minnesota average and 28 to 38 percent lower than the national average.

According to Dartmouth Atlas researcher Elliott Fisher, if the entire nation adopted care similar to that in high value Medicare regions such as Minnesota, Medicare costs would decline by between 20 and 30 percent. The result – between $1.7 trillion and $2.4 trillion could be saved nationwide over the next 10 years by adopting HealthPartners healthcare approach.

HealthPartners uses its electronic medical record and redesigned processes to prompt doctors, nurses and patients to take the steps most supported by medical research for each patient. HealthPartners "Best Care" also better coordinates care across sites, specialties, conditions and times. Because of improved coordination of care between its clinics and hospital, emergency room visits have been reduced by 39 percent, hospital admissions have been reduced by 24 percent and hospital readmissions for frail elderly patients are 40 percent less than the community norm.

Highlights of the HealthPartners approach:

• Use of electronic medical record and redesigned processes that prompt doctors, nurses and patients to take the steps most supported by medical research for each patient have achieved impressive results in the past four years.
• Our “BestCare” approach better coordinates care between clinics and hospitals for patients who need it most.
• Improving the patient experience with online scheduling, reduced wait times, online test results and increased member support.

Learn more about the results achieved by our unique approach to healthcare.

A Dental Plan With Teeth

Helping your clients save money is easy when you offer a Distinctions dental plan. Our Distinctions plan separates network dentists and specialists into two benefit levels based on care cost and quality. By offering Distinctions to your clients, they can better control dental claims by encouraging members to visit Benefit Level 1 providers where they receive lower copays and richer benefits.

While all of our dentists deliver high-quality care, Benefit Level 1 dentists collectively focus on appropriate care and the preservation of natural tooth structure, which tends to result in lower cost in terms of claims and out-of-pocket expenses. In addition, because of the common care philosophy shared by Benefit Level 1 dentists, members tend to experience better outcomes. That care regimen includes:

• Risk assessments and individualized care
• Disease prevention and aggressive disease management
• Evidence-based dentistry, leading to reduction in utilization of high cost services

Appropriate care = savings
Members who seek care at a Benefit Level 1 provider are less likely to receive high cost services like crowns. Consider the data below and the variation in crowns per 1,000 members at both Benefit Level 1 and Benefit Level 2 providers. The frequency of crowns is just one example of how appropriate care and an evidence-based treatment approach will lead to savings. The bottom line is that if your clients’ employees are naturally steered toward care within Benefit Level 1, your clients will start seeing some savings.

So why not help your clients take a bite out of their expenses with HealthPartners Dental Distinctions plan? Please contact your HealthPartners Sales Executive for more information.

Integrated Biometric Screenings Now Available

We’re working with Horizon Health to provide integrated biometric testing and health seminars to your clients. With outreach available in every ZIP code in the United States and more than 9,000 trained screening professionals, your clients will benefit from both convenience and expertise.

Biometric testing gives members a snapshot of their personal health statistics in relation to cholesterol levels, blood pressure rates, Body Mass Index (BMI) and blood glucose levels. When combined with our health assessment and wellness programs, this biometric snapshot helps raise health awareness and drives employees into appropriate, effective wellness programs that meet their individual needs.

Biometric screenings can be conducted onsite and some of the information gathered can be used to pre-populate HealthPartners nationally recognized health assessment. This information helps to establish an employee’s risk for disease and contributes to his or her HealthPotentialSM Score. Additionally, it’s integrated into the employee’s conversations with health coaches, which leads to actionable steps for lifestyle change.

Aggregate reporting of all this information will help your clients better understand their population’s key health issues, which can help in planning an effective wellness strategy.

Help your clients get well to day. Consult your HealthPartners Sales Executive to see if your clients can fit biometric screenings into their unique wellness strategies.

Additional COBRA Subsidy For Minnesota Residents

Individuals who are eligible for COBRA or state continuation coverage may also be eligible to have the State of Minnesota subsidize the remainder of their medical and dental premiums for up to nine months.

This subsidy pays the remaining 35 percent of the COBRA premium for eligible individuals beginning on July 1, 2009. To qualify, the individual must:

• Sign up for COBRA medical and/or dental coverage
• Be eligible for the federal 65 percent COBRA premium reduction
• Meet the income and asset limits for a Minnesota healthcare program. In general, the household income and assets must be at or below these amounts:

* Some assets such as a homestead, household goods and retirement funds are not counted toward the limit.
** Pregnant women count as two.
*** Parents with income over $50,000 per year may not be eligible.

If the individual qualifies for the Minnesota subsidy, the State of Minnesota will pay it directly to the employer or COBRA administrator. For more information on the Minnesota subsidy, please visit www.dhs.state.mn.us/healthcare/COBRA.

IRS Rules For FSA/HRA Debit Cards

There are some important IRS changes concerning FSA/HRA debit cards that you and your clients should know.

IRS regulations state that the FSA/HRA debit card can only be used at merchants and vendors that can verify the eligibility of healthcare-related purchases, including prescription drugs and over-the-counter (OTC) products. Effective 7/1/09, this rule now applies to pharmacies and drug stores. (It was already in effect for discount stores, department stores and supermarkets.)

This means there are two lists of merchants who can accept the debit card:

• IIAS merchants, who can immediately verify the eligibility of healthcare-related purchases including prescriptions and OTC products
• “90% merchants”, who earn 90 percent or more of their revenues from the sale of healthcare items

In most cases, when the card is used at an IIAS merchant, no follow up documentation will be required, but members should save all receipts, just in case.

Verification of eligibility is required for purchases at 90 percent merchants. If a member makes a purchase at a 90 percent merchant with the debit card, the card will process but the member will receive a letter from HealthPartners asking for documentation to verify that the purchase is eligible for reimbursement.

According to IRS regulations, if an employee uses his or her FSA/HRA debit card in a store that is not on either of these Merchant Lists, the debit card will decline the purchase.

HealthPartners Central Minnesota Pharmacy is on the “90% merchants list,” which means that purchases at this location will now need substantiation. Members will be able to use their debit card at this location, but HealthPartners will send a letter asking for appropriate documentation to verify the purchase is eligible for reimbursement.

A member brochure explaining these changes is in development and will be available shortly. Until it’s released, your clients should encourage their employees to check  if their store participates in the new IRS merchant lists. A list of participating merchants can be found online at healthpartners.com/portal/3055.html or by contacting Member Services at 952-883-7000 or 1-866-443-9352.

To learn more, please contact your HealthPartners Sales Executive.

Wells Fargo HSA Update

To provide you and your clients with the best possible HSA customer experience, Wells Fargo has revamped their pre-sale procedures and added a new HSA Account Manager role.

Account Managers reach out to every new employer during the HSA sales process to set expectations, develop timelines for implementation and explain our flexible enrollment tools. Account Managers help your client plan an effective HSA program by providing educational tools and developing strategies to maximize adoption.

Account Managers will also reach out to you as the referring broker to understand how you prefer to do business. You decide how involved you want to be in the implementation process, and Wells Fargo will accommodate your needs.

Once HSA implementation is complete, your client is assigned a dedicated, ongoing Client Service Consultant who will be responsible for meeting their daily needs and ensuring the best possible HSA experience.

As of June 2009, Wells Fargo has administered: 

• 13,500 employer-group HSA relationships
• 203,500 HSA account holders
• $345 million in HSA assets

Healthy Discounts Update

Foss Swim School

Our new partner, Foss Swim School, is waiving the new member registration fee for all HealthPartners members who sign up for swimming classes. Foss Swim School is the largest privately run learn-to-swim program in the United States with locations in Blaine, Chanhassen, Lakeville, Maple Grove, Savage, St. Louis Park and Woodbury. Thousands of children have had the opportunity to learn a lifelong lifesaving skill using Foss's unique teaching method and family friendly facilities. For more information, please visit the Foss Swim School Web site at www.fossswimschool.com.

Balance for Life Fitness Center

Balance for Life Fitness Center is a privately owned personal training and palates studio located in Shoreview, Minnesota. This center provides massage therapy, as well as customized one-on-one training for women and men who are interested in maintaining and developing their health and wellness in a welcoming atmosphere.

HealthPartners members now receive:

• A free one-hour consultation with a personal trainer or palates trainer
• $100 off their first package of 12 or more sessions
• $15 off their first one hour massage

For more information, visit Balance for Life Fitness.

In Every Issue

Frequent Fitness Update

Frequent Fitness Update
Our Frequent Fitness program continues to grow. Members now have even more choices and chances to save money while achieving a healthy lifestyle. Now, members who enroll or are enrolled in the Frequent Fitness program will have access to more than 900 locations in the HealthPartners service region.

The Frequent Fitness program offers fully insured members (two per household) up to a $20 reimbursement for working out 12 times a month.

New clubs that joined Frequent Fitness on July 1

1. Taking Shape – Grand Rapids
2. Summit Club Fitness Center – Eden Prairie
3. Barnesville Fitness Center – Barnesville
4. Eagle Fitness – Pine River

Learn more about Frequent Fitness.

Network Updates

As our client base and membership continues to expand, so does our network. In fact, we’ve recently added a large number of providers. We’re committed to providing access to the providers your clients demand – nationwide. No matter where your clients live, work or travel, we’ve got them covered. Additions last month included:

Medical – Minnesota
MeritCare Thief River Falls Southeast Clinic – Thief River Falls

Medical – Iowa
Medical Associates of Floyd Valley Hospital – Le Mars

Dental – Minnesota
Al-Shifa Dentistry, PA – Maple Grove
Douglas K. Keim, DDS – St. Paul
Lino Lakes Family Dentistry – Lino Lakes
Morris Dental Clinic, PA – Morris
Roseville Dentistry, PA – Roseville
Rushford Dental Clinic – Rushford

Try out our new search function to see just how easy it is to find a network provider quickly and simply. Provider Search.