New behavioral health legislation passed
On October 3, the United States Congress passed the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity & Addiction Equity Act of 2008. When this law takes effect in late 2009, it will require insurers, including self-insured groups, who offer behavioral health coverage to cover mental health care and chemical dependency care the same as they do other medical conditions. HealthPartners is reviewing both state and federal parity laws and their impact on all of our lines of business. We will provide additional information as it becomes available.
HealthPartners is an industry leader in mental and chemical health care. Our significant commitment to mental health care is evidenced by the release of a new program called Moving Forward. This new disease management program is focused on helping patients who have been diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder to better manage their conditions.
HealthPartners has also developed (patent pending) a predictive modeling system specifically for the purpose of proactively reaching out to members at risk for mental health hospitalization in order to coordinate care, provide health education and health coaching, decision support and referral support for clinical and community services.
Additionally, as of Oct. 1, 2008, Hazelden is a contracted residential treatment provider and will be a network provider (prior authorization is required) for all members on our commercial plans.
Learn more about HealthPartners behavioral health programs and services.
HEADLINES
Direct contracting strengthens dental network
On October 1, we began contracting directly with the dentists in our Minnesota and western Wisconsin network. This change allows us to have a direct relationship with our entire regional network, which is 50 percent larger than the Premier network. HealthPartners continues to have the largest PPO network in Minnesota and we’re growing faster than any other network in Minnesota!
Why?
- Allows for better management of provider relationships
- No “middle man” in administrative and network management processes
- Better control of provider fee schedule to maximize our network value
Impact?
- This change does not affect employers or members
For more information about our dental products, please contact your HealthPartners Sales Executive.
New pricing tool for members
As part of our ongoing commitment to transparency, we’ve launched a new Web tool that provides prices for 83 procedures at our network primary care and radiology facilities in the seven-county metro area. The information provided will enable members to make cost-effective healthcare decisions and better manage out-of-pocket costs. The prices are for five high volume categories of services including office visits, immunizations/vaccines, common lab services, X-Ray and CT/MRI.
A HealthPartners study released last year found that consumers with health savings accounts used Web tools 13 percent more often to compare cost and quality. The study also found that costs were more than 4 percent lower for members in consumer direct health plans due to members choosing lower cost and more efficient providers.
This new tool lists specific prices at individual clinics in HealthPartners open access network through the Find a Provider/Clinic section of healthpartners.com. It’s the most frequently accessed section of HealthPartners Web site, with an average of more than 107,000 search requests per month.
In December, HealthPartners plans to expand cost information available to members on the Web site with an interactive tool that will allow members to compare prices for 100 services and/or procedures at up to three locations at a time.
Review the full article at forbes.com.
Why decision support is good business
Engaging consumers in their healthcare is crucial to helping them make informed choices. However, making those decisions can be hard, especially when the consumer is confronted with multiple options or lacks the necessary information and support.
Research shows that members who use decision support tools are more satisfied with their care experience, and they tend to choose more conservative care, which helps reduce misuse or overuse of services and increases affordability.
HealthPartners provides our members with decision support tools and resources they can use to make confident, comfortable choices that are right for them. At HealthPartners, a member’s values and personal preferences are always part of the decision-making process.
HealthPartners market-leading approach to decision support is based on research from Dartmouth University and expert training from the Ottawa Health Research Institute.
Members can choose to make decisions using tools and resources independently or with assistance from specially trained staff. Common decision support questions include:
- Should I have back surgery or physical therapy for lower back pain?
- Should I have weight loss surgery or lose weight by making diet and exercise changes?
- Do I continue working while I have chemotherapy?
Members can take advantage of decision support services at no extra cost. In fact, decision support is provided by nurse navigators, health coaches, care managers and case managers at many points across our integrated system of care.
For more details, visit healthpartners.com/decisionsupport or contact your HealthPartners sales executive.
Welcome to Hudson Hospital
We’re expanding – officially! HealthPartners has had a nine-year affiliation with Hudson Hospital, but as of next January the hospital will officially be part of the HealthPartners network. Since 1999, emergency care center visits at Hudson Hospital have doubled, in part because of a partnership with emergency medicine physicians at Regions Hospital. Hudson Hospital also has provided increased access to specialty physicians.
In recent years, the Hudson Hospital board of directors has explored ways to expand local healthcare delivery in step with the demographic growth in the region. By choosing to strengthen its partnership with HealthPartners now, Hudson Hospital officials expect to further increase local access to top specialists, technology and services in western Wisconsin and specifically in Hudson.
Stay tuned to future issues of Broker Flash for more details!
Regions receives national stroke award
Being a leader is no stroke of luck, it’s all about achievement. That’s why Regions Hospital has been awarded a Silver Performance Achievement Award from the American Stroke Association and the American Heart Association. The award recognizes the success of Regions in ensuring that stroke patients receive treatment according to nationally accepted standards and recommendations.
Regions earned the award by meeting seven performance measures to improve acute stroke treatment and prevent secondary events. A key part of Regions’ program is rapid diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients admitted to the emergency department. This includes providing brain imaging scans, having neurologists available 24/7 and aggressive use of clot-busting medications.
Each year approximately 700,000 people suffer a stroke – 500,000 are first attacks and 200,000 are recurrent, according to the American Stroke Association. Of stroke survivors, 21 percent of men and 24 percent of women die within a year, and for those aged 65 and older, the percentage is even higher.
Regions received the 2008 Stroke Care Excellence Award from HealthGrades and has also been ranked No. 1 in St. Paul for treatment of stroke for three years in a row. The hospital is also certified by the Joint Commission as a primary stroke center. The Stroke Center at Regions Hospital is part of the HealthPartners Medical Group neuroscience program, which includes physical medicine and rehabilitation, neurosurgery, neurology, and spine care.
Learn more about Regions Hospital.
New Medicare product available
Minnesota employers now have a new solution for retiree coverage with HealthPartners. On October 1, HealthPartners unveiled its new Medicare Part D plan, a national prescription drug plan which pairs with a HealthPartners Retiree Medical Plan to provide coverage for retirees who live outside Minnesota. The plan benefits can be matched to those of Minnesota retirees on our HealthPartners Freedom plan.
Employers can still choose from a variety of plans, including:
- Enhanced Medicare Part D
- Retiree Drug Subsidy
- No Prescription Drug Coverage
- Standalone Prescription Drug Coverage
If you have questions about how this new product might benefit your group, or if you would like more details, please contact your HealthPartners Sales Executive.
Learn more about our Group Retiree Plans.
IN EVERY ISSUE
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 750 locations in 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 as of October 1, 2008:
- Northfield Area YMCA – Northfield
- Mesabi Area YMCA – Virginia
- Survivors' Training & Studio – Saint Paul
The first of its kind in the Twin Cities Metro Area, the Survivors’ Studio is a place of health and healing for women on a cancer journey.
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
Lake View Clinic – Two Harbors
Mill City Clinic – Minneapolis
One Stop Medical Center – Shoreview
Medical – South Dakota
Olson Medical Clinic – Vermillion
Dental – Minnesota
Pike Lake Dental – New Brighton
Try out our new search function to see just how easy it is to find a network provider quickly and simply. Provider Search
Library: Quick Links to Great Resources
Important Contacts
Our Group Medical Plans
Our Group Dental Plans
Our Individual and Medicare Plans
Our Achieve SM Health Improvement Programs
Our CareSpan SM Disease Management Programs
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