The latest links that you need to know Private insurers shouldn’t fear Medicare Advantage So says Forbes. Part of the full-court press for Medicare Advantage. And they’re right. The political influence that healthcare dollars will buy is limitless. When healthcare is paid for by the government, healthcare decisions become political. Medicare Advantage in some form is a horse to ride—until the money runs out or becomes worthless....
Read MoreDr. Barbara asks: What’s the optimal patient panel size under a 50/50 risk-share split under a Medicare Advantage Contract? Fewer than 200 patients will leave you with a level of volatility in your performance that will be distracting and cause you unnecessary anxiety. The upper level is up to you. Once you reach it, you can scale it by adding APNs With that tactic, there is no upper limit.
Read MoreEvery few months I like to re-post my first blog entry and remind myself why we’re doing what we do. Mr. Biondo is a real person and a good man. He gave me permission to tell his story if I thought it might help someone. When I first met Mr. Biondo he was not at all well. He had lost a leg through misfortune. The bed sores from his outdated mobility...
Read MoreOne of the nice things about working for yourself instead of working for an employer is that you quickly get a sense of who you’re working for and how much. How much time are you spending to pay your taxes, to pay for your personal upkeep, to pay to keep your licensure up to date? How much time are you spending to pay your “future self” in the form of savings? ...
Read MoreAsk your insurance agent if you have to pay the full cost of non-emergent out-of-network medical care up front at the time of service. It’s an increasingly common method that insurers are using to try to same themselves money and push the costs onto you. Don’t ever sign up for a plan that does this. The insurer may tell you that they will bill the government for you and pay you...
Read MoreYep, I sure did get a lot of pushback about last week’s post from the organization leaders who read this blog You’re misleading your readers . . Retention bonus can be an effective tool in work force management. . . It is an industry standard to use them to retain top talent. . . Retention bonuses allow us the flexibility to keep ahead of a changing labor market. ....
Read MoreInclude “Clinician Wellness” in your organization’s mission statement. Even if you do this cynically and don’t really mean it the mere presence will set you far, far apart from your competition.
Read MoreYour Fortress of Solitude Private Medicare Advantage Could Hit 70% So says Forbes It won’t Not without explicit coercion of beneficiaries from the government. The emphasis on peripheral benefits will erode the core function of the program—covering healthcare costs. If I’m wrong and the programs expands in its current form—it will provide a compliance free superhighway into the heart of the Federal Budget. It will bankrupt us all. Two more firms entering...
Read MoreDr. Anna S. asks How do I keep my patients out of the emergency room? Make sure they have your home phone number. “The government pays me to be your personal clinician. Use me. Contact me before you consider any medical care outside this office.” Fortunately most ERs are paid by Medicare Advantage Organizations on a bundled basis—one payment for everything (though the payments are tiered somewhat based on the...
Read MoreTake note of your Medicare Advantage panel size. Call the three largest insurance agencies in your community Set up a meeting with their leader. They will love to see you. Tell them you’re interested in increasing your panel size. Ask them if they have any questions about the practical aspects of the program. Ask the about their challenges. Ask them how you can help. Tell them you’ll...
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