Understanding Modern Health Plan Delivery Models

By Defining Terms and Concepts

Staff Writers

www.HealthcareFinancials.comho-journal10

Here are four important health care delivery models that should be understood by all financial advisors, their clients, patients and the public:

1. PHYSICIAN ORGANIZATION (PO)

A PO is a group of physicians banding together, usually for the purpose of contracting with managed care entities, or to represent the physician component in a Physician Hospital Organization. The PO is a managed care contracting entity owned by and composed exclusively of physicians. The PO tends to be more tightly controlled in terms of members and adherence to treatment protocols than an Independent Physician Association. POs typically share information systems, claims-processing procedures, financial data, medical records, and other technical support functions.

2. PHYSICIAN PRACTICE MANAGEMENT CORPORATION (PPMC)

A firm that purchases physicians’ practices in exchange for a percentage of the gross receivables. The PPMC leases the office back to the doctor or employs the doctor on a salaried basis. The PPMC then contracts with the areas MCOs.

3. POINT OF SERVICE PLAN (POSP)

A type of managed care plan that allows members to choose whether to seek medical care within the plan’s network or seek medical care out of network at the point of service (i.e., at the time services are rendered). It allows members to pay little or nothing, if they stay within the established HMO delivery system. But, it also permits members to choose and receive services from an outside doctor, any time, if they are willing to pay higher co-payments, deductibles and possibly monthly premiums. It is also called an “open-ended” plan.

4. PREFERRED PROVIDER ORGANIZATION (PPO)

A PPO is a select, approved panel of physicians, hospitals, and other providers who agree to accept a discounted fee schedule for patients and to follow utilization review and pre-authorization protocols for certain treatments. It is a system in which a payer negotiates lower prices with certain doctors and hospitals. Patients who go to a preferred provider get a higher benefit — for example, 90% or 100% coverage of their costs — than patients who go outside the network.

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Conclusion

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Understanding the Health Maintenance Organization Delivery Model

ho-journal8Defining Terms and Concepts

By Staff Writers

www.HealthcareFinancials.com

An HMO is a legal corporation that offers health insurance and medical care. It is a health care delivery system that provides comprehensive services for subscribing members in a particular geographic area. Most HMO care is provided through a managed network made up of MD/DOs, hospitals, and other allopathic/osteopathic professionals selected by the HMO. HMO enrollees are required to obtain care from this network of providers in order for their care to be covered, except in cases of emergency. All the care the members may need is paid for by the single monthly fee, plus nominal co-payments. HMOs typically offer a range of health care services at a fixed price (capitation).

Different Types

The types of HMOs are:

1. STAFF MODEL: Organization owns its clinics and employs its doctors.

2. GROUP MODEL: Contract with medical groups for services.

3. INDEPENDENT PHYSICIAN ASSOCIATION (IPA) MODEL: IPA contract that in turn contracts with individual physicians.

4. DIRECT CONTRACT or NETWORK MODEL: Contracts directly with individual physicians.

5. MIXED MODEL: Members get options ranging from staff to IPA models.

6. OPEN-PANEL MODEL: A managed care plan or HMO where members can see any provider for an extra premium cost.

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Speaker: If you need a moderator or speaker for an upcoming event, Dr. David E. Marcinko; MBA – Publisher-in-Chief of the Executive-Post – is available for seminar or speaking engagements. Contact: MarcinkoAdvisors@msn.com  or Bio: www.stpub.com/pubs/authors/MARCINKO.htm

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