Stuck (stŭk) v. Caught or fixed Baffled * This article was submitted to us by one of our summer interns. Their name is being protected because they currently are in a health care start up protective witness program * Have you ever felt trapped when deciding your health insurance options? I have. Each year I [...]
Entries Tagged as ‘Insurance’
September 25, 2009
Sermo makes the connection: Health Reform leads to Cash-based Practices
Connection (kə-nĕk‘shən) n. The act of connecting. The state of being connected An association or relationship Sermo finally makes the connection between all the health insurance reform conversations and the inevitable consequence of pushing a large percentage of providers toward a cash based practice. I have highlighted the rise of direct practice multiple times, and [...]
August 20, 2009
Utah leads out with new virtual health insurance exchange
Exchange (ĭks-chānj’) n. To give in return for something received; trade To give and receive reciprocally; interchange A place where things are exchanged, especially a center where securities or commodities are bought and sold There have been several interesting health finance innovations that have been announced recently which have relevance to health reform in general [...]
February 18, 2009
Cuomo Bully Pulpit: All Payers Database to be a reality
Bully pulpit (bʊl’ē pʊl’pĭt) n. Public Office of sufficiently high rank that provides the holder with an opportunity to speak out and be listened to on any matter. An effective mechanism to bring issues to the fore that were not initially in debate, due to the office’s stature and publicity. I never knew that Andrew [...]
February 10, 2009
The Price of Opacity: Lessons Learned from UNC
Opacity (ō-păs’ĭ-tē) The quality or state of being opaque. Something obscure, impenetrable Dullness of mind I have been intrigued by the recent settlement by United with NY regarding underpayments to physicians based on faulty estimates of what constitutes a fair market rate (Ususal aNd Customer or “UNC”) for physician health services. As predicted, it has [...]
February 10, 2009
“An Unnecessary Effort”: Wuesthoff Health Pays for EOB’s
Unnecessary (ŭn-nĕs’ĭ-sĕr‘ē) adj. Not necessary; needless. Serving no useful purpose or function You have got to love it, huh? Did you see the most recent series of lawsuits just announced by the AMA. They must just be loving the opportunity to pile on their arch nemesis insurance companies at a time when their very future [...]
January 13, 2009
Mary Jerome: The Rosa Parks of Transparency
Scheme (skēm) n. A systematic plan of action A secret or devious plan An orderly combination of related parts “Usual and customary” just became “Transparency and consistency” The United Health Group, in what will become a sweeping decision (interesting interview with author here) within the Health Insurance industry, was just levied a $50M wrist slap [...]
January 9, 2009
Transparency Trek: The Million EOB March
Trek (Trĕk) n. A journey or leg of a journey, especially when slow or difficult. A journey by ox wagon, especially a migration I have been thinking alot about EOB’s. How did these anomolies of reason, this perversions of clarity, and obfuscators of objectivity come into existence? To what intent are they provided to the [...]
August 27, 2008
Healthcare Dysincentives: Who is left holding the bag?
Holding the Bag (hōl’dĭng thə băg) N. Abandon someone, force someone to bear the responsibility or blame. This idiom grew out of the earlier give one the bag (to hold), which dates from about 1600 and alludes to being left with an empty bag while others have taken the valuable contents. I grow weary of [...]
April 29, 2008
True Insurance: Removing the Moral Hazard
True (trū) adj. 1. Consistent with fact or reality; not false or erroneous 2. Real; genuine, rightful; legitimate, fundamental, or essential 3. Accurately shaped or fitted and conforms to rule, standard or pattern I recently came across an article so good that I thought it should be republished in its entirety. The article was written [...]
