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| The Benefit Basics
October 2008 |
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4990 E. Galbraith Rd, Ste 102
Cincinnati, OH 45236
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For more information about these topics, please contact
Laura Lauber
at 513.745.0707.
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5 Tips to Maximize Your HSA
1. Use over-the-counter drugs (OTCs) if at all feasible. Some medications that were once only available by prescription can now be found on store shelves. You should get your physician's approval before avoiding prescription drugs, but your costs can drop as much as 80% using OTCs.
2. Research your illness, injury, or condition - such as visiting WebMD or MedlinePlus online. It sounds simple, but consumers do not always think to independently explore what is ailing them. That way, unnecessary trips to the doctor can be avoided.
3. Only visit the emergency room in an actual emergency situation. Remember that your doctor's office and urgent care are other appropriate options for conditions that are not life-threatening - and they are a lot more cost-effective.
4. Beware of possible medical errors. Over 1 million occur in the U.S. every year, costing over $2 billion. In order to avoid error-prone facilities, make sure to frequent places that use "computerized order entry" of medications, which reduces serious prescribing errors by more than 50%. Also, research the best medical facilities in your area. If you go into a hospital for a high-risk procedure (such as open-heart surgery), choose one with widespread experience and consistently good results.
5. Stay healthy! Exercise, don't smoke, and eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains - and make sure to use the preventive services (such as annual physicals) that are covered by your HDHP. All of these choices can result in preserving money in your HSA. The money you save carries over to the next year, earns investment income, and is there to help pay for any future medical expenses. |
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New Website Allows Users Quick and Easy Access to Local Hospital Performance
Quality Improvement Effort Resulting in Better Patient Outcomes Across the Area for Heart Attack and Heart Failure
Residents of the Tristate now have a new website, www.gchchospitalquality.org to find out how area hospitals compare on performance measures related to heart attack, congestive heart failure and pneumonia, three common conditions for hospitalization.
"The website demonstrates the commitment area hospitals have to public transparency and accountability," said Colleen O'Toole, PhD, Greater Cincinnati Health Council president. The data collection effort is part of the Hospital Quality Improvement Project, a joint quality improvement initiative of the Health Council and the Ohio Hospital Association.
"For hospitals, the goal is that they use the information on their performance to improve patient outcomes, and we are indeed showing positive results," she said. "These trends mean lives are being saved." Performance results for 2006 across all participating hospitals are better than in 2005 for both heart attack and congestive heart failure. Results for pneumonia were not available in 2005 so could not yet be compared.
"For consumers, the goal is that they use the information for their own education and for discussion with their physicians," O'Toole said. The website features background information about the various measures and the rankings as well as links to related websites.
Hospitals are not required to participate in this effort, O'Toole said, but are doing so voluntarily in order to use the data to continually improve their outcomes. They do this by comparing their performance to neighboring hospitals as well as to others across the state and then by sharing information with one another to improve their processes and practices, she said. Hospitals also compare themselves to national benchmarks. Both state and national benchmarks are also on the website.
Users can search the website by hospital name to see how an individual facility compares to others in the area. For each of the twenty hospitals listed, users can find out:
- How often hospitals follow eight recommended care guidelines for heart attack
- How often hospitals follow four recommended care guidelines for congestive heart failure
- How often hospitals follow nine recommended care guidelines for pneumonia
- Average length of hospital stay for nine conditions such as heart attack, stroke and pneumonia (shorter length of stay usually indicates a more favorable outcome)
- Mortality for the same nine conditions
The Greater Cincinnati Health Council, which works with members to improve the quality and cost-efficiency of health care in the region, developed the website on behalf of the participating hospitals. The report covers care for full year 2006. Full-year 2007 data will be posted in the fall, and the site will be updated annually thereafter.
"This is the kind of data people need to make them more informed health care decision-makers," said Sharron DiMario, president of the Employer Health Care Alliance. "As Cincinnati area residents, we should all be pleased that our hospitals are leading the way in the state of Ohio by putting this kind of data into the hands of consumers."
Between 2005 and 2006, the Greater Cincinnati area average improved on all measures related to heart attack and congestive heart failure. The measure with the most significant improvement over the time period was associated with congestive heart failure: local hospitals improved their performance on the percentage of patients receiving discharge instructions from 59% in 2005 to 79% in 2006.
There were also several notable improvements on the measures related to heart attack. The percentage of patients receiving ACE inhibitors at discharge increased from 78 percent to 84 percent and the percentage of patients receiving PCI (procedures that open blocked blood vessels) in less than 90 minutes improved from 37 percent in 2005 to 56 percent in 2006.
The indicators focus on some of the most common and costly conditions that hospitals treat. The hospitals are rated on care guidelines that are widely accepted across the country as best practices by such organizations as the Joint Commission, a national organization that accredits hospitals, and the Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program/American Osteopathic Association.
"This report is not about individual numbers," said Robert Graham, MD, Professor of Family Medicine at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, medical consultant to the project. "It's really about what hospitals do with the data. The purpose of the quality improvement project is not to single out any hospital as ''best' or 'worst.' It is about working together to make continual changes that improve care. As hospitals learn from one another and implement changes, the idea is that all provide better and better care for patients. Collaboration is a cornerstone of this effort."
"This effort not only sets the bar higher for each participating hospital. It raises the bar for the entire community," O'Toole said.
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Long Term Care Insurance
What is long term care insurance?
Long term care insurance is designed to help pay for medical and non-medical care services that would otherwise be paid out-of-pocket. Some policies cover nursing home care while others include coverage for an entire range of services such as care in an adult day care center, assisted living, medical equipment and formal and informal home care. Long term care policies pay benefits for you and anyone else you designate, such as your spouse, parent or child. Plus, these policies either pay a fixed amount or reimburse you for services provided.
Individual long term care insurance policies are purchased by people whose employers do not offer a group policy. However, individuals whose employers do offer a long term care group policy often supplement them with an individual policy to obtain the most coverage possible, in the event that they need long term care assistance
Do I need long term care insurance?
Similar to home, health and auto insurance, long term care insurance is available to help protect you, your family and your assets. Family members are under pressure to help care for a growing number of elders, and resources to pay for long term care are declining. In fact, according to America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), relatives and friends care for over 70 percent of elderly Americans, which can costly and emotionally taxing. If you or your spouse, parent or child eventually needs long-term care services, the financial burden can be quite steep.
How is long term care insurance different?
Major medical insurance or disability insurance does not protect you and your family in the same way that long term care insurance can. In fact, health insurance plans generally cover about 30 days of recuperative time, while a long term plan covers about two years or more. Furthermore, disability insurance replaces only your salary at the time of injury, and the policy holder, who is dependent on disability insurance, pays out-of-pocket for any ongoing long term care. Medicare is even more restrictive, and should not be considered your sole resource for substantial long term care expenses because it reimburses up to a maximum of 100 days, with the average repayment of expenses being only 28 days.
How much does long term care insurance cost?
Premiums vary, depending on your age and health status when you purchase the policy and how much coverage you desire. The cost of care, especially in nursing homes and assisted living facilities, varies from state-to-state. Generally though, you must be in good health when purchasing a policy, so it may be better to buy long-term care insurance at a younger age, when you are more likely to be healthier and premiums lower.
Long Term Care Statistics
- Approximately 19% of Americans over age 65 will experience a chronic physical impairment requiring long term care.
- By 2020, 12 million elderly Americans will require long term care.
- For couples 65 and over, there is a 75% likelihood that one partner will need long term care.
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Questions or Comments?
Do you have a question or topic you would like addressed in our next issue?
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