Posted by: AtlasMD

October 9, 2013

NPR Breaks Down Obamacare’s Effect on Insurance Rates

NPR published an article reviewing introductory rates on policies offered through state-run insurance exchanges. The report examined 36 different states. So what’s the verdict? A resounding “it depends.” In Oklahoma, premiums are going for as low as $96/month. Meanwhile, in Wisconsin, the lowest rate on a bronze plan is well over $300. The reporter echoed our direct care mantra, saying, “Competition equals lower prices.” They explained how in regions with only one insurance company selling through the subsidized exchange, the average monthly premium for a 21-year-old buying the lowest cost bronze policy is $186, before any subsidies are applied. However, in regions with 10 or more rival carriers, the average cost is $132 or less.

How will Obamacare’s varying premium rates affect direct care practices?

Actually, there are two wins happening. If you’re a doctor looking to move to open a cash-only clinic, you’ll bode well in regions with only one insurance plan offered through the exchange. Lower competition tends towards higher insurance rates, meaning that wrap-around plans and your direct care offering can add tremendous value. Secondly, in areas with fewer insurance plans offered on the exchange, there is another effect: increased premiums for existing subscribers. In this case, because of the lack of competition, and the fact that Obamacare is forcing insurance companies to expand their offerings, rates might reach an exorbitant level for the subscriber. This is another patient who would benefit greatly from switching to a wrap around plan (remember, Obamacare means that insurance plans can’t raise their rates for pre-existing conditions) and enrolling in your direct care clinic.

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Posted by: AtlasMD

September 23, 2013

SUMMARY: Walgreens to Shift Health Plan for 160,000 Workers

Timothy W. Martin and Christopher Weaver published an article on The Wall Street Journal about an announcement that Walgreen Co. is making a sweeping policy change in light of approaching federal healthcare reform. “On Wednesday, the drugstore giant disclosed a plan to provide payments to eligible employees for the subsidized purchase of insurance starting in 2014. The plan will affect roughly 160,000 employees, and will require them to shop for coverage on a private health-insurance marketplace.”

So why the sudden change in policy?
Aside from rising healthcare costs (the complex causes were speedily explained by John Green in his Vlog Brothers video), the company cited “compliance-related expenses associated with the new law” as a reason for the switch.

Is this a trend?
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Posted by: AtlasMD

September 19, 2013

Betsy McCaughey Stands For EMR Security And Against Government Interrogations

Wouldn’t you be off put if your dermatologist asked, “How many sex partners do you currently have?” Well what if we told you that new Obamacare legislation would make these types of arbitrary questions mandatory, and necessary for all doctors to include within patient EMRs just so that practices weren’t fined? Okay, but the data will be safe within the patient EMR, right? Well, sure, maybe the government just checks to see if the box was filled out and doesn’t abuse their power. But even if kept “private” in the best case scenario, there’s a new problem — what if patients just lie in order to protect themselves, and their privacy? Well then we have a new problem, we’ve tied more of that red tape around doctors, getting them to do more tasks that accomplish nothing. This is the red tape we keep mentioning as one of many culprits contributing to expensive healthcare in America.

Yes, we’ve chosen to polarize the above assumptions to illustrate the potential setbacks of this type of legislative intrusion. Now say we take the middle ground and accept, okay, EMRs are secure and patients are honest. Why the heck does my dermatologist need to know how many people I slept with to treat an external skin condition?

READ BETSY McCAUGHEY’S STANCE ON OBAMACARE AND EMR REGULATION

Needless to say, she is opinionated, and a little assumptive. This can be a good thing, though, because we need investigative journalism to get to the bottom of what’s inside those thousands of pages of legislation. We’re guessing that as more of these line items are exposed McCaughhey will not be the only person yelling fire in this great big American healthcare theater.

Posted by: AtlasMD

September 16, 2013

Quality Trumps Quantity in Healthcare

tobyWe came across an article on LinkedIn discussing a new breakthrough. It’s not “scientifically” proven, more of a hypothesis really. Toby Cosgrove, CEO and President at Cleveland Clinic, says, “It’s the dawning realization that healthcare is not about how many patients you can see, how many tests and procedures you can order, or how much you can charge for these things.” Sounds like Atlas MD.

READ HIS BLOG POST ON LINKEDIN

SIDE NOTE: He ends with a strange promotion of Obamacare, which we do have our own questions about. And we’re equally surprised he didn’t mention direct care in his post. We’re earning profits offering unlimited doctors appointments and free telemedicine of sorts (Tweeting personal advice, making simple diagnoses via texting, Skyping with patients, etc.), and we’re doing it at prices far lower than insurance-based services. Couple that with our work to negotiate prescriptions for pennies on the dollar and steep discounts on MRIs and other procedures and it’s clear we are a quality-focused operation.

Photo of Toby Cosgrove courtesy of my.clevelandclinic.org

Posted by: AtlasMD

August 22, 2013

Try The New Online Obamacare Calculator

Try The New Online Obamacare Calculator

Scott Borden is the HSA Guy. He’s an outspoken critic of government regulation as well an advocate for HSA funding being utilized in the direct care realm. Oh, and in his spare time, he created a series of online Obamacare calculators to help you make quick cost comparisons between your current healthcare plans and those offered by state insurance agencies. Questions The Calculator Will Answer

  • Should I keep my existing plan or get a new one in the exchange?
  • Should employees and their dependents remain on employer plans or get individual policies?
  • Will I qualify for a subsidy?

And while we’re on the topic of Obamacare, if you have seven minutes, here’s a helpful rundown from the folks over at YouToons:

Posted by: AtlasMD

August 21, 2013

Yet Another White House Obamacare Delay: Out-Of-Pocket Caps Waived Until 2015

Remember how everyone’s been talking about that unseemly document, the one that was well over 1,000 pages and included all the details about Obamacare? The details that no single person could fully articulate? These were the details that had us all saving money somewhere, supposedly.

In case you haven’t heard, the cat is out of the bag. It now looks like that maze of text might not even matter, since federal officials secretly passed a ruling that would grant a one-year grace period to some insurers, allowing them to set higher limits, or no limit at all on some costs, in 2014. According to The New York Times, “The grace period has been outlined on the Labor Department’s Web site since February, but was obscured in a maze of legal and bureaucratic language that went largely unnoticed.”

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Posted by: AtlasMD

August 16, 2013

Insurance Exchange Could Save $9 Billion : Insurance-Free Prescriptions Could Save $130 Billion

Insurance Exchange Could Save $9 Billion : Insurance-Free Prescriptions Could Save $130 Billion

According to a new collaborative study, “Smart design of health insurance exchanges that will enable Americans to purchase individual coverage under the Affordable Care Act could save consumers and the government more than $9 billion annually.”

The study was called “Can Consumers Make Affordable Care Affordable? The Value of Choice Architecture,” and it tested the ability of consumers to choose the best health insurance plan for their needs without assistance. FierceHealthIT claims, “Most participants struggled to make the most cost-effective choices for themselves and their families.” Which on one hand is just sad, that Americans have trouble buying anything (since it’s safe to say consumer spending drives our country). However, it does draw attention to an inarguable truth out–bureaucracy selling anything tends towards confusing, unfavorable market outcomes. Perhaps part of the reason is the lack of realistic motivators.

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Posted by: AtlasMD

August 6, 2013

Congressman Mike Rogers Shreds Federal Healthcare Reform

In case you missed it, you can watch Mike Rogers impassioned response to the soon-to-be enacted ACA. He makes a powerful stand for American innovation in the private sector. Although he doesn’t explicitly mention direct care, we’re glad to draft behind this convincing powerhouse.

Rogers is the U.S. Representative for Michigan’s 8th congressional district, serving since 2001.

Posted by: AtlasMD

August 5, 2013

Looming Health Care Changes Worry Businesses

Looming Health Care Changes Worry Businesses

So we’ve been promoting direct care for years now, touting the freedom it gives us, the time it allows us to spend with patients. One thing we don’t always associate with being a doctor, though, is the entrepreneurship necessary to get a small business off the ground. Joining the direct care movement is a powerful decision for two reasons: one, you’re making the choice to serve patients, not bureaucracy. Two, you’re running your own business.

That said, if you’re running a small business, or plan to run one, you’ve likely conversed about Obamacare hampering the economy. Here’s a recent article from Business News Daily updating how businesses are gearing up for ACA enactment later this year. There wasn’t much by way of good news. Business News Daily reports, “Among small businesses surveyed that will be affected by the employer mandate, one-half said they will either cut hours to reduce full-time employees or replace full-time employees with part-timers to avoid the mandate. Additionally, 24 percent plan to reduce hiring to stay under 50 employees.”