Briefs
2007 Health Literacy
Kit Recently Released
The AMA Foundation just released its updated health literacy kit, “Health Literacy and Patient Safety: Help Patients Understand.”
Since its inception in 2001, the health literacy kit continues to be widely recognized as the chief means for educating health care professionals and the public on this important issue. Few other organizations or institutions have developed such a tool that both visually demonstrates the general scope of health literacy and provides actual materials to help aid improved physician-patient communication.
The health literacy kit includes:
• An instructional video on DVD and CD-ROM (also available on VHS)
• An in-depth manual for clinicians
• Continuing Medical Education credit for physicians
• Additional resources for education and involvement
The 2007 version of the health literacy kit is updated from the previous version in that:
• The instructional video is now on DVD and CD-ROM formats, rather than VHS and CD-ROM.
• The manual for clinicians contains updated health literacy research data.
• It includes an extra packet of tear-off pads for the patient reception area display (for a total of two pads).
• The packaging has a slimmer and sleeker look.
The two main components of the kit, the instructional video and the manual for clinicians are both available for download at no charge on the AMA Foundation health literacy website at www.amafoundation.org
/go/healthliteracy.
Hard copies of the kits can be purchased for $35 through the AMA Bookstore by visiting www.amabook
store.com or calling (800) 621-8335 and asking for Item #OP221007.
VHS versions of the instructional video are sold separately from the kit for $10. To order, visit www.amabookstore.com or call (800) 621-8335 and ask for Item #OP221407.
The 2007 Health Literacy kit is sponsored in part by AstraZeneca.
New Texas Laws Create
Transparency
in Health Care Coverage
A special report from the Texas Medical Association
Health care coverage is about to become clearer for Texas patients, thanks to a new law the legislature passed this session.
The new legislation will ensure that Texas employers, their employees and patients have access to health care information about medical service costs and patient out-of-pocket expenses. Texas Senate Bill 1731 by Sen. Robert Duncan (R-Lubbock) calls for transparency of health care costs from health insurers as well as hospitals, physicians and other health care professionals so patients can make better and more informed health care decisions.
Doctors have heard repeatedly that their patients know they have health insurance but do not know which medical services are covered, the amount of their co-pay or deductible, or which physicians are currently in their health plan. Patients ask their doctor for help, but as a rule neither the physicians nor their staff have the patient’s health insurance information — only the insurer has access to this data.
The new law, which the Texas Medical Association (TMA) strongly supported, should give patients and physicians access to that information. “This is the first step toward true health insurance transparency about what is available and what is not available for patients,” said William W. Hinchey, MD, TMA’s president.
A key component of the bill requires the Texas Department of Insurance to collect and show consumers health insurer, hospital and physician information including billing, coverage areas, plan costs and premium increases, and the number of health care providers. Physicians, hospitals and insurers will be required to provide patients with billing and collection policies, specific cost estimates and other information related to health care coverage and costs.
The law also requires health plans to report where they spend health insurance premium dollars, and how adequate their physician network is — whether the plan has enough in-network specialists nearby to meet patients’ varying medical needs. Gov. Rick Perry signed SB 1731 into law in June, and it will go into effect on Sept. 1.
“It was time for positive change for patients. Up until now, they too-often wondered, is this hospital or this physician in-network or out of network?” explained Dr. Hinchey. “They wondered what portion of the bill they would be responsible for paying, and even what treatments are covered.”
Patient stories abound. One patient received bills for medical procedures that her insurance supposedly covers, and not until 12 phone calls later did the insurer admit its mistake. Another woman knew she had met her deductible and found an in-network physician specialist for care, yet she received a surprise bill because her insurance actually includes two deductibles, and she had not met the second deductible. Another patient’s insurer does not cover a nearby in-network specialist her daughter needs but promises to consider it in-network coverage if no physician is available for 75 miles. Yet the insurer still only paid one-sixth of the bill, charging the patient the rest because of differing definitions of “in-network.” Because they routinely hear stories like these, Texas physicians told lawmakers that patients need accurate, current and honest information on co-pays, deductibles and health plan networks. Patients need a clearer picture, doctors urged, to make decisions
about their health care — particularly as they and their employers pay steep insurance premiums.
“Open, transparent discussions have been the heart of the patient-physician relationship for centuries,” said Dr. Hinchey. Yet recently, the insurer seems to be seated between the patient and physician, making treatment decisions and affecting what and how much the patient pays. And the patient’s only information arrives later, in the mail, in the form of an explanation of benefits statement — which patients widely regard as difficult to understand.
Physicians hope the new law will return the information to patients and physicians, so they once again can make the best care decisions.
Other new laws TMA strongly supported that passed include:
• House Bill 1594 by Rep. John Zerwas, MD (R-Richmond), will prevent patients from paying out-of-network costs when seeing a physician whose new medical group already is under contract by a health plan;
• House Bill 2015 by Rep. John Smithee (R-Amarillo) will provide employers with access to health insurance information so they can evaluate employee health care expenditures; and
• House Bill 522 by Rep. Beverly Woolley (R-Houston) introduces a pilot project in the Houston area for health insurers to provide patients with their health insurance coverage information using smart-card type technology.
Coming to San Antonio September 18
If you don’t already have an EMR in your practice, the pressure is on. Everywhere you turn – government, payers, professional organizations, patients — the message is that you need to implement an electronic medical record system into your practice to be successful.
Are you ready? With more than 300+ EMR systems vendors vying for your business, selecting the right EMR for your practice can be difficult.
If you have already adopted an EMR in your practice, are you using it to its fullest potential? Is your practice more productive? How can you learn to use the EMR to improve the quality of care, patient safety and make your practice more competitive?
Attending an EMR Road Show™ can help. Learn the latest EMR developments, find out about the forces and issues behind EMR adoption, explore case studies and analyze what would work best for your practice.
This unbiased program is brought to locations all across the United States by Medical Records Institute, Inc., a Boston-based organization involved in applied research and serving as a leader in education programs about EMRs.
For more information, please call (617) 964-3923.
Mark Your Calendars
Stroke and Cerebrovascular
Diseases: Update Symposium
Sponsored by the UTHSCSA Departments of Neurosurgery and Radiology and the Division of Neurology
November 9, 8 a.m. – 5:45 p.m.
Greehey Children’s Cancer Research Institute, 8403 Floyd Curl Drive
For more information contact: Patricia M. Fernandez, MD at (210) 567-6456.
