Debbie Perlman Blog

The continued success of value-based care depends on providers having the tools they need to collect and analyze data. In the past, those tools haven’t always been up to the task. But that’s changing — and just in time. Despite the momentum value-based care has seen, one recent HealthEdge survey found that many health insurance executives doubt these programs will grow much over the next two years — and 40 percent cited health care technology challenges as one of the primary reasons why. Perhaps the biggest obstacle value-based care faces has to do with collecting and crunching data. Providers work most effectively when they’re able to measure changes to patients’ health and identify clues that allow them to prevent — rather than just treat — health concerns. But that’s only achievable when physicians can collect and analyze relevant data, which many can’t. Fortunately, payers, providers, vendors, academics and others have been working on ways to overcome these...

Offering your workforce health insurance for the first time is an exciting milestone. It’s a sign that your business is taking its next steps to something even bigger and better. Your employees will also appreciate the perk. Employees rate health insurance as the most valuable workplace benefit, a critical factor in their decision to either stay at a job or seek a new employer. As you begin offering health benefits, you want the process to be as smooth as possible, for you and your employees alike — especially when open enrollment (OE) enters the mix. Here’s how to make sure your employees have the information they need to make smart choices about their health insurance. Why Is an Open Enrollment Plan Essential? Even though your employees want health insurance benefits, they may not understand their plan itself. A health insurance literacy survey of 2,000 Americans with health insurance found that most of them overestimated their health insurance know-how. Despite w...

A recent insurance industry survey found that almost half of all Americans don’t have life insurance coverage 1 . The survey also found that Americans’ changing needs in different stages of life can influence their perception of the importance of life insurance in their overall financial wellness. The survey found that 67 percent of Americans believe that having life insurance is important to achieving financial wellbeing, but just 53 percent of Americans have life insurance coverage. Where does this disparity come from? It could be from different stages of life, with different pressures and expenses. What about being prepared for emergencies – how important is that to most people? According to the research, emergency savings is only important to 77% of 18-24 years old, but is important to 93% of people 55 and older. And less than half of those 18-24 year olds perceive life insurance as important to their financial wellness, but over three-quarters of 45-54 year ol...

Look past cookie-cutter approaches when saving for retirement to build a nest egg that's right for you.   Your retirement plan needs to be aligned with what you need and want. “As a whole, retirement plans can never be one size fits all, because everybody is very different,” says Ephie Coumanakos, co-founder and managing partner at Concord Financial Group in Wilmington, Delaware. Finding the right retirement plan involves: Thinking about your values and goals. Identifying your risk tolerance. Considering your age. Projecting your retirement lifestyle. Adjusting your plan as needed. Follow these strategies to create a customized retirement plan that's best for you. Understand What's Important to You The ideal retirement can vary greatly depending on your priorities and goals. Think through what's meaningful for you and how you might want to spend funds. "Sit down with your spouse or loved ones and discuss what you would like t...

While health care costs take many different shapes, your employees probably associate them most closely with the premiums they pay for their insurance. That said, they may not know everything they should about this piece of the puzzle. Who sets the price? Where does the money go? Are health insurance premiums tax deductible? Here’s a look at some common questions your employees — and you — might have about your premiums. What Are Insurance Premiums? A premium is what you pay to keep an insurance policy active. In exchange for this fee, the insurance company agrees to cover some or all of your medical bills. Monthly premiums are the most common type, but you can also make larger payments less frequently, for instance once a quarter or once a year. The insurance company collects premiums from its customers to cover their future health care bills. Where, exactly, does the money go? The vast majority — roughly 82 cents of each dollar — goes toward medical expenses ...

When President Lyndon Johnson signed Medicare into law on July 30, 1965, he declared, “No longer will older Americans be denied the healing miracle of modern medicine” (Johnson, 1965). On that promise, and much more, Medicare has delivered (Oberlander and Marmor, 2015). Over the past fifty years, Medicare has provided tens of millions of older Americans with a crucial measure of financial security and access to medical care. Moreover, since 1972, Medicare has provided coverage to persons with permanent disabilities and end-stage renal disease. Medicare is a program that almost all American families come to rely on. At the same time, so too has the medical industry come to rely on Medicare. As the single largest purchaser of medical services in the United States, Medicare is an important source of income for hospitals, physicians, home health agencies, and other medical care providers. Changes made in Medicare policy reverberate through American medical care. Medicare spending cu...

In July 2018, Better Medicare Alliance, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit, published research compiled by Avalere Health studying the treatment outcomes of chronic condition sufferers who have Original Medicare and compared them with a similar population of people who are enrolled in Medicare Advantage. The results could potentially affect how Medicare beneficiaries decide to receive their health coverage. Original Medicare Vs. Medicare Advantage Plans This particular study compared the two primary coverage options Medicare beneficiaries can typically consider. One option is to enroll in Medicare Part A and/or Part B (often called Original Medicare), which is the federally funded health insurance program founded in 1965. The other option is to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan (full disclosure: one of my companies offers Medicare Advantage plans), which is sold by private insurance companies and offers the same benefits offered by Medicare Part A and Part B under one ...

Term life insurance is among the devices that people should consider when they want to provide an immediate estate for loved onces after their death. Although term insurance is not always the most effective type of life insurance for all of a client’s death benefit needs, it can be useful in many circumstances. Since term insurance is not just one product, but rather many variations on a general theme, different types of term insurance are indicated for different client needs. Keep in mind, term insurance, more than any other type of insurance, is pure death protection with little or no ancillary or lifetime benefits. Therefore, the two overriding considerations in the use of term insurance, regardless of the specific application, are Will death protection alone meet the need? Will the coverage last as long as the need? In short, with term life insurance — as with any other decision about appropriate coverage — the product must match the problem. Term Life Insurance Ad...

The fast paced way of life has put our health on the back burner, leading to an increased risk of illnesses. While the healthcare industry is getting better in terms of quality of care available, the cost the treatments have also increased significantly. Even a small illness can lead to huge spending on your part. A good way to be prepared for any such medical emergency is to get a health insurance plan.  A good health insurance plan in USA will usually include a host of benefits, covering expenses such as the doctor’s fee, ambulance charges, pre- and post-hospitalization charges, cashless service among others. For making the right selection, it is highly advisable that you compare the health insurance plans available in USA, and choose the one that suits your needs and requirements the best. The best health insurance plan for you will depend on various factors, like the kind of coverage you want, and how much premium you can afford to pay. Types of Health Insurance...

Medicare is vital to the health of nearly 60 million Americans. Yet many of its benefits are overlooked, underused or misunderstood. Consider the annual "wellness" visit, during which a doctor will assess your health risks, take your blood pressure and other routine measurements, check for cognitive impairment, and offer personalized health advice. It's free. Yet less than 11% of Medicare beneficiaries took advantage of the benefit in 2012, according to the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice. Recent research suggests that number hasn't budged much since then. That's not the only Medicare benefit left lying on the examining table. Many healthy seniors pass up a host of free preventive services, ranging from bone mass measurement to cancer screening–"the kinds of things that people don't generally think of if they're not sick," says Bonnie Burns, a consultant at California Health Advocates. Other benefits, such as...

Most Americans have private health insurance. This is a big monthly expense and one that many would prefer to do without. But what are the advantages and disadvantages of a country using this type of health care system? Read below to find out. Advantages: 1. You Choose Your Doctor In the private healthcare system, you often have more flexibility in choosing a doctor as well as a medical facility. For patients that want the same doctor all the time, this can be a very important advantage of this type of system. 2. Shorter Wait Times If you are having surgery that is necessary but not life-threatening, there are often long wait times. In a private health insurance system, the patient will often have shorter wait times because the medical facility is less busy. And even if there are a lot of people waiting, you can often bypass the line by paying a little bit extra for faster medical attention. 3. Improved Facilities Unfortunately, because the public sy...