As patients now assume the role of health consumer, they rationally expect retail-level experiences with greater first-dollar payment for health insurance, health care services and medical products like prescription drugs. Consumers know what good retail looks and feels like, and are focusing that experiential lens on health care, Aflac found when their Workforces Survey polled Americans on what they’d like their health insurance shopping process to feel like. One in two people said, “like Amazon,” and another 20% of folks said, “like retail.” Chapter 3 of HealthConsuming is titled, “How Amazon Has Primed Health Consumers,” and explains this re-shaping of patient expectations. Here’s one of my paragraphs from the chapter, noting that, “Health consumers are hungry for Amazon’s brand of transparency, convenience, and streamlined interactions for medical care. The Amazon Prime-ing of the U.S. consumer has raised peoples’ expectations of what health care services could be: personalized, customized, anticipatory, immediate or on-schedule, and convenient – where we live, work, play, pray, learn and even drive.” People trust Amazon for daily retail experiences. The bar chart from research by Market Strategies shows that a plurality of consumers also trusts Amazon to try on for healthcare products and services. The company has been multi-tasking a broad range of tactics throughout the health care ecosystem. Every publicly traded market segment Amazon has touched has had moments of shattering stock prices. In the past couple of months, Amazon announced many health-related plans and developments, including:
Jim Cramer of CNBC’s Mad Money has been studying up on digital health, recently recommending that Apple buy Epic, the health IT behemoth. (See more on that recommendation, and subsequent social media frenzy, here on Health Populi). This month, he recommended that companies and investors need to study Amazon as a sort of “Death Star” in how the company re-defines industries — whether movies or music, retail or….health care. For health consumers, Amazon’s multi-tasking efforts are re-shaping health care service delivery and channeling. Most importantly, in this immediate moment, Amazon has re-shaped patients as health consumers — our expectations for what is possible in health care delivery, price transparency, peer-to-peer advice, and convenience. In tomorrow’s Health Populi, we’ll dive into a third key theme in HealthConsuming: that’s what we know-we-know about ZIP codes, food, deaths of despair, and the social determinants of health. Where we live portends how healthy we are…and why spending on social care is key to addressing health and longer life spans…the personal health version of surviving a death star. On Thursday, my post will raise Amazon’s role in health/care again, looking more deeply into the promise of digital health and the perils of privacy for health, retail, and other personal data. Amazon isn’t just about convenient delivery of health care “things.” It’s about the data generated by those transactions, which help to construct profiles on you and me. Using such profiles can be very helpful for health, if that’s the intent of the data-miner. But as the Financial Times pointed out today in an op-ed written by its editorial board, “Platform companies from Amazon to Google to Apple are getting deep into the healthcare field, allowing us to do everything from communicate with doctors to check on prescriptions. The privacy implications are troubling….they are [also] surveilling consumers at the same time — gathering, analysing and, in many cases, selling sensitive data. In many countries, personal healthcare data are subject to strict regulation. In the US, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) imposes criminal and civil penalties for breaching confidentiality of healthcare data. But the rules apply only to entities covered by HIPAA such as healthcare plans and providers, or clearing houses that process healthcare claims.” Stay tuned to tomorrow’s post, on social determinants of health and social spending. By Friday, the dots will converge on the topic of morphing from health consumers to health citizens. The post Health Consumers Are Now Amazon-Primed for Healthcare – HealthConsuming Explains, Part 2 appeared first on HealthPopuli.com. Health Consumers Are Now Amazon-Primed for Healthcare – HealthConsuming Explains, Part 2 posted first on http://dentistfortworth.blogspot.com via Blogger Health Consumers Are Now Amazon-Primed for Healthcare – HealthConsuming Explains, Part 2
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As patients now assume the role of health consumer, they rationally expect retail-level experiences with greater first-dollar payment for health insurance, health care services and medical products like prescription drugs. Consumers know what good retail looks and feels like, and are focusing that experiential lens on health care, Aflac found when their Workforces Survey polled Americans on what they’d like their health insurance shopping process to feel like. One in two people said, “like Amazon,” and another 20% of folks said, “like retail.” Chapter 3 of HealthConsuming is titled, “How Amazon Has Primed Health Consumers,” and explains this re-shaping of patient expectations. Here’s one of my paragraphs from the chapter, noting that, “Health consumers are hungry for Amazon’s brand of transparency, convenience, and streamlined interactions for medical care. The Amazon Prime-ing of the U.S. consumer has raised peoples’ expectations of what health care services could be: personalized, customized, anticipatory, immediate or on-schedule, and convenient – where we live, work, play, pray, learn and even drive.” People trust Amazon for daily retail experiences. The bar chart from research by Market Strategies shows that a plurality of consumers also trusts Amazon to try on for healthcare products and services. The company has been multi-tasking a broad range of tactics throughout the health care ecosystem. Every publicly traded market segment Amazon has touched has had moments of shattering stock prices. In the past couple of months, Amazon announced many health-related plans and developments, including:
Jim Cramer of CNBC’s Mad Money has been studying up on digital health, recently recommending that Apple buy Epic, the health IT behemoth. (See more on that recommendation, and subsequent social media frenzy, here on Health Populi). This month, he recommended that companies and investors need to study Amazon as a sort of “Death Star” in how the company re-defines industries — whether movies or music, retail or….health care. For health consumers, Amazon’s multi-tasking efforts are re-shaping health care service delivery and channeling. Most importantly, in this immediate moment, Amazon has re-shaped patients as health consumers — our expectations for what is possible in health care delivery, price transparency, peer-to-peer advice, and convenience. In tomorrow’s Health Populi, we’ll dive into a third key theme in HealthConsuming: that’s what we know-we-know about ZIP codes, food, deaths of despair, and the social determinants of health. Where we live portends how healthy we are…and why spending on social care is key to addressing health and longer life spans…the personal health version of surviving a death star. On Thursday, my post will raise Amazon’s role in health/care again, looking more deeply into the promise of digital health and the perils of privacy for health, retail, and other personal data. Amazon isn’t just about convenient delivery of health care “things.” It’s about the data generated by those transactions, which help to construct profiles on you and me. Using such profiles can be very helpful for health, if that’s the intent of the data-miner. But as the Financial Times pointed out today in an op-ed written by its editorial board, “Platform companies from Amazon to Google to Apple are getting deep into the healthcare field, allowing us to do everything from communicate with doctors to check on prescriptions. The privacy implications are troubling….they are [also] surveilling consumers at the same time — gathering, analysing and, in many cases, selling sensitive data. In many countries, personal healthcare data are subject to strict regulation. In the US, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) imposes criminal and civil penalties for breaching confidentiality of healthcare data. But the rules apply only to entities covered by HIPAA such as healthcare plans and providers, or clearing houses that process healthcare claims.” Stay tuned to tomorrow’s post, on social determinants of health and social spending. By Friday, the dots will converge on the topic of morphing from health consumers to health citizens. The post Health Consumers Are Now Amazon-Primed for Healthcare – HealthConsuming Explains, Part 2 appeared first on HealthPopuli.com. Health Consumers Are Now Amazon-Primed for Healthcare – HealthConsuming Explains, Part 2 posted first on http://dentistfortworth.blogspot.com via Blogger Health Consumers Are Now Amazon-Primed for Healthcare – HealthConsuming Explains, Part 2 There are a number of reasons that adults—grown adults—avoid trips to the dentist.
According to the American Dental Association, over 17% of people admit they avoid going to the dentist due to anxiety. And this “demotivator” is right behind the very real inability to pay for dental services that leaves millions of patients avoiding appointments each year. There are still others who have special needs or who are facing complex dental procedures, which result in fear or apprehension when faced with a visit to the dentist.
If you or a family member—even children--can identify with any of these issues, then it might be worthwhile to consider if sedation dentistry is right for you. Don’t let the word “sedation” cause more anxiety, though! This option is a safe and gentle for almost all ages. Keep reading as we break down the types of sedation available as well as the groups of patients who may be best served by sedation dentistry. What is sedation dentistry?
Sedation dentistry offers patients relief from anxiety and pain and ensures a pain–free procedure--many times without any memory of the appointment. While many complex procedures are performed with some form of anesthesia, it is possible for general cleaning to also take place under sedation for those patients who suffer from severe anxiety.
There are several levels of sedation we use, all depending on the complexity of the procedure. The American Dental Association, in conjunction with state guidelines, offers a set of best practices for the administration of local anesthesia, sedation, and general anesthesia. Your dentist will decide which level of sedation is best for you. Below is a breakdown of the varying types of anesthesia typically used:
Who’s eligible for sedation dentistry?
Anxious patients
As mentioned, dental anxiety is a highly present issue among adults. If you suffer from dental anxiety, but have trouble articulating your fears with your dentist, your provider might choose to utilize the Corah’s Dental Anxiety Scale. Developed in 1969, this four question survey allows patients to choose from five answers. Each answer corresponds with numerical score. The total score allows the dentist to determine how anxious you are about the appointment.
Another assessment tool is the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale. This survey consists of five questions, each with a five-category rating scale, ranging from “not anxious” to “extremely anxious.” One difference in this survey is that it has an extra item about the respondent’s anxiety to a local anesthetic injection as well as the dental procedure itself.
Based on the results of the survey, your dentist may recommend sedation as part of your treatment.
Special needs patients
The special needs population is diverse and has a wide range of dental needs. Due to this, the reasons for the use of sedation dentistry are equally varied. Not only does this influence the type of anesthesia used, it also makes an impact on how the anesthesia is introduced.
For instance, special needs patients may have physical limitations as well as intellectual disabilities, each of which are vital components that are taken into consideration. One common example of special needs dentistry is serving those with autism. Since the dentist’s office can present an array of sensory challenges such as new tastes, smells and textures, sedation can offer a calmer experience. If you or your child have special needs, have a conversation with your dentist ahead of time to discuss options to make the patient most comfortable.
Complex procedures
Finally, some dental procedures can take several hours to complete. Since many patients would prefer to be in the chair for the least amount of time possible, they choose to break these procedures into multiple visits. However, sedation density allows patients to calmly complete complex procedures in a single visit. For example, patients who need extensive rebuilding procedures or multiple cavities filled at one time may be good candidates for sedation dentistry.
Are there risks to sedation dentistry?
As with any procedure, it’s important to discuss with your dentist if you are a good candidate for sedation dentistry. For those with sleep apnea or adverse reactions to anesthesia, it’s important to discuss your medical history with your dentist prior to any procedure.
Finally, everyone reacts differently to the different medications used for sedation. This includes how much is needed for complete sedation as well as any adverse feelings upon “coming to.” If you are concerned about how you may react, make sure to ask your dentist prior to your appointment.
Sedation dentistry has the ability to transform the practice of dentistry for those that avoid it due to anxiety or fear of pain. If you are interested in what Dr. Ku’s office has to offer, give us a call today! The post Sedation Dentistry – Your Ultimate Guide appeared first on Fort Worth Dentist | 7th Street District | H. Peter Ku, D.D.S. PA. Sedation Dentistry – Your Ultimate Guide posted first on http://dentistfortworth.blogspot.com via Blogger Sedation Dentistry – Your Ultimate Guide There are a number of reasons that adults—grown adults—avoid trips to the dentist.
According to the American Dental Association, over 17% of people admit they avoid going to the dentist due to anxiety. And this “demotivator” is right behind the very real inability to pay for dental services that leaves millions of patients avoiding appointments each year. There are still others who have special needs or who are facing complex dental procedures, which result in fear or apprehension when faced with a visit to the dentist.
If you or a family member—even children--can identify with any of these issues, then it might be worthwhile to consider if sedation dentistry is right for you. Don’t let the word “sedation” cause more anxiety, though! This option is a safe and gentle for almost all ages. Keep reading as we break down the types of sedation available as well as the groups of patients who may be best served by sedation dentistry. What is sedation dentistry?
Sedation dentistry offers patients relief from anxiety and pain and ensures a pain–free procedure--many times without any memory of the appointment. While many complex procedures are performed with some form of anesthesia, it is possible for general cleaning to also take place under sedation for those patients who suffer from severe anxiety.
There are several levels of sedation we use, all depending on the complexity of the procedure. The American Dental Association, in conjunction with state guidelines, offers a set of best practices for the administration of local anesthesia, sedation, and general anesthesia. Your dentist will decide which level of sedation is best for you. Below is a breakdown of the varying types of anesthesia typically used:
Who’s eligible for sedation dentistry?
Anxious patients
As mentioned, dental anxiety is a highly present issue among adults. If you suffer from dental anxiety, but have trouble articulating your fears with your dentist, your provider might choose to utilize the Corah’s Dental Anxiety Scale. Developed in 1969, this four question survey allows patients to choose from five answers. Each answer corresponds with numerical score. The total score allows the dentist to determine how anxious you are about the appointment.
Another assessment tool is the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale. This survey consists of five questions, each with a five-category rating scale, ranging from “not anxious” to “extremely anxious.” One difference in this survey is that it has an extra item about the respondent’s anxiety to a local anesthetic injection as well as the dental procedure itself.
Based on the results of the survey, your dentist may recommend sedation as part of your treatment.
Special needs patients
The special needs population is diverse and has a wide range of dental needs. Due to this, the reasons for the use of sedation dentistry are equally varied. Not only does this influence the type of anesthesia used, it also makes an impact on how the anesthesia is introduced.
For instance, special needs patients may have physical limitations as well as intellectual disabilities, each of which are vital components that are taken into consideration. One common example of special needs dentistry is serving those with autism. Since the dentist’s office can present an array of sensory challenges such as new tastes, smells and textures, sedation can offer a calmer experience. If you or your child have special needs, have a conversation with your dentist ahead of time to discuss options to make the patient most comfortable.
Complex procedures
Finally, some dental procedures can take several hours to complete. Since many patients would prefer to be in the chair for the least amount of time possible, they choose to break these procedures into multiple visits. However, sedation density allows patients to calmly complete complex procedures in a single visit. For example, patients who need extensive rebuilding procedures or multiple cavities filled at one time may be good candidates for sedation dentistry.
Are there risks to sedation dentistry?
As with any procedure, it’s important to discuss with your dentist if you are a good candidate for sedation dentistry. For those with sleep apnea or adverse reactions to anesthesia, it’s important to discuss your medical history with your dentist prior to any procedure.
Finally, everyone reacts differently to the different medications used for sedation. This includes how much is needed for complete sedation as well as any adverse feelings upon “coming to.” If you are concerned about how you may react, make sure to ask your dentist prior to your appointment.
Sedation dentistry has the ability to transform the practice of dentistry for those that avoid it due to anxiety or fear of pain. If you are interested in what Dr. Ku’s office has to offer, give us a call today! The post Sedation Dentistry – Your Ultimate Guide appeared first on Fort Worth Dentist | 7th Street District | H. Peter Ku, D.D.S. PA. Sedation Dentistry – Your Ultimate Guide posted first on http://dentistfortworth.blogspot.com via Blogger Sedation Dentistry – Your Ultimate Guide There are a number of reasons that adults—grown adults—avoid trips to the dentist.
According to the American Dental Association, over 17% of people admit they avoid going to the dentist due to anxiety. And this “demotivator” is right behind the very real inability to pay for dental services that leaves millions of patients avoiding appointments each year. There are still others who have special needs or who are facing complex dental procedures, which result in fear or apprehension when faced with a visit to the dentist.
If you or a family member—even children--can identify with any of these issues, then it might be worthwhile to consider if sedation dentistry is right for you. Don’t let the word “sedation” cause more anxiety, though! This option is a safe and gentle for almost all ages. Keep reading as we break down the types of sedation available as well as the groups of patients who may be best served by sedation dentistry. What is sedation dentistry?
Sedation dentistry offers patients relief from anxiety and pain and ensures a pain–free procedure--many times without any memory of the appointment. While many complex procedures are performed with some form of anesthesia, it is possible for general cleaning to also take place under sedation for those patients who suffer from severe anxiety.
There are several levels of sedation we use, all depending on the complexity of the procedure. The American Dental Association, in conjunction with state guidelines, offers a set of best practices for the administration of local anesthesia, sedation, and general anesthesia. Your dentist will decide which level of sedation is best for you. Below is a breakdown of the varying types of anesthesia typically used:
Who’s eligible for sedation dentistry?
Anxious patients
As mentioned, dental anxiety is a highly present issue among adults. If you suffer from dental anxiety, but have trouble articulating your fears with your dentist, your provider might choose to utilize the Corah’s Dental Anxiety Scale. Developed in 1969, this four question survey allows patients to choose from five answers. Each answer corresponds with numerical score. The total score allows the dentist to determine how anxious you are about the appointment.
Another assessment tool is the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale. This survey consists of five questions, each with a five-category rating scale, ranging from “not anxious” to “extremely anxious.” One difference in this survey is that it has an extra item about the respondent’s anxiety to a local anesthetic injection as well as the dental procedure itself.
Based on the results of the survey, your dentist may recommend sedation as part of your treatment.
Special needs patients
The special needs population is diverse and has a wide range of dental needs. Due to this, the reasons for the use of sedation dentistry are equally varied. Not only does this influence the type of anesthesia used, it also makes an impact on how the anesthesia is introduced.
For instance, special needs patients may have physical limitations as well as intellectual disabilities, each of which are vital components that are taken into consideration. One common example of special needs dentistry is serving those with autism. Since the dentist’s office can present an array of sensory challenges such as new tastes, smells and textures, sedation can offer a calmer experience. If you or your child have special needs, have a conversation with your dentist ahead of time to discuss options to make the patient most comfortable.
Complex procedures
Finally, some dental procedures can take several hours to complete. Since many patients would prefer to be in the chair for the least amount of time possible, they choose to break these procedures into multiple visits. However, sedation density allows patients to calmly complete complex procedures in a single visit. For example, patients who need extensive rebuilding procedures or multiple cavities filled at one time may be good candidates for sedation dentistry.
Are there risks to sedation dentistry?
As with any procedure, it’s important to discuss with your dentist if you are a good candidate for sedation dentistry. For those with sleep apnea or adverse reactions to anesthesia, it’s important to discuss your medical history with your dentist prior to any procedure.
Finally, everyone reacts differently to the different medications used for sedation. This includes how much is needed for complete sedation as well as any adverse feelings upon “coming to.” If you are concerned about how you may react, make sure to ask your dentist prior to your appointment.
Sedation dentistry has the ability to transform the practice of dentistry for those that avoid it due to anxiety or fear of pain. If you are interested in what Dr. Ku’s office has to offer, give us a call today! The post Sedation Dentistry – Your Ultimate Guide appeared first on Fort Worth Dentist | 7th Street District | H. Peter Ku, D.D.S. PA. Sedation Dentistry – Your Ultimate Guide posted first on http://dentistfortworth.blogspot.com via Blogger Sedation Dentistry – Your Ultimate Guide We Are All Health Consumers Now. That’s the title of the first chapter of my new book, HealthConsuming: From Health Consumer to Health Citizen. I start this chapter quoting President Ronald Reagan in 1983, who recognized that health care costs were growing at three times the rate of inflation during the first term of his Presidency. It’s déjà vu in health care all over again, but 35 years later, it’s the patient now facing sticker-shock with first dollar payments in high-deductible health plans, six-figure prices on specialty drugs to treat cancers, and a poor return-on-investment for personal health spending. Thus begins my journey, with you the reader, explaining how patients-as-payors, now nudged into the role of consumer, could morph into health citizens: with rights to health care, bolstered privacy protections; more care in the community and at home to boost quality and safety and reduce costs, and, more opportunity and responsibility for self-care. In the Health Populi blog this week, I’ll take each weekday to explain one part of this story: the patient-as-payor, now consumer; how Amazon has primed health consumers, with informed retail service expectations; what we know about ZIP codes, food, deaths of despair and the social determinants for health; the promise of digital health and perils of privacy; and finally, whether health consumers in the U.S. can/will emerge as health citizens. All of these themes are backed up by 519 endnotes in the back of the book, as I connect the dots of the rich evidence base for telling this story. First, let’s explore the scenario-reality of the patient-as-payor, now consumer. This is a contentious issue, debated from my admired economist-guru Paul Krugman in the New York Times in 2011 when he contended that patients weren’t consumers; to last week in Medscape, when bioethicist, and another admired thinker, Dr. Art Caplan, echoed the same. Health Affairs covered this topic, too, last month, which I discussed here in Health Populi. The data, though, demonstrate the growing adoption of high-deductible health plans, co-payments and coinsurance for health plan members. When people face first-dollar out-of-pocket spending, they are assigned the role of consumer in choosing to spend that money out of household budgets. The latest research from the Bureau of Labor statistics is that on a median household basis, 20% of spending goes to healthcare. That’s the immediate situation for real people facing real diagnoses, today and tomorrow, in 2019. “Today’s high deductibles are tomorrow’s bad debt,” a Moody’s analyst recently wrote. This starts the theme of the second chapter — The Patient is the Payor. Health care costs stress out people at all income levels in the U.S., according to the American Psychological Association‘s annual study on Stress in America. And this goes, too, for people both uninsured and insured. This isn’t a new-new finding: even families earning over $90,000 a year cited health care costs as their #1 pocketbook issue, a Kaiser Family Foundation study learned in 2015. This sets the stage for understanding how patients, now consumers, paying more directly for health care in deductibles and OOP expenses are, justifiably, expecting greater service, experiences, value and return-on-investment from th ehealth care industry. Welcome to the next section of HealthConsuming, the Amazon-Prime-ing of health consumers, in tomorrow’s Health Populi blog, The post Patients Become Healthcare Payors, Now Consumers – HealthConsuming Explains, Part 1 appeared first on HealthPopuli.com. Patients Become Healthcare Payors, Now Consumers – HealthConsuming Explains, Part 1 posted first on http://dentistfortworth.blogspot.com via Blogger Patients Become Healthcare Payors, Now Consumers – HealthConsuming Explains, Part 1 We Are All Health Consumers Now. That’s the title of the first chapter of my new book, HealthConsuming: From Health Consumer to Health Citizen. I start this chapter quoting President Ronald Reagan in 1983, who recognized that health care costs were growing at three times the rate of inflation during the first term of his Presidency. It’s déjà vu in health care all over again, but 35 years later, it’s the patient now facing sticker-shock with first dollar payments in high-deductible health plans, six-figure prices on specialty drugs to treat cancers, and a poor return-on-investment for personal health spending. Thus begins my journey, with you the reader, explaining how patients-as-payors, now nudged into the role of consumer, could morph into health citizens: with rights to health care, bolstered privacy protections; more care in the community and at home to boost quality and safety and reduce costs, and, more opportunity and responsibility for self-care. In the Health Populi blog this week, I’ll take each weekday to explain one part of this story: the patient-as-payor, now consumer; how Amazon has primed health consumers, with informed retail service expectations; what we know about ZIP codes, food, deaths of despair and the social determinants for health; the promise of digital health and perils of privacy; and finally, whether health consumers in the U.S. can/will emerge as health citizens. All of these themes are backed up by 519 endnotes in the back of the book, as I connect the dots of the rich evidence base for telling this story. First, let’s explore the scenario-reality of the patient-as-payor, now consumer. This is a contentious issue, debated from my admired economist-guru Paul Krugman in the New York Times in 2011 when he contended that patients weren’t consumers; to last week in Medscape, when bioethicist, and another admired thinker, Dr. Art Caplan, echoed the same. Health Affairs covered this topic, too, last month, which I discussed here in Health Populi. The data, though, demonstrate the growing adoption of high-deductible health plans, co-payments and coinsurance for health plan members. When people face first-dollar out-of-pocket spending, they are assigned the role of consumer in choosing to spend that money out of household budgets. The latest research from the Bureau of Labor statistics is that on a median household basis, 20% of spending goes to healthcare. That’s the immediate situation for real people facing real diagnoses, today and tomorrow, in 2019. “Today’s high deductibles are tomorrow’s bad debt,” a Moody’s analyst recently wrote. This starts the theme of the second chapter — The Patient is the Payor. Health care costs stress out people at all income levels in the U.S., according to the American Psychological Association‘s annual study on Stress in America. And this goes, too, for people both uninsured and insured. This isn’t a new-new finding: even families earning over $90,000 a year cited health care costs as their #1 pocketbook issue, a Kaiser Family Foundation study learned in 2015. This sets the stage for understanding how patients, now consumers, paying more directly for health care in deductibles and OOP expenses are, justifiably, expecting greater service, experiences, value and return-on-investment from th ehealth care industry. Welcome to the next section of HealthConsuming, the Amazon-Prime-ing of health consumers, in tomorrow’s Health Populi blog, The post Patients Become Healthcare Payors, Now Consumers – HealthConsuming Explains, Part 1 appeared first on HealthPopuli.com. Patients Become Healthcare Payors, Now Consumers – HealthConsuming Explains, Part 1 posted first on http://dentistfortworth.blogspot.com via Blogger Patients Become Healthcare Payors, Now Consumers – HealthConsuming Explains, Part 1 We Are All Health Consumers Now. That’s the title of the first chapter of my new book, HealthConsuming: From Health Consumer to Health Citizen. I start this chapter quoting President Ronald Reagan in 1983, who recognized that health care costs were growing at three times the rate of inflation during the first term of his Presidency. It’s déjà vu in health care all over again, but 35 years later, it’s the patient now facing sticker-shock with first dollar payments in high-deductible health plans, six-figure prices on specialty drugs to treat cancers, and a poor return-on-investment for personal health spending. Thus begins my journey, with you the reader, explaining how patients-as-payors, now nudged into the role of consumer, could morph into health citizens: with rights to health care, bolstered privacy protections; more care in the community and at home to boost quality and safety and reduce costs, and, more opportunity and responsibility for self-care. In the Health Populi blog this week, I’ll take each weekday to explain one part of this story: the patient-as-payor, now consumer; how Amazon has primed health consumers, with informed retail service expectations; what we know about ZIP codes, food, deaths of despair and the social determinants for health; the promise of digital health and perils of privacy; and finally, whether health consumers in the U.S. can/will emerge as health citizens. All of these themes are backed up by 519 endnotes in the back of the book, as I connect the dots of the rich evidence base for telling this story. First, let’s explore the scenario-reality of the patient-as-payor, now consumer. This is a contentious issue, debated from my admired economist-guru Paul Krugman in the New York Times in 2011 when he contended that patients weren’t consumers; to last week in Medscape, when bioethicist, and another admired thinker, Dr. Art Caplan, echoed the same. Health Affairs covered this topic, too, last month, which I discussed here in Health Populi. The data, though, demonstrate the growing adoption of high-deductible health plans, co-payments and coinsurance for health plan members. When people face first-dollar out-of-pocket spending, they are assigned the role of consumer in choosing to spend that money out of household budgets. The latest research from the Bureau of Labor statistics is that on a median household basis, 20% of spending goes to healthcare. That’s the immediate situation for real people facing real diagnoses, today and tomorrow, in 2019. “Today’s high deductibles are tomorrow’s bad debt,” a Moody’s analyst recently wrote. This starts the theme of the second chapter — The Patient is the Payor. Health care costs stress out people at all income levels in the U.S., according to the American Psychological Association‘s annual study on Stress in America. And this goes, too, for people both uninsured and insured. This isn’t a new-new finding: even families earning over $90,000 a year cited health care costs as their #1 pocketbook issue, a Kaiser Family Foundation study learned in 2015. This sets the stage for understanding how patients, now consumers, paying more directly for health care in deductibles and OOP expenses are, justifiably, expecting greater service, experiences, value and return-on-investment from th ehealth care industry. Welcome to the next section of HealthConsuming, the Amazon-Prime-ing of health consumers, in tomorrow’s Health Populi blog, The post Patients Become Healthcare Payors, Now Consumers – HealthConsuming Explains, Part 1 appeared first on HealthPopuli.com. Patients Become Healthcare Payors, Now Consumers – HealthConsuming Explains, Part 1 posted first on http://dentistfortworth.blogspot.com via Blogger Patients Become Healthcare Payors, Now Consumers – HealthConsuming Explains, Part 1 As the U.S. ages, more and more individuals have chronic conditions or functional limitations which may at some point require senior housing, such as independent or assisted living facilities and nursing homes. The question is, will individuals be able to afford this type of housing? According to a paper by Pearson et al. (2019), the answer for most people the answer will be ‘no’.
The authors come to this conclusion by projecting future chronic conditions, functional limitations and income levels trends derived from the Health and Retirement Survey (HRS). Note that assisted living costs about $44,400 on average per year and costs have risen over time. Perhaps surprisingly, it may not be the poor who will not be able to afford senior housing, but instead middle income individuals may the ones get squeezed.
The decrease in employer use of pensions and under-saving by employees through 401(k) options, make this issue even more acute. Source:
Will you be able to afford senior housing when you get old? posted first on http://dentistfortworth.blogspot.com via Blogger Will you be able to afford senior housing when you get old? As the U.S. ages, more and more individuals have chronic conditions or functional limitations which may at some point require senior housing, such as independent or assisted living facilities and nursing homes. The question is, will individuals be able to afford this type of housing? According to a paper by Pearson et al. (2019), the answer for most people the answer will be ‘no’.
The authors come to this conclusion by projecting future chronic conditions, functional limitations and income levels trends derived from the Health and Retirement Survey (HRS). Note that assisted living costs about $44,400 on average per year and costs have risen over time. Perhaps surprisingly, it may not be the poor who will not be able to afford senior housing, but instead middle income individuals may the ones get squeezed.
The decrease in employer use of pensions and under-saving by employees through 401(k) options, make this issue even more acute. Source:
Will you be able to afford senior housing when you get old? posted first on http://dentistfortworth.blogspot.com via Blogger Will you be able to afford senior housing when you get old? |
ABOUT US
I am a certified Dietitian and won many accolades for my award winning The Nutrition Guide. I am also co-founder of Step Consulting and guiding you to live a healthier you for more than 20 years. My Other Profiles: |