Hawaii's New On-line Service
Hawaii is charting some new territory in Health Care with its new online medical service American Well.
This service is being offered by HMSA, a Blue Cross Blue Shield Association licensee. They announced in June it would be the first commercial health insurer in the U.S. to offer the American Well service to its members.
The member pays a $10 co-pay for the 10-minute maximum online visit and the physician receives $35 fee, with $10 deducted for American Well’s malpractice coverage and administrative costs. Online visits must last at least three minutes in order for the doctor to earn the fee and the patient must be the one to end the call. The encounters can occur on a web camera, over the phone or through a text chat.
The service goes live with more than 120 doctors in Hawaii on January 15 through the state’s largest health insurer, Hawaii Medical Service Association, and while online, physicians will have the patient’s claims history with HMSA on the screen during the e-visit.
Non-HMSA members in Hawaii will pay $45 for an online visit, with doctors still receiving the same $35 fee, but without the claims history available. This may offer physicians and practices a steady revenue stream for small services, such as prescription renewals, routine follow-ups and general health questions, and others which it formerly handled over the phone without compensation.
This would certainly be a way to handle the after hours calls we now take and get zero reimbursement for. Our group is ready to sign up.
This service is being offered by HMSA, a Blue Cross Blue Shield Association licensee. They announced in June it would be the first commercial health insurer in the U.S. to offer the American Well service to its members.
The member pays a $10 co-pay for the 10-minute maximum online visit and the physician receives $35 fee, with $10 deducted for American Well’s malpractice coverage and administrative costs. Online visits must last at least three minutes in order for the doctor to earn the fee and the patient must be the one to end the call. The encounters can occur on a web camera, over the phone or through a text chat.
The service goes live with more than 120 doctors in Hawaii on January 15 through the state’s largest health insurer, Hawaii Medical Service Association, and while online, physicians will have the patient’s claims history with HMSA on the screen during the e-visit.
Non-HMSA members in Hawaii will pay $45 for an online visit, with doctors still receiving the same $35 fee, but without the claims history available. This may offer physicians and practices a steady revenue stream for small services, such as prescription renewals, routine follow-ups and general health questions, and others which it formerly handled over the phone without compensation.
This would certainly be a way to handle the after hours calls we now take and get zero reimbursement for. Our group is ready to sign up.
Labels: Hawaii, online service
posted by Anonymous at 5:30 AM
1 Comments:
HB = are you taking a mental health day off today due to the innaguration? I cant believe you didnt comment on it today. I'm sure it things had gone the other way, it would be your topic de jour. Tsk tsk.
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