In today’s healthcare industry, it’s no longer enough for health plans to simply reimburse for services and manage risk. They must rethink their business models, moving from serving only their members to improving the health of entire communities.
This focus on population health management requires a commitment to increasing care access, attention to social determinants of health and collaboration with non-healthcare organizations.
In order to transform these lofty goals from theory to reality, health insurers are turning to information technology, Humana’s Chief Medical Officer Roy Beveridge tells FierceHealthPayer in an exclusive interview.
“Data analytics is absolutely crucial if you’re trying to help people and you’re interested in population health,” he says.
Independence Blue Cross, meanwhile, has embraced telemedicine as a tool to open doors for patients to access the healthcare system, according to Senior Medical Director Ron Brooks. Reimbursing for virtual visits helps the payer connect patients to care in convenient ways that promotes better health, and hopefully, lower costs.
In this special report, FierceHealthPayer speaks to leaders from both companies to learn how technology helps them improve the health of their members and communities.