Any technology that enables a person to realize that their health relates to wealth should be brought to the forefront immediately as well as any technology that enhances the ability of an individual to become a true consumer of healthcare.
The obesity epidemic is a perfect example of our nation’s lack of education around the personal economic impact of this condition and the need for solid consumer healthcare technologies to motivate change. There has been significant research and reports year over year addressing the escalating waistlines of Americans, yet the behaviors that drive obesity are not changing. Why is this happening? Primarily because there is a lack of connecting one’s own body image to being “unhealthy” and the availability of a diet high in carbohydrates. Since most of America is overweight or obese, many people see themselves as perfectly healthy even though their BMI is in the overweight or obese range. When they look around, they appear to be “in the norm” and therefore their perception of themselves is that they are healthy when in fact they are not. To further complicate the obesity epidemic, a recent MRI study revealed that the current BMI scale may actually underestimate obesity rates by as much as 32%. If this study holds true, that could increase the obesity rates to 63% of all Americans versus the currently reported 32%.
So the question still remains, how do we motivate people to realize that they have a problem - that they are part of the larger problem and that they need to change their behavior to be part of the solution? The answer is surprisingly simple-- economics. You don’t have to be Allen Greenspan to realize that money motivates and matters to every individual and household in America.
What if technology could easily demonstrate to an individual what their present condition meant in terms of cash out of their pocket? Yes, a simple App that can quickly show an individual what behaviors are really costing them on a monthly basis. As these individuals begin to visualize the cash value associated with their good health, they are motivated to modify or change their behavior and are able to achieve financial wellness.
They will have less money to spend on poor health habits, such as extra food, alcohol and tobacco, and more disposable income to invest into their future. Their health becomes their future wealth. This type of technology (Health Index Calculator™) exists online for employees and individuals.
Sometimes it just takes a simple idea to bring into perspective a complicated dynamic. It’s a kin to being pulled over by the police and all of a sudden realizing that you were speeding.
Our money is on technologies that focus on prevention and transforming patients into true consumers of care. Technology that focuses on medical outcomes is already too late in the game. Perhaps it’s time to change up the conversation around technology towards applications that help prevent disease rather than alleviate the symptoms of so many preventable diseases. We can analyze Petabytes or Exabytes of existing medical claims data but we’ll always come back to a simple conclusion; “an ounce of prevention is worth billions of dollars in alleviating symptoms”. Keeping yourself healthy by engaging is healthy behaviors and lifestyles can save lives and bring back affordability to healthcare. The cure for our chronic disease epidemic begins with the individual.
Besides the Health Index Calculator we favor technology that can add transparency to the healthcare transaction through a Point of Service payment system that instantly adjudicates a claim, re-prices it and clinically edits it all over the web. Implementing a system like this would do away with insurance forms, EDI claims, patient bills and a great volume of paper. It would streamline administrative costs for all stakeholders. This technology exists today and has been proven to work. Look for our next article that discusses this technology in more depth.
About Simplicity Health Plans
Simplicity Health Plans is a transaction integrator that creates SaaS technologies for comprehensive consumer solutions that offer an “End-to-End” cure for rising healthcare expenditures, which includes the best implementation of a CDHP/HSA. Simplicity aligns the interests of the Provider, Employer, and Employee to provide a turn-key, fully integrated Consumer Directed Health platform. The platform fuses unparalleled technology, point of service adjudication, real-time data, and anti-fraud controls. Our technology portfolio includes; the Health Index Calculator™ (Health2Cash™ App), the StayFit Plan™ wellness platform and the first of its kind and proven CDHP/HSA Point of Service Payment System for healthcare.
About the Authors
Lisa M. Holland, RN, MBA has been in the healthcare care industry for over 18 years and held senior level positions within major healthcare organizations. Lisa is an accomplished wellness subject matter expert and President of the StayFit Plan administered by Simplicity Health Plans. Contact Lisa at 216.367.3092 or at lisaholland@simplicityhealthplans.com
Gregory James Hummer, M.D., a NASA consultant, trained at the Cleveland Clinic Hospital and has spent the last 18 years developing technologies to solve the vexing complexities, out-of-control costs, burdens and inefficiencies associated with today’s healthcare system. Dr. Hummer is Chairman and CEO of Simplicity Health Plans. Visit us at: www.simplicitiyhealthplan.com.
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