Description: Identifying and submitting all appropriate ICD-9 diagnosis codes to CMS will result in a higher risk score for the member and increased payments to Medicare Advantage plans. Milliman's HCC prevalence study illustrates the significant variations in HCC prevalence rates by age/gender, geography, and population type and will assist plans in benchmarking the effectiveness of their own diagnosis code capture efforts.

Description: Medical management programs have traditionally addressed more acute and short-term issues with chronic disease. As LTC becomes an important product in the insurance industry, including disease management is likely to be valuable for reducing costs and prolonging the healthy, premium-paying portion of a claimant's life.

Description: An economic analysis of bariatric surgery and health care costs supports the case for health plans to cover these procedures.

Description: A new health insurance pricing model takes external market prices into account, as well as regulatory rate restrictions and other traditional pricing factors. Rather than being assumed at the outset, lapse rates emerge from the model, along with assessment spiral & loss ratio projections. Under the model optimal pricing strategy depends on whether the class being rated has a healthier than average mix of risks.

Description: Health Watch, Issue 79, December 2015, Health Watch