Anthem is committed to advancing the consumer’s journey toward better health. That’s why we’re focused on delivering a more convenient and personalized health care experience. Anthem is investing in the tools, solutions and programs that are empowering consumers to take charge of their health and wellness—giving them the knowledge and power to make informed decisions about their care. This includes providing information on quality and cost for medical procedures, as well as access to their benefits in one convenient place.
Cost/quality transparency
Access to cost and quality information is essential to help consumers choose the health care that’s right for them. As an example, in 2015, we expanded a collaboration with Castlight Health, Inc. to provide innovative cost and quality decision-support tools, as well as develop new products that will make it easier for consumers to understand information on health care cost and quality. If consumers know exactly how much a procedure will cost and can see cost variances and quality rankings among providers, they’ll be empowered to make informed decisions about their care. The benefits don’t stop there. Providing cost and quality transparency can foster greater market competition, which can potentially lead to lower costs and higher quality across the system over time.
Consumer-focused data coupled with Castlight’s innovative, user-friendly web and mobile solutions have the potential to transform the health care industry, giving millions of consumers access to useful, actionable information on cost and quality right at their fingertips.
Specialty
Consumer convenience is also the focus of our “Sometimes More Is More” initiative, which promotes a more cohesive approach to providing our products and services. We’re finding ways for all benefits—health and specialty, such as vision, dental, life and disability insurance—to work together, including making it easier for consumers to access all of their benefits. For example, there is one enrollment process, one member ID card and one sign-on for all of these products and services. Thanks largely to this initiative, membership in Anthem’s Specialty Business increased 6.1 percent to nearly 21 million in 2015.
Beyond convenience, Anthem Whole Health ConnectionSM is simplifying how our dental, vision, life, disability and medical plans work together to promote better health outcomes and lower the total cost of care, drawing on data and analysis from Anthem’s Resolution Health subsidiary. Consumers who are covered by our affiliated specialty and medical plans have more complete health profiles that can be shared with their providers. This gives providers the ability to identify and correct gaps in care and take other action based on a full health picture of the patient. The more information providers have about patients, the better they can meet their health care needs.
1Academy of General Dentistry Know Your Teeth web site: Warning Signs in the Mouth Can Save Lives. (http://www.knowyourteeth.com/infobites/abc/article/?iid=320&aid=1291&chapt=1)
Tailored medicaid solutions
Anthem also continues to invest significant time and resources to fully understand and serve the nearly 5.9 million plan members in state-sponsored programs across the country. While focusing on the needs of individual consumers, our plans are seeking out new and better ways to improve health outcomes with high-quality, cost-efficient programs that help society more broadly.
Florida ranks first in the nation in the number of newly diagnosed HIV infections and second in the number of pediatric HIV cases reported.1 Clear Health Alliance, an HIV/AIDS Medicaid specialty plan offered by Simply Healthcare Plans, is addressing the special needs of those living with HIV/AIDS in Florida by offering bundled services tailored to their treatment requirements. Clear Health Alliance has expertise in and knowledge of Medicaid and HIV/AIDS drug treatment, an established local network of highly qualified HIV/AIDS treatment providers, and experienced care coordinators with the ability to manage “best in class” medical care. Clear Health Alliance goes beyond supporting its members’ medical needs by also offering access to social and behavioral health care services for HIV/AIDS patients. This truly sets our specialty health plan apart from other plans participating in Florida’s Medicaid managed care program.
By collaborating with community and technology partners, developing useful tools and products that offer convenient access to information and offering programs that address individuals’ health needs, Anthem is equipping consumers with the knowledge and support to better manage their health.
1Florida Department of Health: www.floridahealth.gov