Medicaid Programs
HealthCare Program To Insure The District's Uninsured Children
Washington D.C.'s 18,000 uninsured children are the focus of an expansion coverage program recently launched by Capital Community Health Plan (CCHP) and United HealthCare Corp. of Minneapolis.
Beginning this October, the new program, Capital Community Kids Care, will provide a range of healthcare services for the District's uninsured children that will include physician care (inpatient and outpatient), diagnostic and laboratory tests, prescription drugs and emergency services. Family contributions will be based on a sliding scale with nominal copayments for some services.
It is intended to be a blueprint model of how an effective public-private partnership can fill a serious healthcare need, according to Hanita Schreiber, CCHP's CEO. CCHP, which is managed by United Healthcare, was established by five of Washington, D.C.'s leading hospitals, Children's National Medical Center, Greater Southeast Community Hospital, Howard University Hospital, Providence Hospital and Washington Hospital Center.
Combined, these hospitals provide more than 75 percent of coverage for D.C. Medicaid beneficiaries and more than $100 million in uncompensated care.
United Healthcare has participated in Medicaid programs in 14 states, a program serving uninsured children in New York and a $1 million grant last year to the Children's Health Fund for pediatric programs for homeless and indigent children. (CCHP, 202/408-0460; United HealthCare, 612/936-1300)
Corporations Commissioner Pulls the Plug on Online Discount Dental Club
Megdal Dental Care of Santa Ana, Calif., was recently ordered to "cease and desist" operating an unlicensed healthcare service plan in California by the state's commissioner of corporations Keith Bishop. Operating as the Megdal Dental Club, the company advertised on the Internet annual memberships for $20 which allegedly entitled the member to free services and discounts of up to 55 percent on other services.
The plan violates the Knox Keene Health Care Service Plan of 1975, the state law that regulates HMOs and is administered by the Department of Corrections, according to Bishop. But Megdal Dental is arguing that it is not promoting itself as a dental insurance plan and should not be subject to Knox-Keene regulations. Megdal Dental has nine offices throughout Los Angeles.
"When discount dental or medical services are provided based on a prepaid or periodic charge, a license is required...we will aggressively monitor the healthcare marketplace to make sure that the full service and specialized HMOs operating in California are in full compliance," said Bishop. (Megdal Dental Care, 714/424-0100)
Managed Care
Physician Association Sells Its Seal for First Time
The American Medical Association (AMA) agreed to sell its seal of approval to nine healthcare products manufactured by Sunbeam Corp. (Delray Beach, Fla.), for the first time. Now consumers will find the AMA seal on products sold in stores that will include a proclamation that the organization and company have joined "to bring you products specially designed for healthier living."
Under the five-year deal, the AMA will get a share of the sales which it says will help pay for educational efforts, but P. John Seward, the AMA's executive VP would not comment on how much it intends to make on the deal. The money will pay for health brochures to be distributed with Sunbeam products placed at sales areas and through the AMA's educational efforts.
Seward and Larry Jellen, the AMA's VP of marketing, winced at the suggestion that the seal agreement is simply a product endorsement for Sunbeam's heating pads, blood pressure monitors, thermometers, air cleaners, humidifiers, vaporizers, scales, massagers and hot and cold therapy packs. (AMA, 312/464-5000; Sunbeam Corp., 561/243-2100)
Marketing Tools
AHA Launches 1998 Calendar Of Health Observances
For easy access to year-round healthcare activities and events, the American Hospital Association's (AHA) Society of Healthcare Strategy and Market Development has created the 1998 Calendar of Health Observances and Recognition Days.
Targeting healthcare marketers who plan health-related programs, the calendar features dates and descriptions of more than 250 health-at-a-glance observances from Adult Immunization Awareness Week to World AIDS Day as well as related topics that range from fire prevention and eating right to smoking cessation and pastoral care.
Every listing includes contact information for each observance's sponsoring organization. The calendar is $15 for organization members and $20 for nonmembers. (AHA, 800/AHA-2626)
New Healthcare Glossary Helps Marketing Pros Keep Up With Emerging Terms
In response to healthcare's evolving language of health terms, New York-based Hill and Knowlton developed its first-ever "Glossary of Health Terms, a handy tool for industry marketing and PR professionals. The glossary includes terms culled from H&K's national and international experience with several healthcare campaigns and projects, from work with managed care and pharmaceutical clients to health advocacy groups.
So far H&K has distributed about 2,000 booklets to industry professionals and will continue to make them available at no cost until they run out (original printing was 4,000). The agency will update the glossary annually.
To order, call H&K (Amy Ziegenfusf) at 202/944-5110.