Health plans that choose to contract with external organizations for pharmacy services typically contract with pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). Functions that a PBM typically performs for a health plan include

1. Managing the costs of prescription drugs

2. Promoting efficient and safe drug use

3. Determining the health plan’s internal management responsibilities for pharmacy services

Designing effective medical management programs for Medicare beneficiaries requires an understanding of the unique health needs of the Medicare population. One characteristic of Medicare beneficiaries is that they typically

Determine whether the following statement is true or false:

The utilization review (UR) process produces the greatest number of case management referrals.

The delivery of quality, cost-effective healthcare is a primary goal of both group healthcare and workers’ compensation programs. One difference between group healthcare and workers’ compensation is that workers’ compensation

Emilio Martinez, a member of the Bloom Health Plan, has recently been diagnosed with prostate cancer by his physician, Dr. Robert Cohen. Mr. Martinez has decided to participate in Bloom’s shared decision-making program for prostate cancer. On the basis of this information, it is most likely correct to say

1. That verification of Mr. Martinez’s understanding about his care options protects both Dr. Cohen and Bloom against charges of malpractice

2. That Mr. Martinez and Dr. Cohen will discuss the care options available to Mr. Martinez, but the ultimate decision about care is up to Dr. Cohen

One method of transferring the information in electronic medical records (EMRs) is through a health information network (HIN). The following statements are about HINs. Three of the statements are true and one is false. Select the answer choice containing the FALSE statement.

The following statement(s) can correctly be made about the use of screening for secondary prevention:

1. Screening activities may involve specialty care providers as well as primary care providers (PCPs) and the health plan

2. Secondary prevention often results in more utilization of services immediately following screening

3. Screening focuses on members who have not experienced any symptoms of a particular illness

Adele Stanley, a member of the Greenhouse Health Plan, recently went to a network pharmacy to have a prescription filled. The pharmacist informed Ms. Stanley that the prescribed drug was not in the plan formulary and that reimbursement for the drug was not available except in extraordinary circumstances. The pharmacist asked Ms. Stanley if she would accept a generic substitute.

If Ms. Stanley agrees to the generic substitution, she will receive a drug that

Health plan performance measures include structure measures, process measures, and outcome measures. The following statements are about the characteristics of these three types of performance measures. Three of the statements are true and one is false. Select the answer choice containing the FALSE statement.

The Carlyle Health Plan uses the following clinical outcome measures to evaluate its diabetes and asthma disease management programs:

Measure 1: The percentage of diabetic patients who receive foot exams from their providers according to the program’s recommended guidelines Measure 2: The number of asthma patients who visited emergency departments for acute asthma attacks

From the answer choices below, select the response that correctly identifies whether these measures are true outcome measures or intermediate outcome measures. Measure 1- Measure 2-

Breanna Osborn is a case manager for a regional health plan. One component of Ms. Osborn’s job is the collection and evaluation of medical, financial, social, and psychosocial information about a member’s situation. This component of Ms. Osborn’s job is known as

The Brighton Health Plan regularly performs prospective UR for surgical procedures. Brighton’s prospective UR activities are likely to include

The Garnet Health Plan uses provider profiling to measure and improve provider performance. Provider profiling most likely allows Garnet to

The paragraph below contains two pairs of terms or phrases enclosed in parentheses. Determine which term or phrase in each pair correctly completes the paragraph. Then select the answer choice containing the terms or phrases that you have chosen.

One component of UR is an administrative review. An administrative review compares the proposed medical care to the applicable (medical policy / contract provision). This type of review (can / cannot) be conducted by a nonclinical staff member.

To measure performance for quality management, health plans collect and analyze three types of data: financial data, clinical data, and customer satisfaction data. The following statement(s) can correctly be made about the sources of clinical data:

1. Patient surveys are the most widely used source of disease-specific clinical information

2. Outcomes research studies sponsored by academic institutions and professional organizations have limited usefulness for particular health plans or individual providers

3. The SF-36 and the HSQ-39 (Health Status Questionnaire) surveys address both physical and mental health status

Demetrius Farrell, age 82, is suffering from a terminal illness and has consulted his health plan about the care options available to him. In order to avoid unwanted, futile interventions, Mr. Farrell signed an advance directive that indicates the types of end-of-life medical treatment he wants to receive. His family is to use this document as a guide should Mr. Farrell become incapacitated.

The document that Mr. Farrell is using to communicate his end-of-life healthcare wishes to his family is known as a

Health plans communicate proposed performance changes through action statements. Select the answer choice containing an action statement that includes all of the required elements.

Benchmarking is a quality improvement strategy used by some health plans. With regard to benchmarking, it is correct to say that

As a follow-up to a performance improvement plan for member services, the Stellar Health Plan conducted an evaluation of the success of the plan. Stellar conducted its evaluation as the plan was being carried out. The evaluation focused on specific activities and assessed the relative importance of those activities to the plan as a whole. This information indicates that Stellar’s evaluation of the plan was both

Some health plans administer a questionnaire known as the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) as part of their health risk assessment (HRA) processes. The following statements are about the BRFSS. If statements (A) through (C) are all correct, select answer choice (D). Otherwise, select the one correct statement.

The paragraph below contains two pairs of terms or phrases enclosed in parentheses. Determine which term or phrase in each pair correctly completes the paragraph. Then select the answer choice containing the terms or phrases that you have chosen.

Due to competitive pressures and consumer demand, many health plans now offer direct access or open access products. Under a direct access product, a member is (required / not required) to select a primary care provider (PCP), and is (required / not required) to obtain a referral from a PCP or the health plan before visiting a network specialist.

Since its inception, Medicare has undergone a number of changes because of legal and regulatory action. One result of the Balanced Budget Act (BBA) of 1997 has been to

The paragraph below contains an incomplete statement. Select the answer choice containing the term that correctly completes the paragraph.

The Balanced Budget Act (BBA) of 1997 established the use of ___________ to determine coverage of emergency services for Medicare and Medicaid enrollees in health plans.

In order to achieve changes in outcomes, health plans make changes to existing structures and processes. The introduction of preauthorization as an attempt to control overuse of services is an example of a reactive change. Reactive changes are typically