How To Be A Better Health Care Consumer

1. How To Be A Better Health Care Consumer

2. What is The Alliance? • Employer-owned, not-for-profit health care purchasing cooperative. • Freedom to choose from more than 90 hospitals and 18,300 professional service providers. • Creates resources to help you and your family become more informed about health care choices.

3. Today’s Goals • Increase your awareness of the safety and quality of our health care system and its impact on you • Provide tools to help you become a better educated health care consumer • Help you maximize the effectiveness of each health care appointment

4. What is Health Care Quality? • Doing the right thing • Doing it at the right time • Doing it the right way

5. Quality Problems • Underuse • Care that would benefit patients, isn’t given. • Overuse • Care that is unnecessary or where the risks outweigh the benefits. • Misuse • Complications caused by patients who do not follow doctors’ orders & doctors who misdiagnose their patients.

6. 30% of health care is not necessary • Check out the Avoiding Unnecessary Carepage on our website www.the-alliance.org/individuals-and-families/better-health-care-consumer/avoiding-unnecessary-care • Hard decisions about cancer • 5 tests and treatments to question • Using caution when taking antibiotics • Deciding when you need a test • Info on 19 common health tests (e.g. allergies, colonoscopy, imaging tests, bone-density, etc.)

7. Cost In Perspective • Self Funding • The employer assumes the financial risk of providing health care benefits to employees. • The employer pays for employee medical claims out-of-pocket as they occur.

8. Share in Your Medical Decisions • Let your provider know that you want to be an active partner in your health care. • Do your own research: • www.the-alliance.org • www.webmd.com • www.choosingwisely.org • www.crbestbuydrugs.com • Ask why? • State your preferences. • Compare your expectations with those of your provider. • Accept responsibility.

9. Five Questions to Ask Your Doctor • Free wallet cards are available

10. Bring a Friend or Family Member • A personal representative, or health advocate, can: • Get information and ask questions when you can’t. • Remind you about instructions and help you make decisions. • Find out who to go to if you are not getting the care you need.

11. Remember… • Let your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist know if you still don’t understand something. • You don’t need to feel rushed or embarrassed if you don’t understand something. • You can ask your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist a question as many times as you need to. • Be honest with your doctor, don’t tell them what you think they want to hear. Asking questions helps you understand how to stay well or get better!

12. Keep and Bring a List of All the Medicines You Take • Give your doctor and pharmacist a list of all the medicines you take, including non-prescription medicines. • This includes vitamins and herbal supplements. • Tell them about any allergies you may have. Medication errors are the most common type of medical error!

13. Medication Checklist • Review your medications • Ask about medications that you were already taking. • Bring up cost. • Make sure you can read new prescriptions. • Fill your prescriptions promptly. • Review your drugs with your primary care physician. • Keep an up-to-date drug list.

14. Best Drugs For Less • Free copies available • 64 pages of science-based comparative drug info • Questions to ask your doctor when starting a new drug • Info on generic prescriptions • 8 ways to save big on your medication • What over-the-counter drug labels really mean

15. Where Should I Go? • When you’re sick or injured, knowing where to go to seek care can make a big difference • … in how long you have to wait. • … in how much you spend to feel better. • Check out our Health Care Needs Guide on page 2 of your workbook for options and information.

16. Making the Most of Each Visit - Before the Visit • Before you go, bring along all of the following information: • Current insurance card • Social Security number • Emergency contact information • Employer information • A referral or order, if required • Any previous x-rays, if requested • An interpreter, if needed

17. Making the Most of Each Visit - During the Visit • State your main concern first • Describe your symptoms • Describe past experiences with the same concern • Ask questions about things you don’t understand • Take notes, even if you understand what is being said

18. Making the Most of Each Visit - At the End of the Visit • Am I to return for another visit? • Am I to phone in for test results or login online? • What side effects or concerns should I look for? • When do I need to follow up? • Anything else I need to know?

19. When You See a Specialist • Know the diagnosis or suspected diagnosis • Learn about basic treatment options • Make sure the specialist has all test results and records on your case • Make sure you know why the tests are being done • Ask: Are these tests necessary? • Don’t repeat tests!

20. If You Are Facing Surgery • Most surgeries are not emergencies. • This means that you have time to make sure that this surgery is the best treatment for you. • Refer to the toolkit for important questions you should ask if facing surgery.

21. Cost Matters Cost varies: • You could pay more for the exact same type of care depending on which hospital you choose. What you pay is not related to the quality of your care. • High-quality care doesn’t necessarily cost more.

22. 11 miles in 17 minutes = $5,000difference Arthroscopic Knee Surgery for Torn Cartilage Examples From The Alliance Market Janesville and Beloit Fort Atkinson and Madison Madison and Madison .25 miles = $3,560difference 41 miles in 53 minutes = $2,260difference Source: FindADoctor.the-alliance.org accessed 12/14/2017; Source for Distance and Time: www.google.com/maps

23. Know The costs. Compare the quality.Skip the surprises. www.the-alliance.org Click on the Find a Doctor button:

24. 3 Ways to Spend Less and Find Quality Care #1 Save by Staying In-Network All searches on Find a Doctor show only in-network providers. #3 Look for the Symbols Facility Fees Hospital Safety Score Primary care performance rating Hospital birthing care rating More Information Best Price Tier #2 Check the Cost Login to Find a Doctor to access the estimated costs of more than 50 procedures. For additional procedures or locations, contact Customer Service at 800.223.4139 or findadoctor@the-alliance.org

25. The single most important way you can help get safe, quality care while reducing your costs is to be an active participant in your health care!

26. Questions? • Call Customer Service at The Alliance Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. • Or email: FindaDoctor@The-Alliance.org