Coverage of Palliative Care in HMO benefit packages

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Coverage of Palliative Care in HMO benefit
packages

• Or How Smart do I have to be to Understand my
  HMO?
• A Cautionary Tale in 4 Parts.

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Palliative Care
Hospice
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(No Transcript)
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Methods

• Divided the country into eight economic regions
• Western Region

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Methods

• Divided the country into eight economic regions
• Western Region
• Rocky Mountain

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Methods

• Divided the country into eight economic regions
• Western Region
• Rocky Mountain
• Southwest

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Methods

• Divided the country into eight economic regions
• Western Region
• Rocky Mountain
• Southwest
• Plains

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Methods

• Divided the country into eight economic regions
• Western Region
• Rocky Mountain
• Southwest
• Plains
• Great Lakes

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Methods

• Divided the country into eight economic regions
• Western Region
• Rocky Mountain
• Southwest
• Plains
• Great Lakes
• Southeast

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Methods

• Divided the country into eight economic regions
• Western Region
• Rocky Mountain
• Southwest
• Plains
• Great Lakes
• Southeast
• Mid East

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Methods

• Divided the country into eight economic regions
• Western Region
• Rocky Mountain
• Southwest
• Plains
• Great Lakes
• Southeast
• Mid East
• New England

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Methods
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Methods

• Took one state from each region eight total
  states
• Chosen for the number of commercial HMOs
  operating in each state

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www.despair.com
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Methods

• Took one state from each region eight total
  states
• Chosen for the number of commercial HMOs
  operating in each state
• Downloaded benefits packages from the internet

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Methods
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How is Palliative Care Mentioned in Benefit
Packages?
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How are Palliative Services Mentioned in Benefit
Packages?
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The Lexile Framework

• Matches texts to individual reading levels
• Used in many educational settings to ensure texts
  are not too difficult for students in different
  grades.
• Analyzed palliative care sections for reading
  level

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Reading Levels of Benefit Packages

• Scores ranged from 890 1970
• Reading levels from 6th grade to above Graduate
  level
• Average Lexile measure 1325 (college junior)
• Average American reading level 1030 (8th grade)

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A 1970 reading level puts some packages on par
with Descartes

Discourse on the Method and Meditations on First
Philosophy
HMO Benefit Package
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Part 4 Resolution
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Directions for Discussion

• Continued ambiguity about palliative care
  practices
• Health Literacy
• Ethical considerations