The benefits of Chronic Care Management (CCM) are straightforward for most healthcare providers. Increased patient adherence to care plans, better health outcomes, and fewer hospitalizations are all excellent reasons to provide extra education and guidance to those with chronic health conditions.

But it’s not always so clear for the patients under your care. They will understandably have questions about what Chronic Care Management includes, why they are being charged, and how it will help them. Proactively educating these patients before you begin billing them helps alleviate their concerns while also encouraging more people to enroll in your program.

The first step in introducing your patients to the benefits of Chronic Care Management is to provide educational materials like brochures, posters, or a website. These can be excellent resources, but they may not answer every question.

For those patients who still have questions, talking with a Care Coordinator or representative in your office can give them a better grasp of what the program means for them. Here are some of the most common questions your patients may have before and after signing up for your Chronic Care Management program:

1. Why should I sign up for Chronic Care Management program?
The number one reason to enroll in a Chronic Care Management program is that  CCM patients enjoy better health outcomes. Consider these statistics for individuals who receive chronic care management. Chronic Care Management patients are:

  • 29% less likely to be readmitted to the hospital after 30 days
  • 9.9% less likely to be admitted to the hospital at any time
  • 7.6% less likely to visit the ER

Chronic Care Management patients also see their physician an average of two additional times per year as compared with those not enrolled in a Chronic Care Management program. That means you have greater opportunity to evaluate their health, adjust their care plan to meet current health needs, and help them avoid future health emergencies.

2. How do I enroll?
Enrollment is simple and easy. With HealthXL®’s Accelerated Enrollment Plan, patients can enroll over the phone in less than five minutes. They can also enroll in your office when they come for an appointment.

3. How much does Chronic Care Management cost?
Chronic Care Management is partially covered by Medicare and many patients have additional insurance that will cover the remaining costs. Some kinds of supplemental insurance still require the patient to pay a co-insurance each month, but many do not. If the patient does not have supplemental insurance from an employer or other source, they pay a small co-insurance (about $8.00 on average or 20% of the reimbursement rate) each month.

4. Why do I have a new charge for $8 on my bill this month?
After a patient has enrolled in the program, they may need to be reminded about how billing works and when they can expect to charged. The approximately $8.00 charge is the patient’s monthly co-insurance and will appear on each month’s bill.

5. I missed my Chronic Care Management call this month. Will I still get charged? Was any work done?
Yes, the patient will still be charged. Care Coordinators still spend at least twenty minutes working on the patient’s health care plan, even if they do not speak to the patient on the phone. These tasks may include reviewing the patient’s chart, building out their care plan, tracking down lab results, talking to a specialist or making sure medications are in order.

Patient education is a key component to a successful CCM program. At HealthXL®, we support your program enrollment efforts with practice-branded promotional materials and a patient calling campaign designed to educate and inform. Our goal is to improve patient care and build strong relationships while also driving revenue for your practice.

Do you have questions about HealthXL®’s Chronic Care Management solution? Please send us a message! We would love to tell you more about how we can help you build a successful program for your practice.