ascip

Imagine dealing with an auto repair in the same way we purchase our health care.  Let’s say your car begins to have problems and you’re worried the thing could leave you stranded with no transportation.  You make an appointment at a dealer, and based on your car’s symptoms the first available time to talk to a mechanic is 3 weeks from today at 2:00pm.  When the date finally arrives, you’re not called from the lobby until 2:45, and the mechanic has to see another 10 people before 5:00, so he’s in a bit of a rush.  He presents you with several repair options, but when you ask about cost he tells you that he doesn’t know — you’ll get a bill about a month after the work is done for an amount somewhere between $50 and $500.  By the way, you probably won’t be able to understand the charges listed, and if you want to compare costs with other mechanics, none of them will have prices either.

The average consumer would never tolerate an experience like this with their car, yet we do with medical care.  The good news is that ASCIP has developed a partnership with Compass Health Pros, a “claims concierge” service that changes the experience entirely!  Need to find a specialist but don’t know where to start?  Call Compass for a referral based on quality, location, and cost.  Referred for an MRI but don’t know what your cost will be?  Compass will shop around and tell you what you will pay based on your specific insurance plan and the carrier’s contracted rates.  Are the charges on that bill confusing and do they look too high?  Compass can explain it and verify the accuracy by contacting your provider and carrier.

ASCIP has introduced the claims concierge service at several districts over the last few years.  The program has saved district employees hundreds of hours on the phone and thousands of dollars in avoided expenses while helping members find quality providers.  For more information, contact ASCIP’s Health Benefits department to learn more about this and ASCIP’s other innovative health care solutions.