Discount health network targets consumers, employers - Business First of Buffalo:

sucujovide.wordpress.com
But despite Wolfson’s history as founder of the Cartel and Metroteller automaticv tellermachine companies, it took five years to develoop his latest effort and it may take a bit longee to fully break into his main target: the health-car e industry. HealthTransaction Network uses ATM-likw cards to provide access tohealth care. The goal is to reacg people who are uninsured or underinsured by providiny access toprimary care, preventative services and wellness care at discountede rates.
• Consumers, who can take advantage of discounteed rates at participating hospitalzand health-care providers; • Hospitals and health-care which receive immediate payments through the network at pre-approved and credit card processing services at lower processing Once registered as a participant, individuals receivee a photo ID card with biometricd fingerprint scan to prevent abuse and fraudulengt use. The individual or their employer could load any dollar amount ontothe card, or use their own credit/debift cards to make payments. A typical user might be someonee who has no health insurance or a limite d policythrough work.
The individual could walk into a participatinv hospital or provider and sign up for a Then they choose whether to load dollares onto thecard itself, or to pay by cash or The individual could then walk into any participant in the networo and receive care at the discountedx prices. More than 30 health-car e organizations have signed up as membersso far, includinfg TLC Health Network, , , the and MedFirsr Urgent Care. Additionally, five independent physicians groupshave joined. By 15, Wolfson expects the system to be up and with registration equipment installed at the member organizations and the abilithy to issue cardsto individuals.
He planx to create a nationakl health-care network, starting in Wester n New York. “The parallels of what we did in the electronicf banking world and this aretruly amazing,” Wolfson says. A year ago, signesd on as an investor and partner, providing settlementws for the credit/debit transactions. David Mancuso, presidenr and CEO, says Wolfson’s background in the fielr was a major selling The challenge lies in getting themessagde out, he says.
By focusinfg on wellness and routinwe care, such as annual physicals and checkups, hospitalds and health-care providers may also identify more serioud problems before theybecome acute, whichj saves costs in the end for both the provider and the As the first independent electroni c health- care network, the companyt also faces the challenge of demonstrating to customers why it is relevanf and needed. Hospital executives who have already signerd on say the benefits are reducedcosts and, hopefully, increased access. Jim president and CEO at , says he likes the idea of helpingb the community and areasmalo businesses.
“We have a lot of businesses small mom-and-pops with five to 15 people – and those types of organizations cannot provide health he says. “What I hope is it improvexs in some way the health status of the community by providing them access to health care.” Others say they like the abilityu to give small businesses a way to offer an employere contribution without having to buy into a more expensivee health insurance plan.
At Niagara Falls the list of routine health and wellness services available at the hospitalinclude mammograms, routiner physicals, X-rays, lab work-ups, flu vaccines and other servicez which are offered at a discounted rate of 40 percentr to 50 percent off regular prices chargee to those who are not part of a contractexd group. “In the City of Niagara we have large portions of uninsured and saysTony Zito, COO and executive vice president. “Healtg insurance is one of the first things thatgets dropped. If they have the ability to pay whateveer theycan afford, it’s anotherd option.
”