Change,
challenges and excitement are but a few words to describe the health care
industry. Being responsive to the
needs of patients and providers is critical to the success of most health care
organizations. One aspect of
meeting these demands has resulted in the development of Complementary and
Alternative Medicine (CAM) PPO Networks such as Alternative Healthcare Options (AHO).
Complementary
and Alternative Medicine is more than just a passing fad.
Consumer interest and growing demand for alternative therapies are
driving many in the health care industry to consider the addition of alternative
health care options to their benefit offerings. A large proportion of the US
population believes that alternative approaches to health care are safer,
better, “healthier”, better for the environment, and overall, the preferred
method for healing compared with standard “Western” medicine.
70%
of the responding HMOs reported an increase in requests for alternative
care therapies from their members.
67%
of members said the availability of an alternative healthcare component
was an important consideration in choosing a health plan.
45%
of those polled would be willing to pay more each month to have access to
alternative care.
-The
Landmark Report on Alternative Care (1998)
Looking
at the big picture – as benefits continue to play an important role in
attracting and retaining quality employees, having a rich benefit plan inclusive
of alternative care can help employers remain competitive.
It’s clear that four main issues are driving employer demand for
alternative medicine:
Employee
satisfaction with alternative medicine.
Attracting
and retaining good employees.
Cost-effectiveness
of alternative medicine.
Offering
employees new options for promoting good
health.
Whoever begins to provide coverage for alternative therapeutics and markets it heavily will capture the initial demand and can position as market leader. We predict that there will soon be a landslide of companies rushing to create provision as they see their subscriber base begin to dwindle. There has never been a better time to accomplish such a project. At this time there is not only an evident demand for alternative medical approaches to become more broadly available, but also political and economic necessities to reform health care. Insurers who provide alternative medicine in an effective and useful way will net a double benefit:
|
increased
market share among consumers
|
| "Health plans need to market themselves in a way that differentiates them from the competition." |
|
John Penshorn, Health Care Analyst |
| "Any health plan in this day and age would be foolish not to look into alternative medicine to remain competitive" |
|
Kevin Davitt, Health Insurance Plan of Greater New York |
| "By integrating alternative medicine and traditional medicine an insurance carrier would save 20% in direct health care cost." |
|
Leland Kaiser |
Alternative
Healthcare Options has been dedicated from the start to meet and grow with the
future demands in health care. Thank
you for taking the time to consider our network. We look forward to developing a long lasting partnership with
you and your organization.
Sincerely,
Richard
G Dunn
President/CEO
The Natural Choice in Healthcare
™
PO Box 220395 
Charlotte, NC 28222
704.523.3440 [BUS]
1.877.203.3440 (Toll Free)
704.844.2977 [FAX]
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