HealthHarbor.com, a trusted source of information and interactive tools designed to help consumers navigate the healthcare system, today announced the launch of two new online resources aimed at helping consumers drive more value from their healthcare expenditures. The tools, the Insurance Denial Analyzer and the Walk-In Medical Service Finder, are available online at HealthHarbor’s website, www.healthharbor.com.
The Insurance Denial Analyzer allows users to search among the 20 most common insurance denials, and learn about what steps they can take to resolve the denial or prevent future, similar claim denials. It translates insurers’ varying denial descriptions and codes into easy-to-understand content that consumers can use.
The Walk-In Medical Service Finder helps users identify affordable, walk-in medical services in their neighborhood, and provides the pricing for such care, allowing consumers to price shop on basic healthcare services. Walk-in and retail health clinics are among those listed in the HealthHarbor database.
“We recognize that consumers want more information at their fingertips when it comes to making medical choices and navigating the complex healthcare system” said Heather Johnson, a Director for HealthHarbor. “Even though health reform is all over the news, consumers are really looking for tangible things they can do today to make their dollars go farther.”
The Insurance Denial Analyzer and Walk-In Medical Service Finder help address pressing issues for consumers in today’s healthcare environment. Recent estimates, such as one from a recent study by California’s Department of Managed Health Care, suggest that more than 20% of all health insurance claims may be denied by the insurer. Many of the denials could be preventable in advance or reversible after-the-fact if the patient takes appropriate and timely action. Walk-in medical services, such as those located in retail discount and drug stores, can reduce out-of-pocket costs for common procedures such as strep tests by two-thirds or more when compared to urgent care or an emergency room visit.
The new tools add to an already robust offering of content, discussions, and tools, all aimed at creating smarter consumers of healthcare. Other online resources include a Discount Generic Drugfinder, the Affordable Vaccine Finder, the Affordable Health Insurance search, and a tool allowing users to understand how to read their insurance Explanation of Benefits (EOB) forms.
“This is about placing more healthcare information directly into consumers’ hands, allowing them to make smarter decisions. We believe consumers are in a position to immediately improve the healthcare system, they just need the information that will empower them.”
HealthHarbor said several additional tools, currently in development, will be introduced throughout the fall and winter, all aimed at helping educate healthcare consumers.
About HealthHarbor
HealthHarbor is an independent, trusted source of healthcare consumer information, advice, and interactive tools. Its mission is to create smarter consumers of healthcare, and it does that by offering innovative and useful content for all healthcare consumers. HealthHarbor can be found online at www.healthharbor.com.
