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AHM-520 Questions and Answers

Question # 6

The following statements illustrate the use of different rating methods by health plans:

  • The Dover health plan established rates for small groups by using a rating method which requires that the average premium in each group cannot be more than 120% of the average premium for any other group. Under this method, all members of each group pay the same premium, which is based on the experience of the group.
  • Under the rating method used by the Rolling Hills health plan, the health plan calculates the ratio of a group's experience to the group's historical manual rate. Rolling Hills then multiplies this ratio by the group's future manual rate. Rolling Hills cannot consider the group's experience in determining premium rates.

From the following answer choices, select the response that correctly indicates the rating methods used by Dover and Rolling Hills.

A.

Dover = modified community rating

Rolling Hills = factored rating

B.

Dover = modified community rating

Rolling Hills = adjusted community rating (ACR)

C.

Dover = community rating by class (CRC)

Rolling Hills = factored rating

D.

Dover = community rating by class (CRC)

Rolling Hills = adjusted community rating (ACR)

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Question # 7

The following statements are about the financial risks for health plans in Medicare and Medicaid markets. Three of these statements are true, and one statement is false. Select the answer choice containing the FALSE statement.

A.

One reason that health plans in the Medicare and Medicaid markets experience financial risk is that government regulations determine which services must be provided to Medicare and Medicaid enrollees.

B.

Effective use of hospital utilization is the single most likely factor to contribute to the success of a Medicare-contracting health plan.

C.

If a Medicare-contracting health plan is a provider-sponsored organization (PSO), it is prohibited from sharing financial risk with its providers.

D.

Typically, providers are more reluctant to accept financial risk in connection with providing services to the Medicaid population than with providing services to the Medicare population.

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Question # 8

Under the doctrine of corporate negligence, a health plan and its physician administrators may be held directly liable to patients or providers for failing to investigate adequately the competence of healthcare providers whom it employs or with whom it contracts, particularly where the health plan actually provides healthcare services or restricts the patient's/enrollee's choice of physician.

A.

True

B.

False

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Question # 9

If the Ascot health plan's accountants follow the going-concern concept under GAAP, then these accountants most likely

A.

Assume that Ascot will pay its liabilities immediately or in full during the current accounting period

B.

Defer certain costs that Ascot has incurred, unless these costs contribute to the health plan's future earnings

C.

Assume that Ascot is not about to be liquidated, unless there is evidence to the contrary

D.

Value Ascot's assets more conservatively than they would under SAP

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Question # 10

The reimbursement arrangement that Dr. Caroline Monroe has with the Exmoor Health Plan includes a typical withhold arrangement. One true statement about this withhold arrangement is that, for a given financial period,

A.

Dr. Monroe and Exmoor are equally responsible for making up the difference if cost overruns exceed the amount of money withheld

B.

Exmoor most likely distributes to Dr. Monroe the entire amount withheld from her if her costs are below the amount budgeted for the period

C.

Exmoor pays Dr. Monroe at the end of the period an amount over and above her usual reimbursement, and this amount is based on the performance of the plan as a whole

D.

Exmoor most likely withholds between 3% and 5% of Dr. Monroe's total reimbursement

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Question # 11

Under the alternative funding method used by the Trilogy Company, the insurer charges Trilogy an initial premium that is based on the assumption that claims will be 93% of the expected claims for the year. If claims exceed 93% of expected claims, then Trilogy must reimburse the insurer for any additional claims paid, up to 112% of expected claims. The insurer bears the responsibility for paying claims in excess of 112% of expected claims.

From the following answer choices, choose the name of the alternative funding method described.

A.

Retrospective-rating arrangement

B.

Premium-delay arrangement

C.

Reserve-reduction arrangement

D.

Minimum-premium plan

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Question # 12

Several federal agencies establish rules and requirements that affect health plans. One of these agencies is the Department of Labor (DOL), which is primarily responsible for _________.

A.

Issuing regulations pertaining to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996

B.

Administering the Medicare and Medicaid programs

C.

Administering ERISA, which imposes various documentation, appeals, reporting, and disclosure requirements on employer group health plans

D.

Administering the Federal Employees Health BenefitsProgram (FEHBP), which providesvoluntary health insurance coverage to federal employees, retirees, and dependents

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Question # 13

In order to determine a health plan's quick liquidity ratio, a financial analyst would divide the health plan's

A.

Total assets not invested in affiliates by its total liabilities

B.

Liquid assets by its total liabilities

C.

Liquid assets by its contractual reserves

D.

Total assets by its contractual reserves

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Question # 14

With regard to the Medicaid program in the United States, it can correctly be stated that

A.

The federal government provides none of the funding for state Medicaid programs

B.

Federal Medicaid law is different from Medicare law in that the federal government explicitly sets forth the methodology for payment of Medicaid-contracting plans but not Medicare-contracting plans

C.

A state's payment to health plans for providing Medicaid services cannot be more than it would have cost the state to provide the services under Medicaid fee-for-service (FFS)

D.

States are prohibited from carving out specific services from the capitation rate that health plans receive for providing Medicaid services

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Question # 15

The core of a health plan's strategic financial plan is the development of its pro forma financial statements. The following statements are about these pro forma financial statements. Select the answer choice containing the correct statement.

A.

A health plan's pro forma financial statements forecast what the plan's financial condition will be at the end of an accounting period, without regard to whether the health plan achieves its objectives.

B.

Forecasting the balance sheet is more critical to the health plan than forecasting either the cash flow statement or the income statement, because the balance sheet drives the development of the other two statements.

C.

In order to avoid allowing the desired financial results to drive the assumptions used in developing the pro forma income statement, a health plan should avoid linking these assumptions to the health plan's overall strategic plan.

D.

A health plan can use its pro forma cash flow statement to calculate the net present value of the health plan's strategic plan.

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Question # 16

The amount of risk for health plan products is dependent on the degree of influence and the relationships that the health plan maintains with its providers. Consider the following types of managed care structures:

  • Preferred provider organization (PPO)
  • Group model HMO
  • Staff model health maintenance organization (HMO)
  • Traditional health insurance

Of these health plan products, the one that would most likely expose a health plan to the highest risk is the:

A.

preferred provider organization (PPO)

B.

group model HMO

C.

staff model health maintenance organization (HMO)

D.

traditional health insurance

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Question # 17

Geena Falk is eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid coverage. If Ms. Falk incurs a covered expense, then:

A.

Medicaid will be Ms. Falk’s primary insurer

B.

Medicare will be Ms. Falk’s primary insurer

C.

Either Medicare or Medicaid will be Ms. Falk’s primary insurer depending on her election

D.

Medicare and Medicaid will each be responsible for one-half of Ms. Falk’s covered expense

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Question # 18

The Puma health plan uses return on investment (ROI) and residual income (RI) to measure the performance of its investment centers. Two of these investment centers are identified as X and Y. Investment Center X earns $10,000,000 in operating income on controllable investments of $50,000,000, and it has total revenues of $60,000,000. Investment Center Y earns $2,000,000 in operating income on controllable investments of $8,000,000, and it has total revenues of $10,000,000. Both centers have a minimum required rate of return of 15%.

The following statements are about Puma's evaluation of these investment centers. Select the answer choice containing the correct statement.

A.

Investment Center Y's RI is greater than Investment Center X's RI.

B.

The ROI for Investment Center X is 16.7%, and the ROI for Investment Center Y is 20.0%.

C.

Because Investment Centers X and Y are different sizes, Puma should not use ROI to compare these investment centers.

D.

According to the evaluation of ROI, Investment Center Y achieves a higher return on its available resources than does Investment Center X.

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Question # 19

The Northwest Company offers its employees the option of choosing to receive their healthcare benefits from an HMO or from a traditional indemnity plan. The premiums for the HMO are lower than for the traditional indemnity plan. In this situation, it is correct to assume that:

1. Individual low utilizers are more likely to enroll in the traditional indemnity plan

2. Individual high utilizers are more likely to enroll in the HMO

A.

Both 1 and 2

B.

1 only

C.

2 only

D.

Neither 1 nor 2

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Question # 20

The Puma health plan uses return on investment (ROI) and residual income (RI) to measure the performance of its investment centers. Two of these investment centers are identified as X and Y. Investment Center X earns $10,000,000 in operating income on controllable investments of $50,000,000, and it has total revenues of $60,000,000. Investment Center Y earns $2,000,000 in operating income on controllable investments of $8,000,000, and it has total revenues of $10,000,000. Both centers have a minimum required rate of return of 15%.

One likely way in which Investment Center X or Y could effectively increase its ROI is by

A.

Focusing only on increasing its total revenues

B.

Increasing its controllable investments

C.

Increasing total revenues, accompanied by a proportionate increase in operating income

D.

Increasing expenses in order to increase operating income

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Question # 21

A health plan may experience negative working capital whenever healthcare expenses generated by plan members exceed the premium income the health plan receives.

Ways in which a health plan can manage the volatility in claims payments, and therefore reduce the risk of negative working capital, include:

1. Accurately estimating incurred but not reported (IBNR) claims

2. Using capitation contracts for provider reimbursement

A.

Both 1 and 2

B.

1 only

C.

2 only

D.

Neither 1 nor 2

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Question # 22

In a fee-for-service (FFS) reimbursement method, providers are paid per treatment or per service that they provide. One typical benefit of FFS reimbursement is that it:

A.

Is highly effective in preventing excessive services that take the form of churning, unbundling, and upcoding

B.

Provides physicians who attempt to control costs with a higher rate of compensation than is provided to physicians who make the effort to control costs

C.

Is relatively easy to initiate, especially in markets where managed care penetration is low

D.

Guards against the practice of defensive medicine

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Question # 23

A health plan can use segment margins to evaluate the profitability of its profit centers. One characteristic of a segment margin is that this margin

A.

Is the portion of the contribution margin that remains after a segment has covered its direct fixed costs

B.

Incorporates only the costs attributable to a segment, but it does not incorporate revenues

C.

Considers only a segment's costs that fluctuate in direct proportion to changes in the segment's level of operating activity

D.

Evaluates the profit center's effective use of assets employed to earn a profit

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Question # 24

A health plan can use cost accounting in order to

A.

Determine premium rates for its products

B.

Match the costs incurred during a given accounting period to the income earned in, or attributed to, that same period

C.

Both A and B

D.

A only

E.

B only

F.

Neither A nor B

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Question # 25

The Rathbone Company has contracted with the Jarvin Insurance Company to provide healthcare benefits to its employees. Under this contract, Rathbone assumes financial responsibility for paying 80% of its estimated annual claims and for depositing the funds necessary to pay these claims into a bank account. Although Rathbone owns the bank account, Jarvin, acting as Rathbone’s agent, makes the actual claims payments from this account. Claims in excess of Rathbone’s contracted percentage are paid by Jarvin. Rathbone pays to Jarvin a premium for administering the entire plan and bearing the costs of claims in excess of Rathbone’s obligation. This premium is substantially lower than would be charged if Jarvin were providing healthcare coverage under a traditional fully insured group plan. Jarvin is required to pay premium taxes only on the premiums it receives from Rathbone. This information indicates that the type of alternative funding method used by Rathbone is known as a:

A.

Premium-delay arrangement

B.

Reserve-reduction arrangement

C.

Minimum-premium plan

D.

Retrospective-rating arrangement

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Question # 26

The Newfeld Hospital has contracted with the Azalea Health Plan to provide inpatient services to Azalea's enrolled members. The contract calls for Azalea to provide specific stop-loss coverage to Newfeld once Newfeld's treatment costs reach $20,000 per case and for Newfeld to pay 20% of the next $50,000 of expenses for this case. After Newfeld's treatment costs on a case reach $70,000, Azalea reimburses the hospital for all subsequent treatment costs.

The maximum amount for which Newfeld is at risk for any one Azalea plan member's treatment costs is

A.

$10,000

B.

$14,000

C.

$30,000

D.

$34,000

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Question # 27

The Eagle health plan wants to limit the possibility that it will be held vicariously liable for the negligent acts of providers. Dr. Michael Chan is a member of an independent practice association (IPA) that has contracted with Eagle. One step that Eagle could take in order to limit its exposure under the theory of vicarious liability is to

A.

Supply Dr. Chan with office space

B.

Employ nurses, laboratory technicians, and therapists to support Dr.Chan

C.

Be responsible for keeping Dr. Chan's medical records updated

D.

Ensure that documents provided to Dr. Chan's patients describe him as an independent practitioner

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Question # 28

As part of the first step in its strategic planning process, the Trout health plan developed the following statements:

  • Statement A—Trout will deliver quality healthcare to our customers at a reasonable cost.
  • Statement B—Within five years, Trout will be recognized as the industry leader in all of our markets.

Statement A can best be described as a

A.

Vision statement, and Statement B also can best be described as a vision statement

B.

Vision statement, whereas Statement B can best be described as a mission statement

C.

Mission statement, whereas Statement B can best be described as a vision statement

D.

Mission statement, and Statement B also can best be described as a mission statement

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Question # 29

The purest form of a self-funded benefit plan is one in which the employer pays benefits from current revenue, administers all aspects of the plan, and bears the risk that actual benefit payments will exceed the expected amount of payments. A decision to use this kind of self-funding is generally considered most desirable when certain conditions are present. These conditions most likely include that the benefit plan

A.

Is a contributory plan

B.

Is subject to collective bargaining

C.

Is unable to secure discounts from the physicians who provide medical services to the plan members

D.

Has a relatively high frequency of low severity claims

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Question # 30

Health plans seeking to provide comprehensive healthcare plans must contract with a variety of providers for ancillary services. One characteristic of ancillary services is that

A.

Physician behavior typically does not impact the utilization rates for these services

B.

Package pricing is the preferred reimbursement method for ancillary service providers

C.

These services include physical therapy, behavior therapy, and home healthcare, but not diagnostic services such as laboratory tests

D.

Few plan members seek these services without first being referred to the ancillary provider by a physician

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Question # 31

The theory of vicarious liability or ostensible agency can expose a health plan to the risk that it could be held liable for the acts of independent contractors. Factors that may give rise to the assumption that an agency relationship exists between a health plan and its independent contractors include:

A.

Requiring the providers to supply their own office space

B.

Employing nurses and other healthcare professionals to support the physician providers

C.

Requiring providers to maintain their own medical records

D.

All of the above

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Question # 32

The Norton Health Plan used blended rating to develop a premium rate for the Roswell Company, a large employer group. Norton assigned Roswell a credibility factor of 0.7 (or 70%). Norton calculated Roswell’s manual rate to be $200 and its experience claims cost as $180. Norton’s retention charge is $3. This information indicates that Roswell’s blended rate is:

A.

$186

B.

$189

C.

$194

D.

$197

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