New Offering From DST Health Solutions Addresses Challenges Of Health Insurance Marketplace

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Feb. 28, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- DST Health Solutions (DSTHS), a leading provider of technology solutions and services to health plans, integrated delivery systems, and health care providers, today introduced DST Marketplace Elements®, a solution built specifically for the Health Insurance Marketplace.

Designed to support Qualified Health Plans that will participate in the new Health Insurance Marketplace (HIM), DST Marketplace Elements combines cutting edge software and comprehensive services to alleviate the pressure the business model will put on health plans. The modular design of Elements allows clients to select individual components or the complete solution, based upon their business needs.

Benefits for users of DST Marketplace Elements will include the establishment of Marketplace connectivity, robust enrollment and billing functions to administer the premium subsidies and tax credits afforded in the Affordable Care Act legislation, automated reconciliation processing, care management technology, and the analytics required to support the new risk models.   

According to Steve Sabino, President of DST Health Solutions, the new solution was designed to assist health plans navigate the uncharted waters of the HIMs.

"The complexity of the new marketplace will make it extremely difficult for health plans to quickly make the necessary changes to support the emerging HIM business model," said Sabino. "DST Marketplace Elements utilizes a modular approach which leverages our staff, services, and technology to support these plans during this critical time, when quick implementation is a priority."

The capabilities of the new solution will be complemented by DST's full range of business process outsourcing services, as well as consulting services designed to provide clients with expert advice on organizational readiness needs.

"The DST team was very helpful in reviewing our capabilities and assessing the areas of greatest impact for our organization," said Lisa Gerdes, Director of Information Services of Health First Health Plans, a fully-integrated health plan based in Central Florida. "Their consultants worked closely with our staff to map out a strategic direction to take prior to the marketplace transition."

As part of the introduction of DST Marketplace Elements®, DSTHS will be offering a four-session webinar series titled "Health Insurance Marketplaces—What You Need to Know, NOW!" beginning Wednesday, March 20. Renowned industry experts Tom Scully, Senior Counsel at Alston & Bird, LLP and CMS Administrator (2001-2003), and Dr. Jonathan Weiner, DrPH professor in the Dept. of Health Policy and Management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and director of CPHIT, will join DSTHS associates in presenting the sessions.

Webinar topics will include mission critical capabilities, health plan staff model changes, the expanding role of care management, and the '3 Rs': reinsurance, risk corridors, and risk adjustment. For more information, including the full program schedule, please click here

About Health First Health Plans (HFHP) 
As Central Florida's only fully-integrated health plan, Health First strives to serve the health care needs of its community through its network of multi-specialty physicians, outpatient and wellness centers, fitness centers, and hospitals, including the area's only trauma and heart centers. Health First serves Brevard and Indian River counties with a variety of commercial group and Medicare Advantage plans, and helps to make Medicare Prescription Drug Plans available to all Florida residents.

About DST Health Solutions 
DST Health Solutions, LLC, delivers systems and services that help improve efficiency, reduce operational costs, increase speed to market, and facilitate medical cost management and price containment. Our clients include commercial health plans, consumer-directed plans, government plans (Medicare Advantage, Medicare Part D and Medicaid) and physician practices. DST Health Solutions' enterprise applications and outsourcing services include claims processing, member and provider management, benefit plan management, new product development, care management and medical management, and decision support/analytics. DST Health Solutions is a wholly-owned subsidiary of DST Systems, Inc. For more information about DST Health Solutions, contact 800.272.4799, email [email protected], or visit www.dsthealthsolutions.com.

Laura Parsons
DST Public Relations
816.843.9087
[email protected]

SOURCE DST Health Solutions