It’s been a very busy year for the RCL dental consulting practice, culminating in a couple of big events this summer. First, the 2010 version of the Dental PPO Network Study was released, and included the largest group of companies the study has ever had. Since then I’ve been kept hopping reviewing the results with companies that participated – thanks to all of you for your interest! On October 19 I will be giving a webinar for the National Association of Dental Plans that will include some highlights of the study results. If you’re interested in that let me know or visit the NADP web site for more details. Meanwhile, I will soon be turning attention to a pilot study that reviews per member utilization rates across the industry. Those companies that provided the data for that study will be hearing more in the next couple of months.
2011 is starting off with a bang for the RCL dental practice, as I have plans for three industry studies during the year. First is the ever popular PPO Network Study. This will look and function much as it has in past years. I am expecting largely the same group of participating companies, with some exciting new additions. Details of the data request and timing will go out this week.
I am addicted to the New York Times, especially the magazines. I love looking at the ads for expensive things I would never buy, and pictures of Rockefeller descendents more dressed up for their 10th benefit this month than I will be in my whole life. So I couldn’t resist this Samurai Shopper column on my other big interest – dental care. Little did I realize how much I had to learn about the world of high fashion teeth! It completely blew my mind, and I thought I knew everything that mattered about brushing and flossing.
A few months ago, I completed RCL’s sixth annual DPPO Network Study. The study looks at network value – from discounts and network usage – across the industry based on claims from almost 20 carriers. After pulling together specific reports for each company participating in the study, I stepped back to take a look at the broader picture of developments across the industry and nationally with dental networks.
I’ve just returned from Seattle, where I attended the National Association of Dental Plans’ very successful CONVERGE conference. I’ve been to several NADP conferences now, and think they do a great job lining up a variety of interesting speakers and topics. Maybe I’m biased because I was a speaker – but I enjoyed other sessions and believe I’d make that statement anyway! The extremely high attendence this year also backs me up. The NADP staff also did a great job handling the logistics with such a large crowd; everything seemed to go off without a hitch.
I am very excited to be presenting two workshop sessions at the National Association of Dental Plans’ annual CONVERGE conference, in Seattle September 20 – 23, 2010. In “Drilling Out from the Recession: Has the Economy Had an Impact on Dental Claims?” on Tuesday the 21st at 10:30, I will discuss how utilization and cost patterns changed in 2008 and 2009 as the recession took hold. This topic has been of great interest to all dental carriers for the last two years, and I’ve found both noteworthy common patterns and interesting variations among companies’ experiences.
Work is well underway on the latest update to RCL’s annual Dental PPO Network Study, the only tool in the industry providing carriers with competitive benchmarks. The study measures in-network discounts, network utilization rates, and overall network savings from the combination of the two (effective discounts). When the study is complete, I will also publish an update on national discounts and trends in networks over the past few years, looking at such questions as whether networks are still growing while also increasing discounts, and whether plan designs continue to increase incentives for patients to use a network dentist.
I recently read the perfect book for a quiet actuary managing a consulting practice, and wrote a review published here by the SOA. The book is by Nancy Ancowitz, a business communication coach I have worked with over the past few years, and like all of her work it is insightful and useful. An introvert herself, Nancy has a great perspective on how we think and how we work with those chatty extroverts. Far from everyone I work with is an introvert -even the actuaries!. But since we’re half of the population some must be, and might find this useful. Take a look – and let me know what you think.
RCL has completed its fifth annual Dental PPO Network Study, analyzing the value of networks for all major carriers in the dental insurance industry. This year’s study shows that discounts in dental preferred provider networks, the most popular type of plan sold, increased in 2008 after an unusual decrease in 2007. The number of dentists participating in the average network also continues to increase, although no longer at the extremely fast rate seen last year.
Ruark Consulting, LLC. (RCL) is an actuarial consulting firm established in 2004, specializing in healthcare, annuities, data and technology. The Health Practice is headed by Ruth Ann Woodley. The Annuity Practice is managed by Tim Ruark, and the Data/Technology Practice is headed by Brad Murray.
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