Our Health Hero: Dr. William Kincaid

Overlooking the City of St. Louis from the Top-of-the-Met last night, Coalition Board Chair Dr. William Kincaid was honored with a Health Hero Lifetime Achievement Award by the St. Louis Business Journal for his service to St. Louis in so many ways.  A story about Dr. K is available in the Oct 6-12 edition of the St. Louis Business Journal.  Dr. K assured me that the award was an ellipsis … and  not a period in his career.  On a personal note, it’s been a pleasure and honor to work with Dr. K for many years … and I am always inspired by his passion for public health, unwavering optimism, genuine kindness, and great sense of humor.  Hero, indeed.

Never Felt So Wanted: Medicare Patients With Diabetes

I have learned from Austin Ifedirah, Senior Director of Operations at XL Health, that his Baltimore-based disease management company, is opening enrollment for Care Improvement Plus, a PPO for Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes (as well as ESRD, COPD and CHF). This open-access plan which is available to people in all Missouri counties features three metallic tiers (Silver, Gold, and Platinum) of seven products with a range of benefits and premiums ($0-$103 per month).  For example, the $46/month Gold Rx Plan includes $10 co-pay for PCP visits, $25 for specialists, and pharmaceutical coverage through the “donut hole”…. and I am not talking about Krispy Kreme (this is a diabetes HMO afterall!).  All plans feature $0 co-pays for 6 podiatrist visits annually as foot care is a special area of emphasis for the plan.  For those who are interested in more information about this new product’s benefit design, send an email to eric@diabetescoalition.org.  Lastly, plans are underway to open an office in St. Louis and the regional president position is still open.  Interested?  Additional information about the company can be found at www.xlhealth.com  and www.careimprovementplus.com.  (Editor’s Note: A few days ago, we announced the launch of a similar diabetes-specific Medicare managed care product by GHP.  Click here to view that posting.) 

Consumer Power: November Conference Addresses Success Strategies

For years many St. Louis Diabetes Coalition members have been trying to engage patients with diabetes and make them the captains of their own health care teams.  The St. Louis Business Health Coalition has assembled a conference of leading experts which will address this goal and others on November 3, 2006 at the Airport Marriott.  I am looking forward to hearing Dr. Jack Mahoney talk about Pittney Bowes’ success with disease, disability, and demand management…. definitely.  Dr. Gordon Moore, leader of the Ideal Micro Practice concept, will address ways for the physician practice to better meet patient needs.  Finally, Don Stanford and Elizabeth Lohmeyer from Buck Consultants, will share the secrets of a successful corporate communication strategy.  All this, plus breakfast and parking, can be yours for bucking up $25 (non-BHC members) or $15 (BHC members).  For more information about the conference, click here.  To RSVP, call Melanie 721.7800 or mwatson@stlbhc.org.

Extra Extra! GHP Launches New Diabetes HMO for Medicare Beneficiaries

GHP has launched a new Medicare HMO product for people with diabetes.  With a name like Avantra Extra, a person with diabetes can expect some extras from this health plan.  Look for the benefit design to include free testing supplies, no-copay for diabetes medications, easy access to diabetes education, and ability to use an endocrinologist as a primary care provider.   Advantra Extra is available to all Medicare eligible individuals who have diabetes and who are living in the counties of St. Louis, St. Louis City, Jefferson and St. Charles in Missouri and St. Clair and Madison Counties in Illinois.  For more information, check out their official news release here.

New Wash U. Diabetes Center (at Barnes Jewish Hospital) Adds Endo

Under the leadership of endo Garry Tobin, MD, the Wash U. Diabetes Center at Barnes Jewish Hospital (yes, the official name is a mouthful) opened in early July. Since then, hundreds of patients have made their way to the 13th floor of the Center for Advanced Medicine building for appointments with endos Tobin, McGill, and Kilo, nurse practitioner Knutsen and 6 diabetes educators (Shields, Field, Klinger, Manchester)*. Frequent advertisements on 1120 KMOX are attracting even more people to the Center. New patient appointment wait times which are 5 months and 5 weeks for Tobin and Knutsen, respectively, will be improved with the addition of Kim Carmichael, MD this month. Carmichael comes to the Center from Forest Park Hospital. (*at the time of this posting, I did not the names of the all diabetes educators at the Center.) Click here to download a brochure (pdf format).