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INDUSTRY - UNITED STATES
Seafarer health problems -
a cost burden to avoid
lack of
existing
knowledge of
“The
historical
medical conditions, allergies, or
family history all present
problems, especially if there is
also a language barrier", Health
Systems International (HSI) ceo
Russell Sherlock said.
"Shipowners and managers
need to focus on this problem and
ensure each seafarer has a
medical history with him or her
when faced with a medical
problem", he warned. There are
roughly 5 mill claims per year for
seafarer medical care in the US
alone and one bill could top
$200,000 and many cases amount
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“MASTER” THE WEATHER
One of the main problems for seafarers
seeking medical attention when entering
US ports is the lack of a medical history.
to more than $1 mill.
Another common issue with
foreign seafarers is that they are
classified as self-pay and therefore
have no medical insurance in the
US, thus restricting the use of
specialist treatment should it be
needed on cost grounds.
Dialogue
HSI is in regular dialogue with
shipowners/managers and P&I
clubs to ensure patients and
seafarers in general have cover.
Sherlock explained that all
hospitals in the US are obliged to
charge each patient the same by
law. However, they may accept
payment at a lower level provided
the patients are contracted to
insurance companies. "Lower
fees for guaranteed payments,"
Sherlock explained. "Providers
should ensure that all cover is
high enough to cater for all
eventualities", he continued.
In general the lower fees have
to be paid in 30 days, but quicker
payments can result in even lower
fees and the question of volume
of business also arises as
shipowners/managers and P&I
clubs aggregate totals can be
taken into consideration.
HSI will work with owners/
managers and P&I clubs to ensure
that the clients have a contract with
the insurance providers enabling
their seafarers to seek care or
admission to a hospital should this
be needed. The company basically
provides the cost and management
services element.
As the value of the US dollar
goes down, so the costs escalate for
overseas companies working in
New Markets
their own currencies. Sherlock said
that other areas of the world were
also starting to emulate the free
market conditions experienced in
the US. For example, in some
Mediterranean countries, increasing
fees from physicians and hospitals
are by and large unregulated.
Today, he thought that cost
management is more and more of
an international issue. For
example, a seafarer on a tanker
arriving in the US needing
treatment for a life threatening
illness can be taken directly to the
correct facility where treatment
will be quickly and readily
available. Or by managing the
situation from the outset, it might
be found that the treatment is
available in or near the patient's
home wherever he or she is
domiciled in the world.
"If the patient can be taken
back home, then the P&I club can
save two or three months
treatment in the US", Sherlock
explained. "In that way we
manage a better outcome all
round," he said.
"Owners/managers and P&I
clubs have not got the expertise
in-house and that is where we
come in. We can generate
savings", he continued. "In
today's ever increasing cost of
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At the beginning of
February, HSI
announced that it had
bought Asert Benefit
Services. Asert's
expertise is in medical
claim negotiation, bill
review and bill audit
services.
Sherlock said; "Through Asert
we will improve our
management capabilities in the
area of review and negotiation
of high dollar medical bills.
Additionally, we will establish a
local presence in Miami and
expand our multi-lingual staff
to better serve the needs of our
global clientele.
"With this one transaction,
we accomplish the dual
objectives of expanding our
medical cost management
solutions and continuing our
growth in new markets," he
continued.
TANKEROperator March 2008