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AHIP AHM-250 Healthcare Management: An Introduction Exam Practice Test

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Total 367 questions

Healthcare Management: An Introduction Questions and Answers

Question 1

In certain situations, a health plan can use the results of utilization review to intervene, if necessary, to alter the course of a plan member's medical care. Such intervention can be based on the results of

Options:

A.

Prospective review

B.

Concurrent review

C.

D.

A, B, and C

E.

A and B only

F.

A and C only

G.

B only

Question 2

In order to cover some of the gap between FFS Medicare coverage and the actual cost of services, beneficiaries often rely on Medicare supplements. Which of the following statements about Medicare supplements is correct?

Options:

A.

The initial ten (A-J) Medigap policies offer a basic benefit package that includes coverage for Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B coinsurance.

B.

Each insurance company selling Medigap must sell all the different Medigap policies.

C.

Medicare SELECT is a Medicare supplement that uses a preferred provider organization (PPO) to supplement Medicare Part A coverage.

D.

Medigap benefits vary by plan type (A through L), and are not uniform nationally.

Question 3

In order to compensate for lost revenue resulting from services provided free or at a significantly reduced cost to other patients, many healthcare providers spread these unreimbursed costs to paying patients or third-party payors. This practice is known

Options:

A.

dual choice

B.

cost shifting

C.

accreditation

D.

defensive medicine

Question 4

From the following answer choices, choose the description of the ethical principle that best corresponds to the term Beneficence

Options:

A.

Health plans and their providers are obligated not to harm their members

B.

Health plans and their providers should treat each member in a manner that respects the member's goals and values, and they also have a duty to promote the good of the members as a group

C.

Health plans and their providers should allocate resources in a way that fairly distributes benefits and burdens among the members

D.

Health plans and their providers have a duty to respect the right of their members to make decisions about the course of their lives

Question 5

An HMO that combines characteristics of two or more HMO models is sometimes referred to as a

Options:

A.

Network model HMO

B.

Group model HMO

C.

Staff model HMO

D.

Mixed model HMO

Question 6

From the following answer choices, choose the description of the ethical principle that best corresponds to the term Beneficence

Options:

A.

Health plans and their providers are obligated not to harm their members

B.

Health plans and their providers should treat each member in a manner that respects the member's goals and values, and they also have a duty to promote the good of the members as a group

C.

Health plans and their providers should allocate resources in a way that fairly distributes benefits and burdens among the members

D.

Health plans and their providers have a duty to respect the right of their members to make decisions about the course of their lives

Question 7

Before the Hill Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) received a certificate of authority (COA) to operate in State X, it had to meet the state's licensing requirements and financial standards which were established by legislation that is identical to the

Options:

A.

Hill had to have an initial net worth of at least $1.5 million in order to obtain a COA.

B.

The COA most likely exempts Hill from any of State X's enabling statutes.

C.

Hill had to be organized as a partnership in order to obtain a COA

D.

The COA in no way indicates that Hill has demonstrated that it is fiscally sound.

Question 8

Following a report by the Institute of Medicine on the incidence and consequences of medical errors, a national task force recommended implementation of a nationwide mandatory system of collecting, analyzing, and reporting standardized information about m

Options:

A.

random change

B.

structural change

C.

haphazard change

D.

reactive change

Question 9

Health plans can organize under a not-for-profit form or a for-profit form. One true statement regarding not-for-profit health plans is that these organizations typically

Options:

A.

are exempt from review by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

B.

are organized as stock companies for greater flexibility in raising capital

C.

rely on income from operations for the large cash outlays needed to fund long-term projects and expansion

D.

engage in lobbying or political activities in order to maintain their tax-exempt status

Question 10

After a somewhat modest start in 2004, enrollment in HSA-related health plans more than tripled in 2005, making them today’s fastest growing type of CDHP. As of January 2006, enrollment in HSAs had reached nearly:

Options:

A.

1.2 million

B.

2.2 million

C.

3.2 million

D.

4.2 million

Question 11

By definition, a health plan's network refers to the

Options:

A.

organizations and individuals involved in the consumption of healthcare provided by the plan

B.

relative accessibility of the plan's providers to the plan's participants

C.

group of physicians, hospitals, and other medical care providers with whom the plan has contracted to deliver medical services to its members

D.

integration of the plan's participants with the plan's providers

Question 12

As part of its utilization management (UM) system, the Creole Health Plan uses a process known as case management. The following individuals are members of the Creole Health Plan:

  • Jill Novacek, who has a chronic respiratory condition.
  • Abraham Rashad.

Options:

A.

Ms. Novacek, Mr. Rashad, and Mr. Devereaux

B.

Ms. Novacek and Mr. Rashad only

C.

Ms. Novacek and Mr. Devereaux only

D.

None of these members

Question 13

Before the Hill Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) received a certificate of authority (COA) to operate in State X, it had to meet the state's licensing requirements and financial standards which were established by legislation that is identical to the

Options:

A.

Receive compensation based on the volume and variety of medical services they perform for Hill plan members, whereas the specialists receive compensation based solely on the number of plan members who are covered for specific services.

B.

Have no financial incentive to practice preventive care or to focus on improving the health of their plan members, whereas the specialists have a positive incentive to help their plan members stay healthy.

C.

Receive from the IPA the same monthly compensation for each Hill plan member under the PCP's care, whereas the specialists receive compensation based on a percentage discount from their normal fees.

D.

Receive compensation based on a fee schedule, whereas the specialists receive compensation based on per diem charges.

Question 14

In order to help review its institutional utilization rates, the Sahalee Medical Group, a health plan, uses the standard formula to calculate hospital bed days per 1,000 plan members for the month to date (MTD). On April 20, Sahalee used the following inf

Options:

A.

67

B.

274

C.

365

D.

1,000

Question 15

In response to the demand for a method of assessing outcomes, accrediting organizations and other government and commercial groups have developed quantitative measures of quality that consumers, purchasers, regulators, and others can use to compare health

Options:

A.

quality standards

B.

accreditation decisions

C.

standards of care

D.

performance measures

Question 16

Before the Leo Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) received a certificate of authority (COA) to operate in State X, it had to meet the state's licensing requirements and financial standards which were established by legislation that is identical to the

Options:

A.

receive compensation based on the volume and variety for medical services they perform for Leo plan members, whereas the specialists receive compensation based solely on the number of plan members who are covered for specific services

B.

have no financial incentive to practice preventive care or to focus on improving the health of their plan members, whereas the specialists have a positive incentive to help their plan members stay healthy

C.

receive from the IPA the same monthly compensation for each Leo plan member under the PCP's care, whereas the specialists receive compensation based on a percentage discount from their normal fees

D.

receive compensation based on a fee schedule, whereas the specialists receive compensation based on per diem charges

Question 17

In health plan terminology, demand management, as used by health plans, can best be described as

Options:

A.

an evaluation of the medical necessity, efficiency, and/or appropriateness of healthcare services and treatment plans for a given patient

B.

a series of strategies designed to reduce plan members' needs to utilize healthcare services by encouraging preventive care, wellness, member self-care, and appropriate use of healthcare services

C.

a technique that prevents a provider who is being reimbursed under a fee schedule arrangement from billing a plan member for any fees that exceed the maximum fee reimbursed by the plan

D.

a system of identifying plan members with special healthcare needs, developing a healthcare strategy to meet those needs, and coordinating and monitoring the care

Question 18

HMOs typically employ several techniques to manage provider utilization and member utilization of medical services. One technique that an HMO uses to manage member utilization is

Options:

A.

the use of physician practice guidelines

B.

the requirement of copayments for office visits

C.

capitation

D.

risk pools

Question 19

If a state commissioner of insurance places an HMO under administrative supervision, then the purpose of this action most likely is to:

Options:

A.

Transfer all of the HMO's business to other carriers.

B.

Allow the state commissioner, acting for a state court, to take control of and administer the HMO's assets and liabilities.

C.

Sell the HMO's assets in order to satisfy the HMO's obligations.

D.

Place the HMO's operations under the direction and control of the state commissioner or a person appointed by the commissioner.

Question 20

The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) is a nonprofit organization that accredits health plans and other healthcare organizations. Under the current NCQA accreditation program, a health plan's accreditation score is determined, in part, by pe

Options:

A.

is a performance-measurement tool designed to help healthcare purchasers and consumers compare quality offered by different plans.

B.

divides performance measures into 8 domains, and organizes reporting measures under these domains.

C.

is updated annually and measures are changed or new measures added.

D.

all of the above

Question 21

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners' (NAIC's) Unfair Claims Settlement Practices Act specifies standards for the investigation and handling of claims. The Act defines unfair claims practices and notes that such practices are improper if the

Options:

A.

Both A and B

B.

A only

C.

B only

D.

Neither A nor B

Question 22

Diabetic patients with high glucose levels requiring stabilization following treatment of an acute attack would best be served in an ___________

Options:

A.

Emergency Department

B.

Urgent Care Centre

C.

Hospice Care

D.

Observation Care Unit

Question 23

The following statements are about the various Health Plan Accountability Models adopted by the NAIC.

Options:

A.

Under the terms of the Health Plan Network Adequacy Model Act, all health plans would be required to hold covered persons harmless against provider collections and provide continued coverage for uncompleted treatment in the event of plan insolvency

B.

The Health Carrier Grievance Procedure Model Act requires all health carriers to maintain a first-level grievance review, but it does not require any second-level review

C.

According to the Health Care Professional Credentialing Verification Model Act, a health plan must select all providers who meet the plan's credentialing criteria

D.

The Quality Assessment and Improvement Model Act exempts closed plans from implementing a quality improvement program.

Question 24

When the Knoll Company purchased group health coverage from the Castle Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), the agreement between the two parties specified that the plan would be a typical fully funded plan. Because Knoll had been covered under a previous

Options:

A.

230

B.

270

C.

220

D.

180

Question 25

The following statements are about the non-group market for managed care products in the United States. Select the answer choice containing the correct statement.

Options:

A.

In order to promote a product to the individual market, MCOs typically rely on personal selling by captive agents rather than on promotional tools such as direct mail, telemarketing, and advertising.

B.

Managed Medicare plans typically are allowed to reject a Medicare applicant on the basis of the results of medical underwriting of the applicant.

C.

HCFA (now known as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) must approve all membership and enrollment materials used by MCOs to market managed care products to the Medicare population.

D.

Managed care plans are not allowed to health screen individual market customers who are under age 65, even if the health screen could help prevent anti selection.

Question 26

Medigap policies were standardized into ten standard benefit pl ranging from A-J by the ____

Options:

A.

Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) of 1990

B.

Tax Equity & Fiscal Responsibility Act (TEFRA) of 1982

C.

Medicare Modernization Act (MMA) of 2003

D.

Balanced Budget Act (BBA) of 1997

Question 27

Which of the following is NOT a reason for conducting utilization reviews?

Options:

A.

Improve the quality and cost effectiveness of patient care

B.

Reduce unnecessary practice variations

C.

Make appropriate authorization decisions

D.

Accommodate special requirements of inpatient care

Question 28

Common characteristics of POS products are

Options:

A.

Lack of Freedom of choice

B.

Absence of Primary care physician

C.

Cost-cutting efforts and the structure of coverage

D.

All of the above

Question 29

The measures used to evaluate healthcare quality are generally divided into three categories: process, structure, and outcomes. An example of a process measure that can be used to evaluate a health plan's performance is the:

Options:

A.

Percentage of adult plan members who receive regular medical checkups.

B.

Number of plan members contracting an infection in the hospital.

C.

Percentage of board certified physicians within the health plan's network.

D.

Number of hospital admissions for plan members with certain medical conditions.

Question 30

To determine fee reimbursements to be paid to physicians, the Triangle Health Plan assigns a weighted value to each medical procedure or service and multiplies the weighted value by a money multiplier. Triangle and the providers negotiate the value of the

Options:

A.

diagnosis-related group (DRG) system

B.

relative value scale (RVS)

C.

partial capitation arrangement

D.

capped fee system

Question 31

Abbreviation for JCAHO is

Options:

A.

Joint Coordination on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations

B.

Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations

C.

Joint Corporation on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations

D.

Joint Connection on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations

Question 32

The Houston Company, a United States company, offers its eligible employees health insurance coverage through a group health plan. Houston hired the Dallas Company to handle the plan's claim administration and membership services, but Houston is financial

Options:

A.

Houston is required to purchase stop-loss insurance to cover its losses under this group health plan

B.

Houston's plan is a self-funded plan

C.

Dallas is the plan's sponsor

D.

Houston's plan is not exempt from any state insurance regulations under ERISA

Question 33

The Gable MCO sometimes experience-rates small groups by underwriting a number of small groups as if they constituted one large group and then evaluating the experience of the entire large group. This practice, which allows small groups to take advantage

Options:

A.

prospective experience rating

B.

pooling

C.

retrospective experience rating

D.

positioning

Question 34

Combined system of preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic measures that focuses on management of specific chronic illness or medical conditions are:

Options:

A.

Utilization Review

B.

Case Management

C.

Demand Management

D.

Disease management

Question 35

Which of the following statements is true?

Options:

A.

A declining economy can lead to lower healthcare costs as a result of an older population with greater healthcare needs.

B.

A larger patient population increases pressure on the health plan to offer larger panels.

C.

Provider networks are not affected by the federal and state laws that apply to health plans

D.

Network management standards established by independent accrediting organizations have no influence on health plan network design.

Question 36

Which of the following statements about Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is WRONG?

Options:

A.

Employers need to maintain the coverage of group health insurance during this period

B.

Employees can take upto 12 weeks of unpaid leave in a 36 month period

C.

Protects people faced with birth/adoption or seriously ill family members

D.

Employers that have > 50 employees need to comply

Question 37

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) developed the Small Group Model Act to enable small groups to obtain accessible, yet affordable, group health benefits. The model law limits the rate spread, which is the difference between the highest and lowest rates that a health plan charges small groups, to a particular ratio.

According to the Model Act, for example, if the lowest rate an HMO charges a small group for a given set of medical benefits is $40, then the maximum rate the HMO can charge for the same set of benefits is

Options:

A.

$60

B.

$80

C.

$120

D.

$160

Question 38

Ancillary services are

Options:

A.

General medical care that is provided directly to a patient without referral from another physician

B.

Also known as secondary care (Medical care that is delivered by specialist)

C.

Supplemental services needed as part of providing other care

D.

Outpatient services provided by a hospital or other qualified ambulatory care facility which require inpatient stay

Question 39

One characteristic of the accreditation process for MCOs is that

Options:

A.

an accrediting agency typically conducts an on-site review of an MCO's operations, but it does not review an MCO's medical records or assess its member service systems

B.

each accrediting organization has its own standards of accreditation

C.

the accrediting process is mandatory for all MCOs

D.

government agencies conduct all accreditation activities for MCOs

Question 40

The Cleopatra Group, a third-party administrator (TPA), has entered into a TPA agreement with the Alexander MCO with regard to the administration of a particular health plan. This agreement complies with all of the provisions of the NAIC TPA Model Law. On

Options:

A.

hold all funds it receives on behalf of Alexander in trust

B.

assume full responsibility for determining the claim payment procedures for the plan

C.

assume full responsibility for ensuring that the health plan is administered properly

D.

obtain from the federal government a certificate of authority designating the Cleopatra Group as a TPA

Question 41

One factor the Sandpiper Health Plan uses to assess its quality is a clinician's bedside manner, i.e., how friendly and understanding the clinician is, whether the patient feels that the clinician listens to the patient's concerns, how well the clinical

Options:

A.

a provider service quality issue

B.

an administrative service quality issue a healthcare process quality issue

C.

a healthcare outcomes quality issue

D.

a healthcare process quality issue

Question 42

Janet Riva is covered by a indemnity health insurance plan that specifies a $250 deductible and includes a 20% coinsurance provision. When Ms. Riva was hospitalized, she incurred $2,500 in medical expenses that were covered by her health plan. She incurred

Options:

A.

$1,750

B.

$1,800

C.

$2,000

D.

$2,250

Question 43

Some providers use electronic medical records (EMRs) to document their patients' care in an electronic form. The following statement(s) can correctly be made about EMRs:

Options:

A.

EMRs are computerized records of a patient's clinical, demographic, and administrator

B.

B only

C.

Both A and B

D.

Neither A nor B

E.

A only

Question 44

Some states mandate that an independent enrollment broker or benefits counselor contractor selected by the state must manage enrollment of the eligible Medicaid population into managed care. In other states a health plan can engage independent brokers and

Options:

A.

Many states have regulations that prohibit health plans from using door-to-door and/or telephone solicitation to market health plan products to the Medicaid population.

B.

Health plans are never allowed to medically underwrite individual market customers who are under age 65.

C.

To promote a health plan product to the individual market, health plans typically use captive agents who give sales presentations to potential customers, rather than using promotion tools such as direct mail, telemarketing, or advertising.

D.

Health plans typically are allowed to medically underwrite all individual market customers who are covered by Medicare and can refuse to cover such customers.

Question 45

Pharmacy benefit management (PBM) companies typically interact with physicians and pharmacists by performing such clinical services as physician profiling. Physician profiling from a PBM's point of view involves

Options:

A.

ascertaining that physicians in the plan have the necessary and appropriate credentials to prescribe medications

B.

compiling data on physician prescribing patterns and comparing physicians' actual prescribing patterns to expected patterns within select drug categories

C.

monitoring patient-specific drug problems through concurrent and retrospective review

D.

establishing protocols that require physicians to obtain certification of medical necessity prior to drug dispensing

Question 46

Medicare is the federal government program established under Title XVIII of the Social Security Act of 1965 to provide hospital, medical and other covered benefits to elderly and disabled persons. Medicare is available for:

Options:

A.

Persons age 63 or older.

B.

Persons with qualifying disabilities (over the age of 63)

C.

Persons with end-stage renal disease (ESRD)

D.

Low income individuals

Question 47

One way in which a health plan can support an ethical environment is by

Options:

A.

requiring organizations with which it contracts to adopt the plan's formal ethical policy

B.

developing and maintaining a culture where ethical considerations are integrated into decision making at the top organizational level only

C.

establishing a formal method of managing ethical conflicts, such as using an ethics task force or bioethics consultant

D.

maintaining control of policy development by removing providers and members from the process of developing and implementing policies and procedures that provide guidance to providers and members confronted with ethical issues

Question 48

Managed behavioral health organizations (MBHOs) use several strategies to manage the delivery of behavioral healthcare services. The following statements are about these strategies.

Select the answer choice that contains the correct statement.

Options:

A.

MBHOs generally provide benefits for mental health services but not for chemical dependency services.

B.

The level of care needed to treat behavioral disorders is the same for all patients and all disorders.

C.

By using outpatient treatment more extensively, MBHOs have decreased the use of costly inpatient therapies.

D.

PCP gatekeeper systems for behavioral healthcare generally result in more accurate diagnoses, more effective treatment, and more efficient use of resources than do centralized referral systems.

Question 49

The Acme HMO recruits and contracts directly with a wide range of physicians—both PCPs and specialists—in its geographic area on a non-exclusive basis. There is no separate legal entity that represents and negotiates the contracts for the physicians. The

Options:

A.

an independent practice association (IPA) model HMO

B.

a staff model HMO

C.

a direct contract model HMO

D.

a group model HMO

Question 50

The existing committees at the Majestic Health Plan, a health plan that is subject to the requirements of HIPAA, include the Executive Committee and the Corporate Compliance Committee. The Executive Committee serves as a long-term advisory body on issues

Options:

A.

Both 1 and 2

B.

1 only

C.

2 only

D.

Neither 1 nor 2

Question 51

Natalie Chan is a member of the Ultra Health Plan. Whenever she needs non-emergency medical care, she sees Dr. David Craig, an internist. Ms. Chan cannot self-refer to a specialist, so she saw Dr. Craig when she experienced headaches. Dr. Craig referred h

Options:

A.

Within Ultra's system, Ms. Chan received primary care from both Dr. Craig and Dr. Lee.

B.

Ultra's system allows its members open access to all of Ultra's participating providers.

C.

Within Ultra's system, Dr. Craig serves as a coordinator of care or gatekeeper for the medical services that Ms. Chan receives.

D.

Ultra's network of providers includes Dr. Craig and Dr. Lee but not Arrow Hospital.

Question 52

Parable Healthcare Providers, a health plan, recently segmented the market for a new healthcare service. Parable began the process by dividing the healthcare market into two broad categories: non-group and group. Next, Parable further segmented the non-gr

Options:

A.

channel segmentation

B.

geographic segmentation

C.

demographic segmentation

D.

product segmentation

Question 53

Ronald Canton is a member of the Omega MCO. He receives his nonemergency medical care from Dr. Kristen High, an internist. When Mr. Canton needed to visit a cardiologist about his irregular heartbeat, he first had to obtain a referral from Dr. High to see

Options:

A.

Dr. High serves as the coordinator of care for the medical services that Mr. Canton receives.

B.

Omega's network of providers includes Dr. High, but not Dr. Miller.

C.

Omega's system allows its members open access to all of Omega's participating providers.

D.

Omega used a financing arrangement known as a relative value scale (RVS) to compensate Dr. Miller.

Question 54

The following paragraph contains an incomplete statement. Select the answer choice containing the term that correctly completes the statement. In early efforts to manage healthcare costs, traditional indemnity health insurers included in their health pla

Options:

A.

cost shifting

B.

deductibles

C.

underwriting

D.

copy

Question 55

The following paragraph contains an incomplete statement. Select the answer choice containing the term that correctly completes the statement. Advances in computer technology have revolutionized the processing of medical and drug claims. Claims processing i

Options:

A.

Lower

B.

Higher

C.

Same

D.

No change

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Total 367 questions