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Total 215 questions

Health Plan Finance and Risk Management Questions and Answers

Question 1

The Marble Health Plan sets aside a PMPM amount for each specialty.

When a PCP in Marble's provider network refers a Marble plan member to a specialist and the specialist provides medical services to the member, the specialist begins to receive a share of those funds on a monthly basis. Marble determines the monthly payment for each specialist by dividing the number of active patients for that specialty by the total specialty pool for that month.

This form of payment, which is similar to a case rate, is known as

Options:

A.

Referral circle capitation

B.

Risk pod capitation

C.

Contact capitation

D.

Retrospective reimbursement capitation

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Question 2

Mandated benefit laws are state or federal laws that require health plans to arrange for the financing and delivery of particular benefits. Within a market, the implementation of mandated benefit laws is likely to cause __________.

Options:

A.

A reduction in the number of self-funded healthcare plans

B.

An increase in the cost to the health plans

C.

A reduction in the size of the provider panels of health plans

D.

A reduction in the uniformity among the healthcare plans of competing health plans

Question 3

The provider contract that Dr. Timothy Meyer, a pediatrician, has with the Cardigan health plan states that Cardigan will compensate him under a capitation arrangement. However, the contract also includes a typical low enrollment guarantee provision. Statements that can correctly be made about this arrangement include that the low enrollment guarantee provision most likely:

Options:

A.

Causes Dr. Meyer's capitation contract with Cardigan to transfer more risk to him than the contract otherwise would transfer

B.

Specifies that Cardigan will pay Dr. Meyer under an arrangement other than capitation until a specified number of children covered by the plan use him as their PCP

C.

Both A and B

D.

A only

E.

B only

F.

Neither A nor B

Question 4

One true statement about cash-basis accounting is that

Options:

A.

Cash receipt, but not cash disbursement, is an important component of cash-basis accounting

B.

Most companies use a pure cash-basis accounting system

C.

Cash-basis accounting records revenue according to the realization principle and expenses according to the matching principle

D.

Health insurance companies and health plans that fall under the jurisdiction of state insurance commissioners must report some items on a cash basis for statutory reporting purposes

Question 5

The physicians who work for the Sunrise Health Plan, a staff model HMO, are paid a salary that is not augmented with another type of incentive plan. Compared to the use of a traditional reimbursement method, Sunrise's use of a salary reimbursement method is more likely to

Options:

A.

Encourage Sunrise's physicians to perform services that are not medically necessary

B.

Completely eliminate service risk for Sunrise's physicians

C.

Decrease Sunrise's liability for any negligent acts of the physicians in the plan's network of providers

D.

Help stabilize expenses for Sunrise

Question 6

A health plan that capitates a provider group typically provides or offers to provide stop-loss coverage to that provider group.

Options:

A.

True

B.

False

Question 7

This concept, which holds that a company should record the amounts associated with its business transactions in monetary terms, assumes that the value of money is stable over time. This concept provides objectivity and reliability, although its relevance may fluctuate.

From the following answer choices, choose the name of the accounting concept that matches the description.

Options:

A.

Measuring-unit concept

B.

Full-disclosure concept

C.

Cost concept

D.

Time-period concept

Question 8

The following statements illustrate common forms of capitation:

1. The Antler Health Plan pays the Epsilon Group, an integrated delivery system (IDS), a capitated amount to provide substantially all of the inpatient and outpatient services that Antler offers. Under this arrangement, Epsilon accepts much of the risk that utilization rates will be higher than expected. Antler retains responsibility for the plan's marketing, enrollment, premium billing, actuarial, underwriting, and member services functions.

2. The Bengal Health Plan pays an independent physician association (IPA) a capitated amount to provide both primary and specialty care to Bengal's plan members. The payments cover all physician services and associated diagnostic tests and laboratory work. The physicians in the IPA determine as a group how the individual physicians will be paid for their services.

From the following answer choices, select the response that best indicates the form of capitation used by Antler and Bengal.

Options:

A.

Antler = subcapitation

Bengal = full-risk capitation

B.

Antler = subcapitation

Bengal = full professional capitation

C.

Antler = global capitation

Bengal = subcapitation

D.

Antler = global capitation

Bengal = full professional capitation

Question 9

The sentence below contains two pairs of words enclosed in parentheses. Determine which word in each pair correctly completes the statement. Then select the answer choice containing the two words that you have chosen. Purchasing stop-loss coverage most likely (increases / reduces) a health plan's underwriting risk and (increases / reduces) the health plan’s affiliate risk.

Options:

A.

increases / increases

B.

increases / reduces

C.

reduces / increases

D.

reduces / reduces

Question 10

The following statements indicate the pricing policies of two health plans that operate in a particular market:

  • The Accent Health Plan consistently underprices its product
  • The Bolton Health Plan uses extremely strict underwriting practices for the small groups to which it markets its plan

From the following answer choices, select the response that correctly indicates the most likely market effects of the pricing policies used by Accent and Bolton.

Options:

A.

Accent = unprofitable business

Bolton = high acquisition rate

B.

Accent = unprofitable business

Bolton = low acquisition rate

C.

Accent = high profits

Bolton = high acquisition rate

D.

Accent = high profits

Bolton = low acquisition rate

Question 11

A stop-loss contract may provide that claims are settled using a paid claims method or an incurred claims method. The Concord Company provides health coverage to its employees through a self-funded health plan. On March 17, a Concord employee who is enrolled in this plan underwent surgery, and the surgery was sufficiently expensive to trigger Concord's specific stop-loss coverage. On April 10, Concord paid the medical expenses associated with the surgery. The term of the stop-loss contract ended on April 1. This information indicates that the stop-loss carrier is responsible for paying a portion of the cost of the surgery under

Options:

A.

both the paid claims method and the incurred claims method

B.

the paid claims method but not the incurred claims method

C.

the incurred claims method but not the paid claims method

D.

neither the paid claims method nor the incurred claims method

Question 12

An actuary for the Noble Health Plan observed that the plan's actual morbidity was lower than its assumed morbidity and that the plan's actual administrative expenses were higher than its assumed administrative expenses. In this situation, Noble's actual underwriting margin was

Options:

A.

larger than its assumed underwriting margin, and the plan's actual expense margin was higher than its assumed expense margin

B.

larger than its assumed underwriting margin, but the plan's actual expense margin was lower than its assumed expense margin

C.

smaller than its assumed underwriting margin, but the plan's actual expense margin was higher than its assumed expense margin

D.

smaller than its assumed underwriting margin, and the plan's actual expense margin was lower than its assumed expense margin

Question 13

Provider reimbursement methods that transfer some utilization risk from a health plan to providers affect the health plan's RBC formula. A health plan's use of these reimbursement methods is likely to result in

Options:

A.

An increase the health plan's underwriting risk

B.

A decrease the health plan's credit risk

C.

A decrease the health plan's net worth requirement

D.

All of the above

Question 14

Kevin Olin applied for individual healthcare coverage from the Mercury health plan. Before issuing the policy, Mercury's underwriters attached a rider that excludes from coverage any loss that results from Mr. Olin's chronic knee problem. This information indicates that Mr. Olin's policy includes

Options:

A.

a moral hazard rider

B.

an essential plan rider

C.

an impairment rider

D.

an insurable interest rider

Question 15

The following statements are about the financial risks for health plans in Medicare and Medicaid markets. Three of these statements are true, and one statement is false. Select the answer choice containing the FALSE statement.

Options:

A.

One reason that health plans in the Medicare and Medicaid markets experience financial risk is that government regulations determine which services must be provided to Medicare and Medicaid enrollees.

B.

Effective use of hospital utilization is the single most likely factor to contribute to the success of a Medicare-contracting health plan.

C.

If a Medicare-contracting health plan is a provider-sponsored organization (PSO), it is prohibited from sharing financial risk with its providers.

D.

Typically, providers are more reluctant to accept financial risk in connection with providing services to the Medicaid population than with providing services to the Medicare population.

Question 16

One true statement about a type of capitation known as a percent-of-premium arrangement is that this arrangement

Options:

A.

Is the most common type of capitation

B.

Is less attractive to providers when the arrangement sets provisions to limit risk

C.

Sets provider reimbursement at a specific dollar amount per plan member

D.

Transfers some of the risk associated with underwriting and rating from a health plan to a provider

Question 17

The following statements are about a health plan's evaluation of its responsibility centers. Select the answer choice containing the correct statement.

Options:

A.

When analyzing budget variances, a health plan's management should pay attention to unfavorable variances only.

B.

A health plan can reduce the problem of unattainable goals by involving responsibility managers in the preparation of their centers' budgets.

C.

One reason that a health plan would use cost-based transfer prices to evaluate the performance of its profit centers and investment centers is because, under this method of setting transfer prices, the selling center has maximum incentive to operate effectively and control costs.

D.

In responsibility accounting, all employees who have any influence over a health plan's department are held equally accountable for the operations and financial outcomes of that department.

Question 18

The Jamal Health Plan operates in a state that mandates that a health plan either allow providers to become part of its network or reimburse those providers at the health plan’s negotiated-contract rate, so long as the non-contract provider is willing to perform the services at the contract rate. This type of law is known as:

Options:

A.

A fair procedure law

B.

A direct access law

C.

An any willing provider law

D.

A due process law

Question 19

The amount of risk for health plan products is dependent on the degree of influence and the relationships that the health plan maintains with its providers. Consider the following types of managed care structures:

  • Preferred provider organization (PPO)
  • Group model HMO
  • Staff model health maintenance organization (HMO)
  • Traditional health insurance

Of these health plan products, the one that would most likely expose a health plan to the highest risk is the:

Options:

A.

preferred provider organization (PPO)

B.

group model HMO

C.

staff model health maintenance organization (HMO)

D.

traditional health insurance

Question 20

The risk-based capital formula for health plans defines a number of risks that can impact a health plan’s solvency. These categories reflect the fact that the level of risk faced by health plans is significantly impacted by provider reimbursement methods that shift utilization risk to providers. The following statements are about the effect of a health plan transferring utilization risk to providers. Select the answer choice containing the correct statement:

Options:

A.

The net effect of using provider reimbursement contracts to transfer risk is that the health plan’s net worth requirement increases.

B.

Once the health plan has transferred utilization risk to its providers, it is relieved of the legal obligation to provide medical services to plan members in the event of the provider’s insolvency.

C.

The greater the amount of risk the health plan transfers to providers, the larger the credit-risk factor becomes in the health plan’s RBC formula.

D.

By decreasing its utilization risk, the health plan increases its underwriting risk.

Question 21

The Jade Health Plan used a profitability index (PI) to rank the following capital proposals:

Proposal PI

A0.45

B1.05

This information indicates that, of these two projects, Jade would most likely select:

Options:

A.

Proposal A, and the PI indicates that the net present value (NPV) for this project is less than zero

B.

Proposal A, and the PI indicates that the net present value (NPV) for this project is greater than zero

C.

Proposal B, and the PI indicates that the net present value (NPV) for this project is less than zero

D.

Proposal B, and the PI indicates that the net present value (NPV) for this project is greater than zero

Question 22

The types of financial risks and costs to which a health plan is subject depends on whether the health plan provides services to the Medicare and/or Medicaid populations or to the commercial population. One distinction between providing services to the Medicare and Medicaid populations and to the commercial population is that Medicare and Medicaid enrollees typically:

Options:

A.

Are locked into a plan for a 12-month period, whereas enrollees from the commercial population may disenroll from a plan on a monthly basis

B.

Require less enrollee education than do enrollees from the commercial population

C.

Have higher incidences of chronic illness than do enrollees from the commercial population

D.

Are enrolled in a health plan through a group situation, whereas the commercial population typically enrolls in a health plan on an individual basis

Question 23

One difference between the internal and external analysis of a health plan's financial information is that

Options:

A.

Internal analysis of the health plan can be more detailed and more specific than can external analysis

B.

Internal analysts are more likely than external analysts to want comparative financial data about the health plan

C.

Only internal analysts use trend analysis to analyze the health plan's financial statements

D.

Only internal analysts typically conduct the financial analysis of the health plan themselves

Question 24

The Savanna health plan used a risk analysis technique which defines the key assumptions of Savanna's strategic financial plan in terms of mathematical formulas that can be correlated to each other or analyzed independently. This technique allowed Savanna to simulate probable future events on a computer and produce a distribution of possible outcomes. This risk analysis technique, which can be used to predict Savanna's distribution of expected claims, is known as

Options:

A.

A hurdle rate simulation

B.

Optimistic, most likely, pessimistic scenario modeling

C.

A Monte Carlo simulation

D.

Debt covenant modeling

Question 25

A health plan most likely would use benchmarking in order to

Options:

A.

Measure its performance and practices against those of other companies to help identify those practices that will lead to superior performance in a variety of financial and non-financial areas

B.

Calculate the percentage changes in its financial statement items over several consecutive accounting periods

C.

Determine both the direction and velocity of trends in its financial statements

D.

Display only percentage relationships in its financial statements

Question 26

Geena Falk is eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid coverage. If Ms. Falk incurs a covered expense, then:

Options:

A.

Medicaid will be Ms. Falk’s primary insurer

B.

Medicare will be Ms. Falk’s primary insurer

C.

Either Medicare or Medicaid will be Ms. Falk’s primary insurer depending on her election

D.

Medicare and Medicaid will each be responsible for one-half of Ms. Falk’s covered expense

Question 27

All publicly traded health plans in the United States are required to prepare financial statements for use by their external users in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). In addition, health insurers and health plans that fall under the jurisdiction of state insurance departments are required by law to prepare certain financial statements in accordance with statutory accounting practices (SAP). In a comparison of GAAP to SAP, it is correct to say that:

Options:

A.

GAAP is established and promoted by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), whereas SAP is established and promoted by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB)

B.

The going-concern concept is an underlying premise of GAAP, whereas SAP tends to focus on the liquidation value of the MCO or the insurer

C.

GAAP provides for a single method of valuing all of a health plan’s assets, whereas SAP offers the health plan more than one method for valuing its assets

D.

The principle of conservatism is fundamental to GAAP, whereas SAP generally is not conservative in nature

Question 28

The Coral Health Plan, a for-profit health plan, has two sources of capital:

Debt and equity. With regard to these sources of capital, it can correctly be stated that

Options:

A.

Coral's equity holders have an ownership interest in the health plan

B.

The interest that Coral pays on its debt most likely is not tax deductible to Coral

C.

Coral's debt holders have no legal claim to Coral's assets

D.

Equity is a more risky source of capital, from Coral's perspective, than is debt

Question 29

The following information relates to the Hardcastle Health Plan for the month of June:

  • Incurred claims (paid and IBNR) equal $100,000
  • Earned premiums equal $120,000
  • Paid claims, excluding IBNR, equal $80,000
  • Total health plan expenses equal $300,000

This information indicates that Hardcastle’s medical loss ratio (MLR) for the month of June was approximately equal to:

Options:

A.

40%

B.

67%

C.

83%

D.

120%

Question 30

The Rathbone Company has contracted with the Jarvin Insurance Company to provide healthcare benefits to its employees. Under this contract, Rathbone assumes financial responsibility for paying 80% of its estimated annual claims and for depositing the funds necessary to pay these claims into a bank account. Although Rathbone owns the bank account, Jarvin, acting as Rathbone’s agent, makes the actual claims payments from this account. Claims in excess of Rathbone’s contracted percentage are paid by Jarvin. Rathbone pays to Jarvin a premium for administering the entire plan and bearing the costs of claims in excess of Rathbone’s obligation. This premium is substantially lower than would be charged if Jarvin were providing healthcare coverage under a traditional fully insured group plan. Jarvin is required to pay premium taxes only on the premiums it receives from Rathbone. This information indicates that the type of alternative funding method used by Rathbone is known as a:

Options:

A.

Premium-delay arrangement

B.

Reserve-reduction arrangement

C.

Minimum-premium plan

D.

Retrospective-rating arrangement

Question 31

With regard to alternative funding arrangements, the part of a health plan premium that is intended to contribute to the claims reserve that a health plan maintains to pay for unusually high utilization is known as the:

Options:

A.

Interest charge

B.

Retention charge

C.

Risk charge

D.

Surplus

Question 32

Variance analysis is the study of the difference between expected results and actual results. Variances can be positive or negative. A positive variance is typically considered:

Options:

A.

favorable for both expenses and revenues

B.

favorable for expenses, but unfavorable for revenues

C.

favorable for revenues, but unfavorable for expenses

D.

unfavorable for both expenses and revenues

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Total 215 questions