US healthcare reform is boon for India outsourcing companies

The Christian Science Monitor ^ | March 25, 2010 | Taylor Barnes

[stevie_d_64]

Mumbai – With 22 pen strokes, President Obama signed into existence not just a historic healthcare reform law but also monumental piles of paperwork: New member registration forms. More claims. Ever-expanding databases. And on top of that, pressure to cut costs.

The bulge in administrative work may look like a nightmare to American insurance firms and government employees. But to outsourcing executives here in India, it’s heaven-sent. A number of Indian companies are already anticipating an increase in workload thanks to Obama's healthcare law.

The addition of 32 million insured Americans is “very significant” for Indian outsourcers, says Ananda Mukerji, chief executive officer of Firstsource Solutions in Mumbai. Companies like his will see “increased opportunities” as US health insurers and hospitals scramble to reorganize to comply with the new law, he wrote in an email to the Monitor.

This extra work will include processing new enrollments, organizing bigger member databases, processing more claims, providing more support services, and managing more revenue, he says.

In particular, outsourcers can expect to benefit from insurers’ need to minimize administrative costs, Mr. Mukerji says, citing a recent Deloitte Center for Health Solutions study showing that up to 41 percent of the cost of a health plan is administrative.

[stevie_d_64]

41% of the cost of this is administrative???

Wow...So I guess 59% will be the good stuff we’ll have to re-distribute huh???

great...

[hoe_cake]

Oh great.

As it is now I can’t understand what these folks in India are telling me about my AT&T bill, my cell phone bill, and my cable bill.

Soon I won’t understand what the guy in India is telling me about my PMS medicine refill?

Wrong move folks. *reloading*

[GalaxieFiveHundred]

[Oldexpat]

Indian firms do a lot of the transcription of verbal records into digital records. Imagine that. Additional digital record keeping means more business for them.
Plus..all your details will be available at a moments notice to any bureaucrat who wants to review your records and treatments. When you get too costly for your age and social status..zappo.

[hoe_cake]

LOL. Tell me it aint so.

[mlocher]

The addition of 32 million insured Americans is “very significant” for Indian outsourcers, says Ananda Mukerji, chief executive officer of Firstsource Solutions in Mumbai. Companies like his will see “increased opportunities” as US health insurers and hospitals scramble to reorganize to comply with the new law, he wrote in an email to the Monitor.

Gee, Pelosi was correct. The Health Care Law actually will create jobs.....

[Cronos]

don’t mock — if Obama has his way, by 2012 or 2016, the Indians will be the rich ones and we in the US will be the dirt-poor slum-dwellers providing call center support.