Many Employers are Moving Away from Telemedicine – Reading

CELPIP Reading for Viewpoints Many Employers are moving away from Telemedicine

This Reading Module has 10 questions similar to the kinds of questions that you can expect to find on an actual CELPIP Test. Practice Celpip Test Reading for Viewpoints Telemedicine.

Part 1
Directions: Read the following article.

As consumers are asked to assume more health care costs than in the past, it’s important to consider benefits packages that offer more holistic support besides the usual health, dental and vision policies. Consumers should know that there are plans available today that will promote their overall well-being, which includes physical, mental and financial health.

Luckily, many employers see the need for robust benefits offerings, with some incorporating new solutions to meet increased employee demand for more from their benefits provider. In fact, 34 percent of employers surveyed in a Towers Watson study indicated they already offer more customization with voluntary benefits. Companies like Aflac are expanding services, ranging from credit monitoring to supplemental accident benefits to helping provide employees and their families with financial protection.

As consumers select benefits options provided by their employer, here are three additional services to look for that go above and beyond a typical benefits offering:

• Fraud protection. According to the Identity Theft Resource Center, by the middle of 2015, there were a total of 424 data breaches, compromising millions of consumers’ personal and financial data. It’s no surprise that the use of mobile technology and digital transactions has left consumers vulnerable, so benefits that include services to help protect employees’ personal and financial information should be viewed as a must-have option in employer-sponsored packages.

• Telemedicine. A Towers Watson survey showed that almost half of employers offer telemedicine, and by 2018 that number is expected to rise to 90 percent. Companies are starting to connect consumers to highly qualified health care professionals who can evaluate common conditions and provide personalized treatment remotely, offering a low-cost and convenient option, as opposed to a hospital or urgent care visit.

• Benefits management support. According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, medical debts account for 52 percent of debt collection actions that appear on consumer credit reports. Not to mention, the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 1 in 3 Americans struggle to pay medical bills. Companies are beginning to offer administrative support to help negotiate employees’ unpaid medical bills. Consumers who are concerned about expenses should investigate these options further, as it could help them protect their financial future.

With more health care responsibility falling on consumers, now is the perfect time to search for and demand more from employer benefits packages.

1. Most Americans _______________.

A. do not trust telemedicine
B. have been the victim of fraud
C. have a hard time paying for medical expenses
D. eat too much pizza

2. According to the article _______________.

A. more and more healthcare costs are being passed on to the consumer
B. mobile technology helps keep people safe from data breaches
C. telemedicine is expected to replace traditional clinics by 2018
D. employers are failing to recognize the need for holistic support

3. Holistic coverage includes _______________.

A. people under 18 years old
B. prescription medication
C. free access to telemedicine
D. physical, mental, and financial health, in addition to more traditional services.

4. Many employers are _______________.

A. moving away from telemedicine to a more traditional approach
B. failing to recognize the need for mental health services
C. scamming their employees
D. beginning to acknowledge the need for customizable healthcare plans

5. Consumers should _______________.

A. rely on their own intuition to protect themselves from fraud
B. receive help to negotiate medical bills
C. pay less for their medical plans
D. forgo voluntary benefits

Also Check: CELPIP Reading Correspondence Calgary Police Report

Part 2

Directions: Choose the best option according to the information given in the message.

As a victim of identity theft myself, I wish I had looked more into 6_______. I had never heard of holistic support being offered in a 7_______. The thing about a benefits package is that 8_______. Now that I understand the value of holistic support, I know how to use it to care for myself and my family. Instead of spending hours waiting to see a doctor in an emergency room, I can now 9_______? I really support the growing trend of companies offering 10_______.

Q6.

A. telemedicine before I got sick.
B. fraud protection a few years ago.
C. benefits management support.
D. mental health support

Q7.

A. benefits package.
B. a large city.
C. small company.
D. credit monitoring service

Q8.

A. you’ll never need to use most of the services.
B. it’s generally a waste of money.
C. it never covers the things you really need.
D. you don’t know its value until you really need it

Q9.

A. make use of the telemedicine service.
B. benefits mangement support.
C. fraud protection.
D. prescription drug coverage

Q10.

A. eye care.
B. dental care.
C. more customization.
D. more traditional benefits

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CELPIP Reading for Viewpoints Telemedicine Answers

1. C – have a hard time paying for medical expenses

2. A – more and more healthcare costs are being passed on to the consumer

3. D – physical, mental, and financial health, in addition to more traditional services

4. D – beginning to acknowledge the need for customizable healthcare plans

5. B – receive help to negotiate medical bills

6. B – fraud protection a few years ago

7. A – benefits package

8. D – you don’t know its value until you really need it

9. A – make use of the telemedicine service

10. C – more customization

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CELPIP Reading for Viewpoints Telemedicine Vocabulary

Holistic (complete, comprehensive)
Voluntary benefits (optional insurance products that employees can add to their plan)
Robust (strong)
Credit monitoring (a service that tracks your credit history to protect you against fraud)
Supplemental accidental benefits (insurance in case you get injured)
Data breach (information is stolen)
Vulnerable (weak, in danger)

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Also Check: CELPIP Reading Correspondence Patient Appointment