The Big Picture – March 2015

March 2015 MonthlyByte

by NADP Board Chair Chris Swanker

The end of the first quarter of 2015 is an important check point in our six-year journey under the new NADP Strategic Plan. It is an excellent time to review our course and evaluate the road signs along the way.

Our journey began in 2014 with a scan of our environment, focusing on three key aspects: the industry, customers and politics. As we charted our course for the next six years, we anticipated impactful changes in all three environments. While our journey is just getting underway, we have already noticed these important road signs:

• An increase in Medicaid enrollment reported for membership dues
• Continued growth of Dental Service Organizations (DSOs)
• State legislative & regulatory developments focused on medical loss ratios, network adequacy and DSOs
• Consumer interest in dental plans as evidenced by preliminary enrollment in Exchanges and visits to the NADP online member directory

In addition to these informal observations, NADP just released the annual State of the Dental Benefits Market report late last week. This edition highlights the market before the introduction of Exchanges, making it an important piece of market intelligence and a key indicator for our journey to success over the next six years. I encourage you to review this report, as it is included as a benefit FREE for all NADP members. In addition to statistical information, the report also includes highlights about vital industry and association trends such as Affordable Care Act initiatives, developments in credentialing and a section about what to expect in 2015.

Both the informal observations and industry research indicate NADP is on course for success as outlined in the Strategic Plan. The Board recently reviewed the Plan’s High Level Initiatives (HLI) and the ownership of each initiative by various volunteer groups. To ensure the association stays on course, NADP is scheduling a quarterly call with the volunteer group chairs to enhance communication and coordination on all HLIs. In review the HLIs are:

1. Address emerging political shifts by improving NADP’s position with political and policy leaders to influence positive dental policy outcomes at the federal and state levels
2. Execute a strategy that integrates data, analytics and business intelligence to deliver new value to the dental industry, with emphasis on providers, the delivery of overall health/oral health care and associated outcomes
3. Expand collaboration and partnerships with other dental industry stakeholder organizations
4. Expand NADP’s scope and influence to enhance association’s role in representing members and expanded range of stakeholders across the industry
5. Pursue opportunities that focus on the consumer both as the purchaser (and potential purchaser) and of dental benefits and end user of dental services

In addition to serving as directional markers for NADP, the HLIs outlined above underscore the value of NADP membership as these areas of focus directly impact our members’ bottom line and operations.

The end of the first quarter indicates NADP is heading in the right direction regarding our members and the Strategic Plan. The Board of Directors will continually refer to the Strategic Plan as our road map to success review our progress on conference calls and meetings. Next month, the Board of Directors meeting will hold a face-to-face meeting in Chicago. In addition, we will meet with the American Dental Association Council on Dental Benefits. This open dialogue between our two organizations has proven mutually beneficial over the years, and we trust it will continue to do so. If you have any questions or suggestions, I’d like to hear from you. Please contact me at cswanker@nadp.org or (610) 807-8485.