Deck 20: Making Smart Health Care Choices

Question 1

Before receiving any care, patients must be made aware of the treatment plan and any potential risks involved. This is known as the right

A) of informed consent.
B) to receive care.
C) to privacy.
D) to access medical records.

Answer 1

of informed consent.

Question 2

Taking responsibility for your health care includes all of the following EXCEPT

A) learning how to navigate the health care system.
B) using over-the-counter medications to treat illness such as sudden high fever or recurrent vomiting.
C) being knowledgeable about the benefits and limits of self-care.
D) learning when to seek medical attention.

Answer 2

using over-the-counter medications to treat illness such as sudden high fever or recurrent vomiting.

Question 3

The primary care practitioner in your school's health clinic has a master's degree and is authorized to perform exams, conduct diagnostic tests, and in some states may also prescribe medications. He is a

A) nurse practitioner.
B) vocational nurse.
C) licensed practical nurse.
D) registered nurse.

Answer 3

nurse practitioner.

Question 4

All of the following statements are true about traditional Western medical practice EXCEPT

A) all treatments have had the benefit of extensive clinical trials.
B) practitioners complete rigorous education and clinical training programs.
C) it can be practiced by a wide range of specialists and health professionals.
D) it is best when the patient actively participates in decisions.

Question 5

You should consult a physician

A) to check blood pressure and temperature.
B) to learn new relaxation techniques.
C) to treat a reaction to an insect bite.
D) for a monthly breast or testicular exam.

Question 6

You should seek expert medical care if you experience any of the following EXCEPT

A) unexplained weight loss.
B) persistent diarrhea.
C) a sore that doesn't heal.
D) a headache after studying all night.

Question 7

An optometrist

A) performs eye exams.
B) prescribes medications to treat eye illnesses and injuries.
C) fits individuals for glasses.
D) performs eye exams and prescribes and fits lenses.

Question 8

Self-care involves all of the following EXCEPT

A) knowing your body.
B) paying attention to body signals.
C) taking appropriate action to stop the progression of illness.
D) ignoring body signals and "toughing it out."

Question 9

Self-care can be used to

A) diagnose acute symptoms.
B) treat infections.
C) detect changes through monthly self-exams.
D) diagnose cancer.

Question 10

Conventional Western medical practice is known as

A) naturopathic medicine.
B) allopathic medicine.
C) Chinese medicine.
D) evidence-based medicine.

Question 11

Your mom's doctor works at a hospital accredited by the Joint Commission. This type of accreditation indicates that

A) only specialists can practice there.
B) all practitioner education, licensing, and training qualifications have been verified.
C) all physicians must be trained in both traditional and alternative medicine.
D) only generalists can practice there.

Question 12

Which of the following health professionals is least likely to be a primary health care provider?

A) Allergist
B) Internist
C) Obstetrician-gynecologist
D) Pediatrician

Question 13

Your right eye has become very red and swollen and you suspect a possible infection. With whom should you make an appointment for treatment?

A) Physician assistant
B) Optician
C) Optometrist
D) Ophthalmologist

Question 14

The primary difference between a board certified and board eligible physician is

A) a board certified physician has demonstrated competency in their area.
B) a board eligible physician practices alternative medicine.
C) a board eligible physician has failed the board exam and only has one additional chance to take the exam and pass it.
D) a board certified physician is associated with an accredited health care facility.

Question 15

When choosing a health care provider, you should examine all of the following EXCEPT

A) their educational training.
B) their affiliations with accredited medical facilities.
C) how their methods of treatment compare to established medical practices.
D) their membership in local organizations such as country clubs or service clubs.

Question 16

Due to the differences in training, an osteopathic physician would probably have more experience dealing with which condition than a medical doctor?

A) Low back pain
B) Heart disease
C) Cancer
D) Kidney failure

Question 17

Which of the following symptoms probably does not warrant professional medical advice?

A) You notice that your lips are bluish in color.
B) You get a tingling sensation in your arm and your speech is slurred.
C) You develop a low grade fever and sore throat.
D) Your throat is swelling after taking a new medication.

Question 18

Communication with health care providers can be improved by all of the following EXCEPT

A) knowing your family history.
B) relying on your health care provider as your only source of information on health care issues.
C) writing down information so that you remember it accurately.
D) seeking a second opinion when you have doubts about the provider's recommendations.

Question 19

In a clinical trial for a new pain medication, if you were given an inactive substance instead of the actual drug but after taking it, your headache improved, this resulted from the

A) nocebo effect.
B) placebo effect.
C) ingredients in the inactive pills.
D) time that had passed.

Question 20

Treating a minor health problem yourself without seeking professional help is

A) urgent care.
B) emergency care.
C) self-care.
D) non-urgent care.

Question 21

Physician assistants

A) are competently able to treat 100 percent of those seeking primary care.
B) can provide treatment and write prescriptions when supervised by a physician.
C) are not licensed by state boards of medicine.
D) are the same as physicians, but with fewer years of experience.

Question 22

Originally health insurance only covered major medical expenses. This type of coverage did all of the following EXCEPT

A) it failed to provide incentives to contain costs.
B) it failed to control physicians' rates and the number of procedures performed.
C) it failed to encourage disease prevention.
D) it encouraged consumers to seek preventive care instead of waiting until illness developed.

Question 23

Which of the following is true with respect to underinsured individuals in the United States?

A) They are primarily children under the age of 16.
B) Most are either unemployed adults or their dependents.
C) Young adults are more likely to be underinsured than older adults.
D) There are no underinsured people in the United States.

Question 24

Based on the percentage of gross domestic product (GDP), the United States spends more on healthcare than

A) China.
B) Germany.
C) the United Kingdom.
D) any other nation.

Question 25

All of the following are true with respect to generic drugs EXCEPT

A) they contain the same active ingredients as their brand name counterpart.
B) they are generally less expensive than brand name drugs.
C) they have the same inactive ingredients as their brand name counterpart.
D) they are sold under a chemical name instead of a brand name.

Question 26

Capitation refers to

A) payment of a fixed monthly amount to a provider per enrolled patient, regardless of the type or number of services provided.
B) a one-time fee that is paid to providers from insurance companies if the patient enrolls in an HMO.
C) care received from salaried practitioners at a specific facility.
D) administrators and stockholders in a proprietary hospital determining the fee schedule for a given fiscal year.

Question 27

Actions taken by a health provider for the sake of avoiding potential malpractice suits is known as

A) allopathic medicine.
B) legally binding medicine.
C) proactive medicine.
D) defensive medicine.

Question 28

The majority of health care dollars in the United States is spent on

A) hospital care.
B) physician services.
C) prescription drugs.
D) nursing home care.

Question 29

Improper or negligent treatment of a patient by a health care provider that results in loss or harm to the patient is

A) defensive medicine.
B) malpractice.
C) malfunction.
D) abandonment.

Question 30

A 70-year-old retired person would be eligible for health insurance coverage through

A) COBRA.
B) Medicaid.
C) Medicare.
D) Social Security.

Question 31

Over-the-counter drugs are commonly used for all of the following EXCEPT

A) allergies.
B) dieting aids.
C) sleep aids.
D) cancer recovery.

Question 32

College and university health insurance plans for students usually

A) are short-term, noncatastrophic plans with limited benefits.
B) offer the same benefits as individual private insurance plans.
C) include similar benefits to those offered in employer-sponsored plans.
D) are high-deductible, catastrophic plans.

Question 33

You have a history of back problems and found out that your new health insurance plan will not cover any treatment related to your back problems until the policy has been in effect for 12 months. Your back problem is considered a(n)

A) prior diagnosis.
B) preexisting condition.
C) lifestyle risk.
D) untreatable condition.

Question 34

If an insurance policy covers 90 percent of your total medical bills, the remaining 10 percent that you must pay is your

A) coinsurance amount.
B) copayment amount.
C) deductible amount.
D) premium amount.

Question 35

A set fee that an insurance plan requires that patients pay at the time of service (per office visit or prescription) is the

A) coinsurance.
B) copayment.
C) deductible.
D) premium.

Question 36

Most private health insurance plans require the patient to a pay a certain amount each year toward health care expenses before the plan benefits begin; this amount is the

A) copayment.
B) coinsurance.
C) deductible.
D) premium.

Question 37

Your father was laid off six months ago but recently started a new job. He was able to keep his health insurance during the transition through

A) COBRA.
B) Medicaid.
C) Medicare.
D) Social Security.

Question 38

Drugs that can be purchased without a prescription as part of self-care are

A) over-the-counter drugs.
B) generic drugs.
C) brand-name drugs.
D) formulary drugs.

Question 39

Approximately how many Americans are currently uninsured?

A) More than 30 million
B) More than 40 million
C) More than 50 million
D) More than 60 million

Question 40

Which of the following individuals would most likely have difficulty finding good, affordable health care?

A) An elementary school teacher
B) A self-employed construction worker
C) A state employee
D) A graphic designer with a large corporation

Question 41

If your PPO has an in-network coverage rate of 90% and an out-of-network coverage rate of 60%, this means that

A) your deductible will decrease by 30% if you visit an out-of-network specialist.
B) you will be responsible for paying an additional 30% of the costs associated with treatment by an out-of-network provider.
C) you are more likely to be denied coverage for out-of-network services.
D) you can expect a 30% refund from your health insurance provider.

Question 42

Categories established by the federal government to determine how much hospitals will be reimbursed for the care of a patient with a particular condition or multiple conditions are

A) diagnosis-related groups.
B) fee schedules.
C) formulary tiers.
D) diagnostic codes.

Question 43

You are concerned about the ever-increasing costs of health care, so you try to do all of the following EXCEPT

A) avoid receiving the same services from more than one provider.
B) maintain your weight at a normal level.
C) exercise regularly.
D) use the emergency room for your routine health care.

Question 44

An osteopath (D.O) does not complete the same level of training as a physician who is an M.D.

Question 45

An Institute of Medicine report indicates that as many as 200,000 people die in the United States each year as the result of

A) infectious diseases.
B) medical errors.
C) lack of insurance.
D) lack of access to care.

Question 46

The placebo effect is the disappearance of symptoms without any apparent reason or treatment.

Question 47

Which type of health insurance plan involves a contracted provider network and a focus on preventive care and cost control?

A) Fee-for-service
B) Managed care
C) Indemnity
D) Hospital-owned

Question 48

A measurement of care quality used by many health care payers is based on which criteria?

A) Mortality rates
B) Days spent in the hospital
C) Patient outcomes
D) Number of providers on a case

Question 49

A payment made to an insurance company, usually on a monthly basis, to cover the cost of an insurance policy is the

A) deductible.
B) premium.
C) waiting period.
D) lifetime limit.

Question 50

An amount of time specified by an insurance company that must pass before coverage will be in effect is the

A) deductible.
B) premium.
C) waiting period.
D) lifetime limit.

Question 51

Radiographers and physical, occupational, and speech therapists are examples of which type of health care professional?

A) Certified
B) Alternative
C) Unlicensed
D) Allied health

Question 52

The health insurance program jointly funded by the states and the federal government that provides coverage for low-income individuals and families is

A) Medicare.
B) Medicaid.
C) Social Security.
D) COBRA.

Question 53

Concerns about HMOs include all of the following EXCEPT

A) questions about care allocation.
B) profit-motivated medical decision making.
C) the upfront costs for each appointment that patients must pay.
D) questions about appropriate access to services.

Question 54

The federally funded health insurance program that covers 99 percent of the U.S. population age 65 and older is

A) Medicare.
B) Medicaid.
C) Social Security.
D) COBRA.

Question 55

The ability to obtain and understand basic health information and health care services is

A) medical terminology.
B) health care practice.
C) health literacy.
D) self-care.

Question 56

If you have moved to a new town and want to find a physician you can see for annual wellness exams and the treatment of routine ailments, you are seeking a(n)

A) in-network practitioner.
B) specialist.
C) internal medicine practitioner.
D) primary care practitioner.

Question 57

All patients have the legal right to refuse or cease treatment.

Question 58

The total amount an insurance company will pay out in benefits after which coverage will end is the

A) deductible.
B) premium.
C) waiting period.
D) lifetime limit.

Question 59

Access to health care can be limited by all of the following EXCEPT

A) insurance coverage.
B) geographic location.
C) health status.
D) job status.

Question 60

Which of the following plans stipulates that patients can go to providers who are not members of a contracted network, but they must pay a higher cost for services?

A) Point of service (POS)
B) Preferred provider organization (PPO)
C) POS and PPO
D) HMO

Question 61

A patient is entitled to have access to all of their medical records.

Question 62

Discuss four problems that may be associated with access to health care.

Question 63

Discuss various components of insurance coverage that are part of containing health care costs.

Question 64

All physicians must accept Medicare patients.

Question 65

Requesting an x-ray when it is unnecessary but the patient demands it would be considered defensive medicine.

Question 66

An underinsured individual is defined as someone who does not earn enough to afford the cost of health insurance premiums.

Question 67

Are you in favor of a national health insurance program in the United States? Support your answer with reasons why or why not.

Question 68

Regular self-care should include performing monthly breast and testicular self-examinations.

Question 69

People without health care coverage increase overall health care costs when they wait until a condition becomes serious before seeking medical attention, thereby requiring more expensive treatment.

Question 70

Discuss four factors involved in the continuing increase in health care costs.

Question 71

Discuss four common forms of self-care.

Question 72

Waiting periods are illegal when enrolling in a new health insurance plan.

Question 73

Allopathic medicine is based on scientifically validated methods and procedures.

Question 74

Evaluate your health care consumer characteristics and discuss five things you do (or should do) to be a wise health care consumer.

Question 75

An optometrist holds a medical degree and can perform eye surgery.