With so much uncertainty about the scale and duration of COVID-19, people around the world are worried about their wellbeing, their finances and their ability to access good healthcare. Unfortunately, the healthcare system is extremely complex and can be difficult to navigate even when we’re not in the midst of a global health crisis.
On average, we’ve found that 69% of people don’t feel fully empowered to control their healthcare journeys, which only adds to their stress and prevents them from receiving the best care at the lowest possible cost.
Typically, benefits information is only rolled out or communicated once a year at open enrollment. Employees select their plan option, agree to the premiums for the year (that are usually higher than they were last year) and wait for their new card to arrive in the mail. In fact, 56% of employees spend less than 30 minutes researching their health insurance plans before selecting their plan option. Yikes.
If you’re not paying attention to your healthcare benefits, you’re not paying attention to your health—or how much your care costs you.
As the cost of healthcare continues to rise, employers need to empower their employees to take control of their healthcare by delivering better education about their benefits, positioning them as the drivers of their overall wellbeing.
Engagement strategies designed to deliver educational resources year-round can keep employees in-the-know about quality, cost-effective options so they know where to go before they get sick—a benefit for both the employee and the business.
Here are six ways employers can implement a year-round engagement strategy starting today:
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Learn how your employees prefer to communicate and use those channels to send out benefits information.
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Send out ‘Know Where to Go’ information or post flyers in break rooms that break down when to use clinics vs. urgent care vs. the ER.
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Keep employees informed about their HSA and FSA benefits by reminding them to use their accounts and sharing tips around what’s covered.
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Talk about the importance of having a regular doctor and educate employees about their options, from finding a local office to using telehealth services to establishing a primary provider.
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Educate employees about any virtual care options included in their plan, like primary care and second opinion services, as a way to save time and money.
Interested in learning more about how Maestro Health can help you connect your employees with better health outcomes? Check out our resource hub and get in touch with us to learn more.
