Employer Healthcare Strategies

It’s no secret that unhealthy employees are less engaged and more apt to affect your bottom-line. Employers have looked for ways to mitigate risk by motivating employees to live healthier lives. With an overwhelming majority of employers planning to implement a health and wellness program in 2018, employers are taking greater aim at intervention, not just prevention.

If you think the health of your employees has no impact on your productivity or bottom line, think again. One out of every four dollars employers pay for health care is tied to unhealthy lifestyle choices such as smoking, stress, and obesity. Despite spending almost twice as much on health care, the U.S. has the worst health outcomes than most other developed nations. The result is higher medical costs for the U.S. and for employers. So, what gives and how can employers influence behavior for the better?

Advantages & Disadvatages of Self-Funding 

Determining whether or not self-funded insurance is the right choice for your small business can be difficult to do. We’ve taken some of the guesswork out by compiling some of the advantages and disadvantages of self-funding. Here's what you need to know. 

3 Misconceptions About Self-Funded Insurance

When thinking of opting for an insurance plan for their employees, some small businesses automatically assume that a self-funded plan is only a good option for large employers. Not true. In fact, did you know that it is estimated that 61 percent of companies within the U.S. self-fund at least a portion of their health plan? Read on to find out about three of the common misconceptions about self-funded insurance and the truth about each of them.

There is a trend, perhaps you have noticed it: healthcare costs are increasing. Yet, the means of paying those costs is not going up at the same rate. In a country where high deductible healthcare plans are the norm, it becomes more difficult for employees to keep up with preventative care—some of them forgo it completely.

A BIG IDEA FOR SMALL TO MID-SIZED BUSINESSES

As healthcare policy costs increase, small businesses struggle to keep up with the financial demands of providing individual healthcare plans for their employees. Limited insurance can make retaining top performing employees more difficult for the company. Can you relate to these challenges? Keep reading—there is an alternative option. Self-funded insurance provides healthcare by way of a different method. It gives employers the power.

Think you're too small to benefit from an employer-sponsored clinic? Think again. A new model is emerging, empowering small and mid-sized businesses to reap the benefits of direct primary care.

Photo Credit: Breather via Unsplash 

You’re offering the best benefits you can, and your employees are still avoiding the doctor. Find out the most common barriers — and the potential solution that can dismantle them.

According to the Medscape Lifestyle Report 2016: Bias and Burnout, some of the major causes of physician burnout include: 1) too many bureaucratic tasks; 2) spending too many hours at work; 3) too many patient appointments in a day; 4) not enough income; and 5) just feeling like a cog in a wheel.

Physician burnout is a major concern for the industry and can lead to lower patient satisfaction and care quality; higher medical error rates and malpractice risk; higher physician and staff turnover; and physician substance abuse. Repeated studies have shown an average of 1 in 3 doctors suffer from symptomatic physician burnout on any given day. How can you tell if you are at risk for burnout? Here are three signs to look for: