Our healthcare system is growing more and more complex. Medical breakthroughs create new treatment options to consider. Regulatory reforms are changing the way physicians practice, while economic factors impact on the way insurance companies pay for the services we receive. The outcomes of the choices and decisions we make can truly be life altering. These are important and complicated issues.
At the same time, healthcare costs continue to be a concern for companies and workers alike.
To help address these complicated issues, many employers have begun offering healthcare advocacy services as an employee benefit.
Healthcare advocates can save time and money for both employers and employees. They do this by:
- Reducing stress and improving productivity for employees
- Helping employees select lowest cost, highest quality providers and facilities
- Providing healthcare navigation for employees and their family members, including aging relatives
- Reviewing medical bills for accuracy
- Answering questions that would otherwise require handling by internal human resources staff
Offering healthcare advocacy as an employee benefit is cost-effective. Advocacy services can be added to a benefits package for just a few dollars per employee per month.
According to a 2017 survey by consulting firm Mercer, nearly half of employers with 500 or more employees offer healthcare advocacy services as part of their benefits package. Among very large employers – those with 20,000 workers or more – 60% offer advocacy as a benefit.
The advantages are magnified for smaller employers. If even one key employee at a smaller company needs healthcare advocacy for themselves or a family member, providing the service so that the employee can focus fully on their work can mean the difference between continued success and financial devastation for a small company.
To learn more about how healthcare advocacy could benefit your workforce, contact Care Answered.