*This article was last updated April 2, 2020
Preventive care plays an important role in your employees overall health and well-being. However, seeking preventive care during the coronavirus pandemic may look different than it has before. Encourage your employees to contact their provider or visit their website before attending appointments to learn about special procedures that might be in place.
Imagine coming into work and a few employees on high-profile projects are out for numerous days in a row due to health-related issues. While you don’t ever want employees to feel sick — either physically or mentally — it can be frustrating when you have deadlines to meet.
You may be left scratching your head on what the solution is for both the ill employees and how to deliver on project deadlines.
The solution may be simpler than you think: Preventive care.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), each year 7 in 10 American deaths are correlated to chronic diseases such as high blood pressure Opens in a new window, heart disease, cancer Opens in a new window, or diabetes. The reality is, however, many of these chronic diseases can be effectively managed if the individual has their annual preventive exams and develops a strong relationship with their personal doctor.
And, if everyone in the U.S. received recommended preventive care, more than 100,000 lives External Site could be saved each year. With statistics like these, it’s important for your employees to take advantage of their fully covered, preventive care benefits through your business-sponsored health plan. Not only does preventive care save employees’ lives and save them money in the long run, it saves your business money and improves productivity.
Preventive care means healthy, productive employees
Much like the scenario we mentioned earlier, it can be frustrating with employees being in and out of the office due to health-related issues and meeting deadlines. Through your business-sponsored health plan, preventive service is a free and easy way for your employees to get their health questions answered and all tests completed as long as the preventive service is received from an in-network provider. Not to mention, this means no questions about copays, deductibles or coinsurance — employees just need to schedule their appointment. Encouraging preventive services will keep your employees happy, healthy and productive when they are in the office — helping move your business forward.
What happens if I have employees who don’t use their preventive care services?
It’s inevitable you’ll have employees within your office who may not use their preventive care services offered through your employer-sponsored health plan. Whether these employees are healthy, or not, it’s important to let them know what’s offered in preventive services, what can be detected, tips for conversations with a doctor and how preventive care can help them stay happy, healthy and productive throughout the year.
70 percent. Deaths in America that stem from chronic disease and illness.
90 percent. The five-year survival rate when colorectal cancer is found early and treated.
40+. The age of women who receive mammograms have a reduced risk of death from breast cancer.
Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), American Cancer Society, and The New York Times
Four easy solutions to get every employee to participate in preventive care.
Let’s be real — when it comes to health insurance, most people tune out or forget the information. As your company’s HR or benefits administrator, this can be one of your biggest pain points. If you’re finding it difficult to get employees to engage in preventive services, consider these easy-to-use tools and resources that make health insurance simple for your employees.
Encourage employees to find in-network doctors and compare costs
Employees can use myWellmark® to make sure a doctor or facility is within their network, check provider reviews and determine prices for treatments.Offer on-site wellness screenings
By offering onsite wellness screenings you are bringing awareness to increased health risks facing your organization as a whole and your employees on an individual level. Wellmark’s wellness screening options provide flexibility in selecting the services that meet your organization’s unique needs — and keeping your bottom line in mind. Interested in this add-on option for your workplace? Contact your authorized Wellmark account representative today!Educate employees about Advance Care nurses
When employees don’t receive adequate support for their unmanaged chronic conditions, they tend to have more health care-related costs and frequent trips to the doctor, which can impact your company’s bottom line. With the Advanced Care Nurse program, Opens in a new window Wellmark uses a team of clinically trained professionals to assist with your employees’ unique health needs.Direct employees to BlueSM
Looking for easy and helpful resources to give to your employees? When they're looking to take advantage of preventive care Opens in a new window, Blue has everything employees might need to feel prepared, personally engaged and empowered in becoming their own health care advocate.
The Power of One
With Wellmark, your employees have access to easy-to-use tools and services, including our secure member site, myWellmark Opens in a new window. By encouraging your employees to log in or register for myWellmark, you make it easy for employees to see their benefits in action and to learn more about the importance of preventive services.
Wellmark member or not, News from BlueSM can serve as your personal health plan assistant.
As the human resources expert, benefits administrator or group decision-maker, you're crunched for time. With News from Blue, you can stop sifting and sorting through the clutter and get actionable, educational and tangible takeaways delivered straight to your inbox each month.
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