With research showing that the average cost of healthcare surpassed $11,000 per employee in 2015, stretching every healthcare dollar is a must. Since self-funding is the foundation from which so many cost control strategies emerge, we encourage you to take this step if you haven’t already done so.
Understand the Needs of Your Group
Since every employer group is unique, it’s imperative that you look closely at demographics, prior claims and medical conditions. The availability of meaningful data is one of the biggest advantages of a self-funded plan, and key to making sure that those with chronic conditions such as diabetes or hypertension are receiving the treatment and attention they need. If your administrator isn’t helping in this critical area, you have the wrong administrator!
Coordination Matters
Self-funded health plans involve several parts that need to be working together. If you think healthcare is complex, put yourself in the shoes of your members and their families. Programs such as utilization review, hospital pre-certification, disease management and healthcare coaching can go a long way in managing costs. Services like patient advocacy and telemedicine can help members get the care they need in an efficient setting. For example, while office visits cost about $130, a telemedicine visit can be equally effective at a cost of about $40. With so many variables available today, it’s easy to see why customer service and care coordination are as important to your bottom line as they are to your employees.
Education and Wellness
Once a self-funded plan design and professional administration are in place, employee education and wellness integration must follow. Few factors influence healthcare costs more than lifestyle choices and the need to make informed buying decisions. And whether it involves understanding benefits or choosing a high quality, efficient provider, studies show that members need more support. To help in this area, many TPAs are integrating online access to comparative data on costs and providers.
When you consider that we can only manage what we can measure, delivering meaningful information to members, when they need to make a healthcare decision, should result in happier, healthier employees and lower costs for all.
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