The United States always has been
considered a ‘melting pot’ of cultures, and one look at the U.S. employee population reflects this diversity. According to the Bureau of Labor
Statistics, more than 41 percent of the
U.S. work force between 1998 and 2008
will be members of minority groups.
With such a diverse population, it is
essential for employers to realize that
their particular employee population
will have a wide variety of needs and
issues, some based on their racial and
ethnic background.
“We are really moving past the ‘onesize-fits-all’ type of health plan, mostly
because we understand that consumers
have different requirements from their
health plan based on their individual circumstances,” says Bill Berenson, vice
president of sales and service for Aetna’s
Small & Middle Market Business in the
North Central Region. “Creating programs and plans that address racial and
ethnic disparities in health care is an
important part of that process.”
Smart Business spoke with Berenson,
who discussed how some insurers are
helping employers address these health
care disparities, as well as some positive
results that can be achieved for both
consumers and their employers.
What are some examples of health care
disparities in the United States?
Research indicates that minorities suffer from certain diseases at significantly
higher levels than white Americans.
- Asthma — Approximately 26 percent
more prevalent in African-American
children than in white children. - Cardiovascular disease — Higher risk
for Mexican-Americans and Native
Americans than for Caucasian
Americans. - Diabetes — Hispanic/Latino Americans
are 1.5 times more likely to have diabetes
than non-Hispanic whites of similar age. - Prostate cancer — African-American
men have a 60 percent higher incidence
rate compared with white men.
Can specific programs address these types
of issues?
For each disparity that exists, a corresponding program can be created to help
minimize the impact of the problem. For
example, some insurers are attempting
to educate Hispanic individuals who
have or are at risk for diabetes by using
a full range of Spanish-language services, tools and materials.
Another example is an initiative aimed at
identifying and informing African-American and Hispanic/Latina women who have
not had their annual screening mammo-grams about the importance of this preventive measure. Both of these groups of
women have a higher mortality from breast
cancer than their Caucasian counterparts.
How do insurers develop these programs,
and how can they be delivered to employees?
These programs are developed based
on established evidence of racial and
ethnic disparities in health care, as well
specific information that is volunteered
by health plan members. The more information that is available to the insurers,
the more likely it is that they will be able
to create programs that can improve
health care quality and help to effectively combat various disparities. With additional information from these members,
insurers and employers can also more
effectively deliver these programs to the
appropriate individuals who can benefit
from them.
How do these programs help employers?
Even if an employer offers medical
benefits equally to all its employees, certain employees will not be inclined to
take advantage of all the benefits that
are available. By letting employees know
about programs that may be appropriate
to them as individuals, an employer is
likely to see greater acceptance and use
of health benefits programs from the
individuals that they are designed to
help.
This increased awareness and use can
lead to a healthier work force, which
usually means a more content, loyal
and productive group of employees.
With significant benefits for both an
employer and their workers, it is important to try to find an insurer that is committed to closing the gap and addressing racial and ethnic disparities in
health care.
BILL BERENSON is vice president of sales and service for
Aetna’s Small & Middle Market Business in the North Central
Region. Reach him at (312) 928-3323 or [email protected].