As today’s consumers bear more of the cost and the responsibility for their health care, employers are looking for ways to provide employees with better access to information about their health insurance benefits and services.
“Today’s technology is giving consumers easier access to their health information in the form of personal health records and self-service options, as well as other tools that make it easier for employees to understand their benefits and how to best use them,” says Marty Hauser, president of SummaCare, Inc.
With a better understanding of their benefits, employees can make more informed decisions based on relevant health information and better manage their health care by improving how they communicate with both their health care providers and their insurance providers.
Smart Business spoke with Hauser about how insurance carriers are using information technology to help employees improve their health and maximize their plan benefits.
How can employees use technology to assist them in choosing a plan option?
Many employers offer several benefit options to their employees, but employees may not understand the differences between the plans and insurers being offered. By providing employees access to online information about each health insurance company, employees become better educated about the company and its offerings and can make more informed decisions about which plan best meets their needs.
Employees should also review each plan’s online tools such as self-service options, symptom checkers and health risk appraisals. Plans use the information that members give them and are able to reach out directly to consumers, providing them with both information specifically regarding their health needs and with more general information, such as tips for staying healthy and lowering the costs of health care. This is another way for health insurance companies to engage consumers and make them more responsible for their health.
In addition, employees should review each plan’s on-line provider search capabilities. Typically, coverage is higher when using network providers so an easy-to-navigate provider search option is integral in determining the most appropriate place for care.
Once they select a plan, employees may have a general sense of what is covered by their plan but may be confused about what specific benefits are covered or how to access that care. Information technology can remove some of that confusion and point employees in the right direction to best take advantage of everything that the plan has to offer.
How else can online tools help improve the health of employees?
Access to customized online tools specific to each member can guide consumers through the health care system by providing lists of recommended preventive services they should be receiving, with customized, targeted reminders based on such things as age, gender and medical history.
By providing information that encourages employees to take advantage of preventive care services on a regular basis, employers can help lower the long-term costs that could arise if a minor issue isn’t treated and later becomes a major, much more costly issue.
