Review
the following important cost-containment strategies with your
health insurance agent. Your agent or broker will be able
to provide you with some specific options and the associated
costs of insuring your employee group.
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Investigate
managed care options. The key to cost containment is
ensuring that employees use medical services only to
the extent needed. When they do need services, it is
important to ensure that they are receiving the most
cost-efficient quality care available. Managed care's
key objective is to ensure that patients receive high-quality
care in the most efficient setting. Avoiding excessive
or unnecessary services enhances patient care. Insurance
companies are working closely with doctors and hospitals
to make managed care options available to you. |
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Increase
employees' contribution percentages, deductibles, and
copayments. Employees should have strong financial incentives
to be economical in choosing providers and in using
medical services. Give employees a financial stake in
weighing the costs and benefits of medical care before
making decisions. Employees are more cost-conscious
when paying part of their own health care bill, thereby
reducing levels of medical care utilization overall.
Significant employee cost-sharing can be part of a successful
approach to reducing costs while retaining quality care.
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Develop
prevention and wellness programs for employees. Keeping
employees healthy is the best way to avoid unnecessary
health care costs. For most people, lifestyle choices
will have a greater impact on their health than anything
the medical system can do. Health promotion can be an
easy service for small businesses to provide without
making a costly investment. |
Facilitate a more
health-conscious environment by providing:
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Vending
machines with healthy food alternatives. |
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Fitness/stress
management breaks during the day. |
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A
newsletter (hardcopy and on-line) with health/wellness tips. |
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Discounts
with fitness/health centers. |
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A
no-smoking policy, a smoke cessation program, and bonuses
for quitting smoking. |
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Guest speakers on safety, substance abuse, mental health,
elder care, stress reduction, smoking cessation, and
other topics (consider your local college or university
as a source for free speakers). |
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