If it’s been a while since you have reviewed and updated the design of your charter school’s employee benefit plans, there may be a lot of new features you and your employees may be missing. You could be taking advantage of benefit enhancements reflecting advancements in technology, wellness and fitness incentives, and programs to assist patients handle chronic conditions better.
It’s likely that many of us have become familiar with telemedicine during the current coronavirus pandemic. In the interest of social distancing, you and your doctor may have had a visit by phone or video conference in the past several weeks. Telemedicine benefits are now offered by many health plans as a cost-effective alternative to in-person visits which are appropriate for routine follow ups or common health issues. It is also a way for health care providers to optimize their time and resources to serve their patients more efficiently.
Health plans have also expanded their offerings to incentivize members to live a healthier lifestyle. Discounted fitness club memberships, free assistance with smoking cessation, and weight loss programs are among the new benefit provisions now available. These attractive enhancements can be integrated with your own employee wellness initiatives to help you maximize your efforts.
"Attractive enhancements can be integrated with your own employee wellness initiatives."
People living with diabetes, arthritis, heart failure and other chronic conditions do better and avoid hospitalization when these conditions are regularly monitored and provided support. Health plans often provide condition management programs to assist patients in living healthier and reducing complications. From medication reminders, online or home nurse visits, to providing patients with devices for ongoing monitoring, these programs help patients get the most out of their medical care, stay compliant with their treatment plans and reduce expenses for everyone.
Dental and vision plans also have newer programs to make your benefit offering more valuable to your employees. In addition to the exams, lenses and frames benefit in your vision plan, providers are also offering substantial discounts on additional pairs of glasses and frame upgrades. Now there are dental plans available that offer higher – or even unlimited – annual maximums, progressive coinsurance to encourage regular checkups, and coverage for dental implants. Learn more in our latest edition of Benefits Break about customizing dental plans to meet your employees’ needs.