Boost Employee Engagement in Group Health Plans

As a good employer, you strive to make sure your employees have access to quality health care. It's important that your employees can confidently use the benefits available to them. You can help by making sure they have all the information and support they need to understand their health benefits.

Research from the U.S. Department of Education shows that of English-speaking adults in the U.S., only 12% have proficient health literacy skills. With a good group health plan in place and support from you, this can change.

When employees make full use of their health benefits, it not only improves their lives, but also brings advantages to your business, such as fewer sick days and greater job satisfaction. There are lots of simple ways that you can help boost employee engagement — check out the ideas below.

Spotlight benefit offerings

Plan members may often feel overwhelmed by the health care system and their benefit offerings. Set up webinars, pass out informational material, and highlight resources to answer questions members may have.

• Regularly spotlight resources and coverage. For example, remind them to contribute and use the HSA plan they enrolled in, or use annual preventive care benefits.
• Tie monthly observances to benefits. For example, use American Heart Month to focus on cardiovascular health, or Mental Health Awareness Month to showcase available mental health resources.
• If available, remind employees of optional voluntary benefits, such as accident or ID theft protection, they can enroll in any time of the year to help keep potential costs and risk under control.

Explain how offerings work in real life

Employees may have never been in a situation where they have had to use a certain health benefit and might not take full advantage of the resources available to them. By using real life examples, you can easily show how they benefit from all the features of their plan.

Telemedicine

Let's say a plan member is feeling sick while they are away from their primary care doctor and the closest urgent care center is closed.

Instead of paying a premium at the emergency room for what may be an easily treatable health condition, they can use virtual telemedicine services to receive a diagnosis and be prescribed medication.

Telemedicine services are a convenient and affordable way to chat with a doctor, virtually. Walmart Health Virtual Care telemedicine services are available with most Allstate Benefits Group Health plan designs.

Virtual Urgent Care

U.S. board-certified doctors and medical providers are available 24/7 to diagnose, treat, and prescribe medication (when necessary) for many minor illnesses and injuries, via phone or online video visits.

Talk Therapy

Walmart Health Virtual Care also offers virtual therapy for members 18 years and older. Licensed therapists can help with a wide range of mental and emotional health needs. Receive ongoing support, on your schedule, from the comfort and privacy of your own home via phone or online video visits, in as little as 48 hours.

Provider networks

Employees new to the area may need help finding a new health care provider. The best way to find a provider that accepts the plan is to use the health plan material.

Check plan resources to see if the plan uses a network. If it does use a network, use the network's resources to find an in-network provider. A lot of networks have online search tools to help members filter providers by service and location so patients can easily find a convenient, in-network provider.

If the plan does not use a network, typically the plan has a customer service line members can call for assistance.

For example, the Core Value reference-based pricing plan through Allstate Benefits doesn't use a network. Members can use any provider that accepts the plan. If members need assistance finding a provider, they have a couple of options:

1. Call the Member Advocacy Program (MAP) team. The MAP team is there to help plan members find providers that accept their health plan, understand how to use their benefits, and more.
2. Check out Healthcare Bluebook™. Healthcare Bluebook is a navigation tool to help members access quality health care at a fair price. With this easy-to-use service, plan members can shop around online for low-cost, high-quality providers.

Wellness programs

Using a wellness program and taking advantage of covered routine services may help prevent health conditions from developing or worsening.

The wellness program through Vitality® is available with most Allstate Benefits Group Health plan designs. With this unique program, along with a self-funded plan, employees can get healthier, while enhancing and protecting their lives.

Vitality has proven results with engaged members:

• 19% fewer claims.
• 30% reduction in hospital admissions.
• 35% lower turnover rates.

When plan members do healthy right, they can lower their health care expenses.

Listen to what employees want and need

Gather employee feedback to learn more about what benefit offerings they prioritize and may use most often. Consider the following questions when reviewing or building a group health plan:

• Are plan members using existing programs?
• What programs align best with present and future employee demographics?
• What programs can help address key cost drivers, either high volume claims or high-cost claims?
• Are employees asking for support in a specific area?
• Are competitors offering other programs that plan members value more?

When employees have a say in what the plan covers, it can help increase engagement and overall satisfaction in the health plan.

Allstate Benefits provides support to help engage plan members in a meaningful way.

Reach out to your Allstate Benefits — Group Health sales consultant for more information on how to help your customers.

Related Articles:

5 Things to Consider When Choosing a Group Health Plan

What Is Preventive Care and Do Health Plans Cover the Cost?

3 Ways to Improve Enrollment with a Year-Round Approach