Page 9 - eMagazine-Concentra Connections

In this rapidly changing business environment there are many new and unanswered questions about what employer-provided health health insurance insurance will look like in in in in in in in in the the coming years Several large employers are are jumping into self-funded self-funded insurance insurance insurance plans as a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a cost-effective response to to to health health care reform Instead of paying a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a monthly premium to to to an an an an insurance insurance carrier a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a self-funded self-funded employer employer pays for for employee claims directly as they are are incurred Health claims claims are filed by by the the employees and paid by by the the company through a a a a a a a a a a a a third-party administrator (TPA) These claims claims vary from month month to to to to to month month The The employer needs to to to to to monitor costs using reports and and predictive modeling to to to to to determine what the company can expect in in in in in its claims claims expense It is is is imperative to to to to implement wellness programs programs disease and/or care management programs programs to to to help control medical risk and and and lower claims claims costs According to to to the the American Journal of of of Health Promotion a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a study of of of more than 46 000 public and and private- sector workers revealed that about 25%—or $20 million—of their total annual health health care expenditures were attributable to to to to “modifiable health health risks ” These included obesity tobacco use poor exercise habits high high cholesterol and high high stress among others Reinventing health care delivery
To get significant cost-savings self-funded companies are are reinventing the the health care delivery
system for their employees by embracing an an an old idea—the company company doctor Fifty years ago a a a a a a a a a a a a a large company company might have kept a a a a a a a a a a a a doctor on staff to to see ailing employees Self-funded companies are now establishing onsite facilities by partnering with a a a a a a a a a clinic provider A physician accompanying nurse practitioner and medical assistants are available to to see employee patients to to help treat minor health issues check for early stages of more serious medical conditions conditions manage chronic conditions conditions like asthma or or diabetes and provide pharmacy services By establishing onsite or local health care clinics companies provide employees with convenient accessible medical care resulting in in many benefits for the the employer and employee A study by the the Department
of Health and Human Services reveals that companies can cut health expenses 20% to 55% reduce short-term sick leave by by 32% and and boost productivity by by 52% with wellness programs and and onsite clinics Additionally it it it it it it it reduces the the need for hospital visits which
is is the the the single largest category of medical expenses in in the the nation Maintaining population health A self-funded company has a a a a vested interest in in in controlling the the the health health of of the the the employee population and subsequently the the the the health health of of their bottom line Employers can expect to to to see a a a a a return of of $3 to to to $6 for each dollar spent within the first five years of of implementing an an onsite clinic according to a a a a a a 2005 study published in in in in in the the American Journal of Preventive Medicine According to the the Partnership for Prevention Worksite Health companies with prevention programs have 7