Page 25 - ARUBA TODAY

BUSINESS Monday 1 october 2018
A25

Employers jump into providing care as health costs rise

By TOM MURPHY sively for employees and
KOKOMO, Indiana (AP) — family members.
Autoworkers in this blue- Dr. John Lynch spent al-
collar, central Indiana city most an hour with a patient
have an eager helper wait- during a recent physical.
ing to pick up the bill at That compares to the 10 or
their next doctor visit. 15 minutes he used to get
Fiat Chrysler is offering free once or twice a year in oth-
health care for most of its er practices.
employees and their fami- "It was frustrating that I
lies — about 22,000 people couldn't do more for them,"
— through a clinic the car- he said.
maker opened this summer Forklift operator Amanda
near one of five factories it Chipps took her toddler,
operates in the area. The McCoy, to the clinic after
company pays for basic he developed a fever and
care like doctor visits and a rash and she couldn't get
consults with a dietitian in to see their regular doc-
and even an exercise phys- tor. Chipps said that visit felt
iologist. Workers don't pay more like an annual check-
a cent, not even a co-pay. up. Before eventually pre-
The idea: Spend more now scribing antibiotics, a doc-
to improve care and even- tor and nurse asked about
tually pare the more than McCoy's medical history,
$100 million that Fiat Chrys- diet and personality.
ler Automobiles pays annu- "They were really just get-
ally for health care, just in ting to know ... everything
Indiana. about him," she said. "It was
"We looked at how do we just real nice, a different
change the health care setting from most doctors'
delivery system, that's really offices."
what employers are ask- United Shore Financial
ing," Fiat Chrysler executive Services opened a similar
Kathleen Neal said. clinic in its suburban Detroit
Corporate America is jump- headquarters for its 2,600
ing deeper into the care its employees a couple years
workers receive beyond ago after executives saw
just giving them insurance workers coming in sick dur-
cards and a list of doctors ing flu season. The clinic
they can visit. Companies logged about 4,200 visits in
are opening clinics on or Dr. John Lynch meets with patient Jeff Thieke during his visit to the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Clinic 2017, its first full year.
near their worksites or bring- in Anderson, Ind., Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2018. Account executive Sean
ing in temporary setups to Associated Press McHugh said he seeks clin-
make sure their employees ic help when back trouble
get annual physicals. change behavior," said for a nearby clinic that they in the Kokomo area didn't flares up during the day.
In many cases employers Carolyn Engelhard, an as- share. have a primary care doc- That saves him from los-
are offering free primary sociate professor at the Uni- Office buildings also have tor, and many defaulted to ing time by driving home
care or charging only a versity of Virginia's medical started adding clinics to emergency rooms for care for care and then back to
small fee. Many believe school who studies health attract tenants that want that wasn't dire. work. "It really makes the
the cost is worthwhile be- policy. the convenience for their Company spokeswoman work environment here ap-
cause they can improve Big companies have long employees, according to Val Oehmke declined to pealing because it gives
employee health and cut offered services to help Dr. Jeff Dobro, a partner say how much the clinic you your time outside of
even bigger bills in the fu- employees recover from with the benefits consultant cost to build, but she said the office," the 36-year-old
ture that stem from unman- workplace injuries, and Mercer. Fiat Chrysler expects to said. Employers often find
aged chronic conditions now more are delving into Mattress maker Serta Sim- make back what it spent in that it takes time for work-
like diabetes or unneces- primary care. mons Bedding started roll- about two years by improv- ers to get used to a major
sary emergency room visits. Fifty-six percent of large ing out mobile health clinics ing employee health and change in health benefits.
Offering convenient care employers will have on-site to all 28 of its U.S. factories cutting medical costs. But these clinics can catch
can also help attract new or nearby health centers by a couple years ago to help The health center comes on quickly, said David Keyt,
workers and cut down on 2019, up from 47 percent in its largely male workforce with exam rooms, an X-ray a Mercer executive who
time away from the job. 2016, according to the Na- get annual physicals, with machine and space for mi- works with employers to
But this shift means workers tional Business Group on the company covering the nor procedures. Aside from set them up. He said hav-
will have to change how Health. cost. a small memorial photo of ing clinics on or near the
they use the health care Most of the businesses sur- "Most people just don't get former Fiat Chrysler CEO worksite removes two big
system. And companies, veyed by the nonprofit, their screenings, and a lot Sergio Marchionne on a hurdles — cost and conve-
which don't see individual which represents large of men just don't have a re- waiting room table, few nience— that prevent peo-
medical records, have to companies, have 10,000 lationship" with their doctor, signs inside the clinic con- ple from getting care.
patiently wait for some po- employees or more. But said company executive nect it to the hulking trans- "What we're trying to get to
tential benefits from their benefits experts also see Steven Wilkinson. mission factory nearby. is the provider-patient rela-
investment like a drop in this trend in smaller busi- Fiat Chrysler opened its The carmaker pays a local tionship and all the barriers
health care costs. nesses too, with some com- clinic after learning that 40 hospital operator, St. Vin- that prevent that ... from
"It is really, really hard to panies joining forces to pay percent of its employees cent, to run its clinic exclu- happening," he said.q