In this blog series, we’ll give you month-by-month topics, and we’ll tee up messaging and ideas proven to grab employees’ attention. Plus, throughout the series, you’ll find downloadable templates and examples that save you the brain drain so you can get started quickly.
This blog focuses on March, but our downloadable calendar gives you a full 12 months of content.
March: Promoting the Right Care at the Best Value
Whether they’re on your company’s medical plan or not, every employee should understand not only how to find care, but how to make sure they’re not overpaying for it.
Message #1: Shop Around Before You Go
People misunderstand the relationship between cost and quality when it comes to health care. Help them understand that higher costs don’t always equal higher quality or better outcomes. These messages seem to hit home:
“An MRI at one facility may be $2,500, but only $550 at a facility just down the street. Same service and quality, much lower price.” Also, remind them that hospital-based services are always more expensive than freestanding facilities.
“You don’t have to use the facility your doctor recommends. Often it’s just habit for them. But be sure to use an in-network facility.”
“Call Aetna [insert your carrier, of course] before any imaging or procedure — they’ll help you find the highest-ranking providers with the best-value costs.”
If you have online comparison pricing tools from your carrier or a vendor, promote those, too. Employees simply forget these exist sometimes.
Message #2: Match the Level of Care to Your Level of Need
For some people, it’s instinct to head to the ER when someone hurts their foot and suspects a broken bone. Or, if an accident happens on the weekend when doctors’ offices are closed. But there are less expensive alternatives for quick, non-emergency care — even for X-rays on a Sunday.
“Get the right care for right now.” Send out a chart that shows when to use the ER, urgent care, telehealth, or convenience store clinic…and show the costs of each.
“Option 1: Hospital X-ray: $425. Option 2: Urgent care X-ray: $175. You do the math.”
“You can ‘see’ a doctor without leaving the house — often for less money. Sign up for virtual visits.”
You can also tack on information about other benefits you offer to help them find the best care at the best value:
- Nurse line
- Advocacy service
- Second opinion program
Stay tuned and watch for next month’s blog with a topic or two to tackle in April. (Hint: It’s Financial Literacy Month.)
As the year rolls on, you can find other blogs in this series by typing “year-round calendar” in the search area at the top of our website.
Download the year-round communications calendar – real ideas and examples
