Are Your Employees Missing These Health Benefit Perks?

When employees select a health insurance plan in the individual market they might not realize all of the extra, “hidden” perks their plans sometimes include. If you’re one of the many employers who’s transitioned away from traditional group health insurance plans, here’s a chance to alert employees to some of those perks. Keep in mind that perks vary depending on the plan, but these are some of the most common:

• Free preventive care. The Affordable Care Act requires that health insurance plans now fully cover certain preventative care services like vaccines, basic health screenings, and some checkups. For more information about the essential health benefits covered and the free preventive care available, check out these lists provided by Healthcare.gov.
• Gym and wellness discounts. Many plans offer reduced cost gym memberships, or reimbursement arrangements for certain health programs. This might include classes (like yoga) or programs that help people modify lifestyles or behaviors (like smoking cessation programs).
• Virtual clinics. Virtual clinics and telephonic support are becoming more and more common because both are easy, convenient ways to get advice from a medical professional in non-emergency situations. These types of clinics treat a variety of illnesses, such as sore throats, minor burns, cold sores, pink eye, the flu, and others that don’t require an office or ER visit.

Remind employees to look for these and other “hidden benefits” in the plans they’re considering in the individual market. If they’ve already selected their plans they might have overlooked perks, so it doesn’t hurt to suggest they look to see if their plan includes any like those mentioned above. Or, better yet, they can ask a Gravie advisor to help with that! One of the biggest perks that your employees get when they shop in the individual market with Gravie is year-round access to Gravie advisors, who help members make the most of their plans and answer complicated questions.

For more information about how Gravie can help your employees better understand their plans, call us at 844.540.8701 or fill out our free financial analysis worksheet.