Good News: It’s Covered
In the healthcare industry, we talk a lot about “surprise bills” and the burden that a lack of price transparency and a confusing system puts on individuals. For many, the fear of a surprise bill keeps them away from the doctor as it’s never made clear what an appointment or service will cost until the cost is incurred. And even then, bills often prompt even more questions about who is owed how much – and why.
Truth be told, our healthcare system is not designed in a way that prioritizes making costs clear for the consumer. There are a lot of reasons for this but all the patient typically gets is the run around. So, we as healthcare consumers have been trained to hold our breath after handing over our health insurance card to a provider, put our trust in what the doctor determines is best for our health and await the financial verdict in our mailbox a few weeks later.
But what if we could change this experience for individuals and their families and focus on delighting customers with surprise coverage rather than the dreaded surprise bill?
What if we could change the narrative from one of mistrust or frustration to one where consumers feel valued and prioritized? It’s not a novel question and businesses in almost every other industry have understood and implemented “surprise and delight” strategies to promote customer loyalty and retention. It’s not out of reach for the healthcare industry, and Gravie is proving that.
We talked to a Gravie Comfort member recently who had this exact experience when seeking care. Despite her familiarity with the generous coverage her Comfort health plan offers, she held onto the previous mindset when arriving at a specialist visit, figuring the cost would be significant. Waiting in the lobby, it was a surprise – and relief – when the person at the front desk updated her: “Good news, we got in touch with your insurance. It’s all covered.”
The truth is that consumers want to prioritize their health. Of course, barriers and challenges get in the way, but it’s the job of the healthcare industry to help remove those hindrances, not to continue to create them.
At Gravie, saying, “Good news – it’s covered” to the services that help members live healthy and happy lives is an approach that not only has long-term benefits for employers and their employees, but is finally tipping the scales in creating better customer experiences to build trust with the healthcare industry again.
Stay tuned for future blog posts in a series we’re calling, “It’s Covered,” where we’ll explore the sometimes-surprising services that Gravie Comfort covers – and why the traditional health system doesn’t typically cover them.