Employers Archives

Substance Abuse Treatment Is Covered by More Companies as Employers Increase Mental Health Benefits to Combat the Stressors of COVID-19

October 14, 2020

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Lionrock Behavioral Health, Inc., the leading telehealth provider of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment and recovery services in the United States predicts a 100 percent increase in company-accessed online substance abuse benefits in 2021, as stigma surrounding mental health treatment drops amid the pandemic.

Prior to the Coronavirus crisis, a mental health movement was already well underway in work cultures across the United States. Since the pandemic took hold, attention on mental health and wellness has only increased, pushing employers further – to expand mental health benefits in order to keep a healthy and productive staff. Mental health encompasses much more than anxiety and mood disorders; it also includes substance use disorders. Over 40 percent of people with a substance use disorder also have a second mental health condition, yet fewer than half (48 percent) receive treatment for either disorder.

“Online substance use disorder treatment

Vitality Launches First-of-its-kind Health and Wellness Marketplace for Employers

October 13, 2020

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| Health And Wellness

CHICAGO, Oct. 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Employers face a growing number of health and economic concerns including: the pandemic, rising costs of employee benefits, and meeting the needs of a multi-generational workforce where many will continue to work outside of the workplace environment for the foreseeable future. To help employers address these evolving challenges Vitality Group, a global health and wellness company committed to making people healthier, unveiled Vitality Gateway Flex a new way of boosting health and wellness engagement by offering more relevant choices to employees to meet their specific needs.

“As employees continue to work outside of the traditional workplace, it’s critical that employers engage them in smarter ways to manage their health and wellness,” said Tal Gilbert, CEO, Vitality USA. “Gateway Flex intuitively identifies the programs and partners that will have the greatest impact on the health of a member, and through behavioral engagement

Free clinic helps small Maine employers navigate coronavirus legal issues

October 13, 2020

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| Health Issues

Alyson Mayo needed some legal advice.

Having started a business creating gluten-free desserts, Mayo was ready for a new challenge. In February, she earned certification as a personal trainer with an eye toward helping older adults with mobility issues, drawing on her undergraduate degree in sports science.

A local physical therapy office welcomed Mayo as an independent contractor. However, before she could begin, the coronavirus pandemic hit Maine.

Without any clients, Mayo forged ahead. She decided to provide training online. But how to set up the business? What about liability? Tax implications?

“I needed more information,” said Mayo, who got answers quickly and without charge through a new statewide program offered by the Volunteer Lawyers Project, with funding provided by the Maine Justice Foundation.

A longtime resource for low-income Mainers in need of legal assistance, the project recently launched a virtual clinic for nonprofits and small businesses with up to

House Dems Tell DOL Employers’ Health Plans Skirt ERISA

October 8, 2020

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| Health Benefits

Law360 (October 8, 2020, 6:12 PM EDT) — Two Democratic House leaders are urging the U.S. Department of Labor to take a close look at whether employers are violating the Employee Retirement Income Security Act by offering workers shoddy health benefit plans that are subject to less regulation under the law.

House Committee on Education and Labor Chairman Bobby Scott, D-Va., along with Subcommittee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Chair Frederica Wilson, D-Fla., warned in their letter Wednesday that employers are increasingly using hospital insurance products meant to replace income during hospitalization or illness in place of traditional health coverage plans.

“Evidence strongly suggests that these arrangements may…

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Banner Health, One of the Largest Employers in the U.S., Selects Everbridge to Improve Patient Experience with Industry-Leading Indoor Wayfinding Solution

October 6, 2020

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| Health Center

BURLINGTON, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Everbridge, Inc. (NASDAQ: EVBG), the global leader in critical event management (CEM), today announced that Banner Health, one of the largest nonprofit healthcare systems in the United States, with over 50,000 employees operating 28 hospitals across six states, implemented Everbridge’s Digital Wayfinding indoor navigation solution to help improve patient experience at Banner–University Medical Center Phoenix, a nationally-recognized medical center ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the top 50 hospitals in the U.S. for specialty care. Digital Wayfinding introduces turn-by-turn indoor navigation and positioning for real-time, step-by-step directions to a doctor’s office or testing lab, as well as ‘Where am I?’ location points within a hospital building, floor, or room.

“At Banner Health, we always strive to improve the experience of our patients and visitors by making every visit safe and stress-free,” said Carla Fogarty, facility operations director of Banner–University Medical Center Phoenix.

Employers’ health benefits costs expected to grow, but most won’t take cost-saving measures

October 5, 2020

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| Better Health

Despite the expected increase of employer’s health benefits costs in 2021, most companies do not plan on taking cost-savings measures, according to early results from Mercer’s National Survey of Employer-Sponsored Health Plans 2020.

The survey, which included over 1,000 employer responses since early July, estimates that the health benefits cost for employers will increase by 4.4% for 2021.

This increase follows the upward trend of annual change in health benefit costs since 2019, however, it is still outgrowing the Consumer Price Index and employee wage growth, which have fallen to nearly zero, according to Mercer.

Mercer’s full survey results are expected to be released in November, the company said.

WHAT’S THE IMPACT

When developing their health plans, employers have to consider a variety of factors for the upcoming year according to Tracy Watts, a senior consultant at Mercer.

“Different assumptions about cost for COVID-related care, including a possible vaccine, and

CVS Health Adds Whil to its Point Solutions Management Offering to Help Employers Address Workplace Stress, Resilience, Anxiety and Sleep.

October 1, 2020

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| Health Issues

Whil, a leading digital training platform for workplace mindfulness, stress resilience, sleep and mental & emotional wellbeing, announced that its award-winning solution is available to employers through CVS Health’s Point Solutions Management offering. Whil’s extensive micro-learning catalog of 250+ mini-courses and 3,000+ sessions, articles and exercises is available to CVS Health’s pharmacy benefits management clients and their members as part of Point Solutions Management.

“Employers and other plan sponsors are increasingly looking for innovative tools to help people manage their mental health, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Sree Chaguturu, MD, Chief Medical Officer at CVS Caremark, the pharmacy benefits management (PBM) business of CVS Health. “Whil’s commitment to clinical evaluation and research aligns with our focus on helping our clients include clinically effective digital point solutions as part of their benefits packages.”

Point Solutions Management from CVS Health is a full-service offering that can help plan sponsors

Marathon Health Saves Employers more than $22 Million while Improving Patient Health during COVID-19 pandemic

October 1, 2020

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| Health Center

WINOOSKI, Vt., Oct. 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — As U.S. employers and healthcare providers continue to struggle with the disruption and fallout from COVID-19, a majority of patients with chronic conditions have faced significantly reduced access to care. Marathon Health, a leader in creating best-in-class onsite, near site and virtual healthcare options for U.S. employers, has developed a way to reverse this trend with its proactive primary care model. Marathon Health (which now includes OurHealth) has pioneered a healthcare program that leverages data-driven insights with proactive patient outreach and health monitoring, expanded access to care, and integrated occupation and behavioral health services to drive down costs while improving outcomes, even during a pandemic.

From March through August, 2020, Marathon Health reached out to more than 260,000 patients, helping address chronic conditions and their overall physical and mental wellbeing. Using in-house and licensed technology solutions, including the Johns Hopkins

Strategies employers can utilize to trim health benefit costs in 2021

September 30, 2020

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| Health Benefits

As the COVID-19 pandemic affects the global economy, employers are increasingly searching for innovative ways to help employees trim their health insurance costs. As employers make choices about health benefits options for 2021, they must navigate a rising tide of healthcare costs and offer options that support a weary employee base that can ill-afford benefit cuts.

Resourceful employers can achieve this objective with two simple strategies.

Offer an HSA-qualified health plan option
As healthcare costs increase, HSA-qualified health plans offer significant savings for both employees and their employers. In 2019, the average HSA-qualified health plan had a 27% lower employee-paid premium than the average HMO plan and a 9% lower annual employer-paid premium. Employees can save additional dollars by using their HSAs to pay for their medical expenses tax-free.

Also, while HSA-qualified health plans are often associated with high annual deductibles, traditional health plan deductibles are quickly closing the gap.

UnitedHealthcare’s Health Plan to Aid Kansas City’s Employers

September 30, 2020

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| Health Plans

UnitedHealth Group Inc.’s UNH business, UnitedHealthcare, recently expanded its relationship with Saint Luke’s Health System and Children’s Mercy Kansas City. Notably, the relation between UnitedHealthcare and Saint Luke’s can be traced back to 2017 when an accountable care organization (ACO) was formed through which UnitedHealthcare continues to facilitate improved level of data and assistance to Saint Luke’s physicians.

The latest collaboration has resulted in the development of a health plan — the Core Essential plan. The plan, likely to be effective from Jan 1 of next year, intends to benefit fully insured and self-funded employers in Johnson and Wyandotte counties situated in Kansas, and, Clay, Jackson and Platte counties situated in Missouri.

It’s worth mentioning that employers can avail the latest health plan, even if they have offices or facilities in other counties across Kansas and Missouri apart from the five specified ones as long as majority of their

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Tag: Employers

Substance Abuse Treatment Is Covered by More Companies as Employers Increase Mental Health Benefits to Combat the Stressors of COVID-19

Vitality Launches First-of-its-kind Health and Wellness Marketplace for Employers

Free clinic helps small Maine employers navigate coronavirus legal issues

House Dems Tell DOL Employers’ Health Plans Skirt ERISA

Stay ahead of the curve

Banner Health, One of the Largest Employers in the U.S., Selects Everbridge to Improve Patient Experience with Industry-Leading Indoor Wayfinding Solution

Employers’ health benefits costs expected to grow, but most won’t take cost-saving measures

CVS Health Adds Whil to its Point Solutions Management Offering to Help Employers Address Workplace Stress, Resilience, Anxiety and Sleep.

Marathon Health Saves Employers more than $22 Million while Improving Patient Health during COVID-19 pandemic

Strategies employers can utilize to trim health benefit costs in 2021

UnitedHealthcare’s Health Plan to Aid Kansas City’s Employers