Clearing the Air: The Value of Smoking Cessation Programs
Many employers may not realize the full cost that employee smoking incurs to their company. Smokers are much more likely to develop serious chronic medical conditions, visit the doctor more often, be absent from work with an illness, or have a short- or long-term disability—all of which are very costly to an employer’s health plan and productivity.
In fact, smokers cost private employers in the United States an extra $5,816 per year compared to nonsmokers, according to researchers at Ohio State University. Of that amount, $3,077 comes from smoking breaks, since smokers, on average, take approximately five breaks a day compared to the three breaks reserved for most workers. Excess health care expenses account for $2,056, and the remaining costs are due to increased absenteeism and lost productivity. Implementing a smoking cessation program and incorporating benefits into your health plan can lower the number of employees who smoke and dramatically affect your bottom line now and in the future.Studies have shown that employees are much more likely to quit when smoking cessation resources are included as paid benefits in their health plan. In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has stated that smoking cessation therapy is the most cost-effective health benefit that employers can offer.Other strategies offered through an employer health plan and in the workplace to help promote smoking cessation include:
- Establish smoke-free policies throughout your workplace
- Incentive programs for employees who quit and stay smoke-free
- Flexible spending program to reimburse smoking cessation counseling and prescription drugs (if your plan does not cover these items)
- On-site counseling options (or counseling referrals)
- Employee communications for education, promoting your program, and encouragement for those quitting
- Participating in special events, such as the Great American Smokeout
- Health risk assessments to identify employee smokers
- Develop other creative ways to offer personal support and encouragement in the workplace for employees who are quitting
- Consider including spouses and dependents in your smoking cessation benefits
The Benefits team at The Reschini Group can help you fashion a smoking cessation Program for your particular situation. Contact us to learn more.
Copyright 2019 The Reschini GroupThe Reschini Group provides these updates for information only, and does not provide legal advice. To make decisions regarding insurance matters, please consult directly with a licensed insurance professional or firm.
Prescription Drug Coverage: Options to Reduce Costs
While it may appear that so much of health insurance coverage is out of the direct control of businesses and the employees and families they protect, one element does in fact offer a level of control available to just about everyone – the cost of prescription drugs.
These costs can be reduced significantly, and mostly by using the same purchasing strategies applied to how consumers shop for other goods and services. As more consumers comparison shop for drugs, more retailers will compete to win their business, which can drive costs lower.Here are some tips on reducing the costs of prescription drugs:
- Compare prices – Drug prices are not uniform, so consumers can save by shopping around.
- Substitute drugs – When a doctor prescribes a drug, it pays to ask if a cheaper alternative can be used.
- Buy in bulk – Purchasing drugs in larger quantities or for a longer period of time generally reduces the per-dose cost.
- Use mail-order pharmacies – Mail-order or online pharmacies offer the best deals on prescription drugs, especially for patients with chronic conditions.
- Explore an OTC option – Asking the doctor if an over-the-counter (OTC) drug would work as well as a prescription can cut costs. Many OTC drugs had previously been available only by prescription at first.
- Insist on generic – Generic medications work the same as brand-name drugs and can cost from 20 percent to 80 percent less. This option applies to both prescription and OTC medications.
- Inquire about assistance programs – Drug manufacturers and state governments offer drug assistance programs for elderly, low-income, and patients with disabilities.
- Enroll in discount programs – National drug store chains and national insurance plans sometimes offer programs with additional discounts for a small monthly or annual fee.
Regardless of how one approaches efforts to reduce prescription drug costs, it remains important to never skip doses or stop taking medications based on financial issues. Sticking to a medication schedule helps avoid more costly and potentially more complicated health issues later.Check with your benefits provider to see how the cost of prescription drugs can potentially be lowered within the scope of your coverage. The Benefits team at The Reschini Group can help in this regard.
Copyright 2019 The Reschini GroupThe Reschini Group provides these updates for information only, and does not provide legal advice. To make decisions regarding insurance matters, please consult directly with a licensed insurance professional or firm.
Remote Control: Telemedicine Offers Wider Care Options
You can call up a quote from Shakespeare in seconds, send a message to the other side of the globe immediately, and even buy a car, all from your smartphone, laptop, or tablet. So why not get checked by a physician? Why not, indeed.
Such is the attraction of telemedicine – the practice of health care from a remote location, which is on the rise and has proven to be quite effective as an attractive option for many health care providers and their patients.
Using live video transmission, typically through an online app designated by the provider, doctors and patients can see each other and talk in real time about any health care concerns or questions – all without needing to be in the same exam room together. Although telemedicine is not a complete replacement for direct patient care, it can be a useful tool for a variety of medical services, such as evaluation, diagnosis, and prescribing treatment.Patients benefit from staying in the comfort of their own homes, oftentimes with a caregiver taking part in the telemedicine session to provide additional information and follow-up care. The potential spread of germs and infection in clinics and hospitals is minimized. Those patients living in rural areas, or who have difficulty arranging transportation, can access quality medical care in a much more convenient manner. And those patients recovering from surgery or severe illness can be readily monitored through telemedicine visits.For many patients, obtaining medical care represents a significant cost in time, resources, and money. Telemedicine helps lower those barriers, while helping to enhance the value of regular visits with the doctor. As access to electronic medical records expands, physicians can combine this technology with telemedicine to bring patients even higher quality care.Check with your benefits provider to see how telemedicine fits into your medical coverage, potentially lowering costs while improving the doctor-patient relationship. The Benefits team at The Reschini Group can help in this regard.
Copyright 2019 The Reschini GroupThe Reschini Group provides these updates for information only, and does not provide legal advice. To make decisions regarding insurance matters, please consult directly with a licensed insurance professional or firm.
Breaking an Addiction: Smoking Cessation Programs
It’s no secret that using tobacco products is not a healthy choice. What may not be as well known, however, are the costs in lost time and productivity because tobacco users may not be as healthy as other employees.
Studies have shown that employees are much more likely to quit when smoking cessation resources are included as paid benefits in their health plan. In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has stated that smoking cessation therapy is the most cost-effective health benefit that employers can offer. The CDC advocates a two-pronged approach to coverage:
- Behavioral Modification: This type of therapy could include telephone, Internet, or in-person individual or group counseling sessions. This type of therapy is extremely important to help smokers address and change their habits and behaviors associated with smoking, plus receive ongoing support during a challenging time. Counseling has been shown to increase the rate of successful quitting.
- Prescription/OTC Drug: Many therapies are available here to help smokers quit. An employer might consider lowering or eliminating copays and deductibles associated with these drugs. Covering smoking cessation drugs in your benefit plan will not only improve the quit rate among those attempting to quit, but also may encourage others to try quitting in the first place.
Additional strategies include:
- Establishing smoke-free policies throughout your workplace
- Incentive programs for employees who quit and stay smoke-free
- Flexible spending program to reimburse smoking cessation counseling and prescription drugs
- On-site counseling options (or counseling referrals)
- Employee communications for education, promoting your program, and encouragement for those quitting
- Special event participation, such as the Great American Smokeout
- Health risk assessments to identify employee smokers
- Personal support and encouragement in the workplace for employees who are quitting
- Including spouses and dependents in smoking cessation benefits
- Many employers do not realize the full cost of smoking to their company. Smokers are much more likely to develop serious chronic medical conditions, visit the doctor more often, be absent from work with an illness, or have a short- or long-term disability, all of which are very costly for a company’s health plan and productivity. In fact, smokers cost private employers in the United States an extra $5,816 per year compared to nonsmokers, according to researchers at Ohio State University.
Smoking cessation programs should be a part of any organization’s benefits package, both for the health of employees and to dramatically impact the bottom line. For help establishing a smoking cessation program, contact the Benefits specialists at The Reschini Group.
Copyright 2018 The Reschini GroupThe Reschini Group provides these updates for information only, and does not provide legal advice. To make decisions regarding insurance matters, please consult directly with a licensed insurance professional or firm.