Stretching Your Healthcare Dollar

Employers nationwide face critical decisions about their health benefits program. Should they continue funding their employees', my cams , health benefits at the same level as a contribution in the past? Should they keep the same level of benefits as before? What can be done to minimize costs and maximize benefits? These are tough questions. Rising health care costs and an uncertain economy requires an employer to the various options when making health care decisions to investigate. These include: 1. The elimination of all health benefits 2. Reducing or eliminating other benefits in kind to the current level of 3 health benefits, my cams , coverage. Changing the existing health benefits program by increasing employee co-payments or cost sharing 4. Shopping for the most affordable coverage available from different carriers to find solutions to the impact, my cams , of rising insurance premiums temper can be difficult. There is an additional consideration that is often overlooked. As with any vendor selection process, an entrepreneur must consider the value gained from selecting a health benefits plan. Often, many only look at price and overlook the investment perspective involved in the purchase of a health benefits plan. An, my cams , employer must ask: "What do I get for my money? "A health plan must,, my cams , my cams , do more than just pay the bills. It must provide opportunities to improve health and maintain. Health benefit, my cams , plans that promote health fairs, wellness and disease management programs provide opportunities, my, my cams , cams , for achieving better health. Improving the health of the results may translate into reduced spending on health care and affordable premiums. Health benefit some companies are adding discount programs aimed at healthy living, including diet and nutrition counseling and discounts at local fitness centers. Disease management programs and, my cams , focus resources on the conditions that the patient self-care efforts are significant. There are specific intervention programs for diabetes, asthma, wound care and congestive heart failure. If you thought that healthcare is, my cams , not enough acronyms, here's one more. Some companies are starting to offer Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAM). CAM focuses on alternative forms of healthcare treatment, including massage therapy, acupuncture or homeopathy. CAM is one of the fastest growing areas of employee health benefits . There are estimates that as many as 36 percent of adults use some form of CAM. These additional benefits are not just bells and whistles. The introduction of these, my cams , programs often increases employee satisfaction. and increased satisfaction is a byproduct of the goal of the program ". The purpose of these programs is aimed at improving health. They seek a better, my cams , return on investment of the premium U.S. dollars and provide a shift in the traditional paradigm of simply paying the insurance bills to make. If an employer, my cams , chooses for a company health benefits with programs that focus on overall health, is making an investment in its employees' welfare and the future. Therefore, when selecting a carrier, do not forget to find that the, my cams , possibilities for your U.S. dollars stretch provides health care by offering fitness and CAM programs that help the mind, body and wallet. PETER JOSEPH is Senior Vice President for the commercial sale of Vista, a health benefits, my cams , company based in South Florida more than 330,000 members. VISTA, through its affiliates, Vista Health Plan Inc., Vista Health Plan of South Florida, my cams , Inc. and Vista Insurance Plan Inc., offers a choice of health plans including health maintenance organization (HMO), preferred provider organization (PPO) and point - of-service (POS). Reach Joseph through Vista's Web site http://www.vistahealthplan.com or (954) 858-3000.