Five ways affordable health insurance changes employees’ lives — and improves your business

While on the job hunt, affordable health insurance is guaranteed to be at the top of every employee’s wishlist. In 2023, out-of-pocket maximums for individuals enrolled in employer-sponsored health plans could be $6,001 or more. One survey found that 37% of employees nationwide saw increases in their out-of-pocket health insurance costs in the past year. It's no wonder many employees view cost-effective options as a pipe dream. 

Millions of employees face a significant financial burden before, during, and after seeking healthcare. Many workers pass on lifesaving preventive care services due to cost-related stress, waiting until a minor problem becomes serious to schedule a visit with a doctor. But those serious cases can cost more than they would’ve during early detection. As a result, employees stress over upcoming payments for the care they need on top of the care they’ve already received, increasing the likelihood of further deferment. When employees avoid crucial healthcare due to high prices, their work life suffers — and businesses feel the impacts: health-related productivity losses in the US amount to around $226-$260 billion annually.

Considering employer-sponsored insurance covers nearly 159 million employees, employers play a vital role in bringing cost-effective coverage to their workforce. While offering affordable coverage helps your business adhere to compliance standards and avoid any penalties, it also has the power to transform your workforce in terms of employee satisfaction, productivity, and overall well-being. 

The best employees deserve the best affordable health insurance. Let’s dive into why high-quality, affordable, accessible care matters for your employees and how it benefits your business.

The cyclical stress of high-cost healthcare

Expensive healthcare is nothing new to working Americans, and the problem is only getting worse. From a straightforward appointment for cold or flu medication to scans for a broken bone, pricey medical bills are sure to follow. Understandably, fear over these surprise or high-cost bills due to inadequate coverage forces many Americans to go without healthcare in many scenarios. Gallup’s annual Health and Healthcare poll found that 38% of Americans put off seeking medical treatment due to cost in 2022 — up 12 points in just one year. And people are avoiding the doctor for all types of care, including severe conditions. Twenty-seven percent of Americans reported forgoing care for a “very” or “somewhat” serious illness.

Even more concerning, the poll illustrated the real price of unaffordable care: people getting sicker. Fifty-four percent of workers with employer-sponsored plans who delayed or avoided care due to cost said the health problem worsened. As time goes on, it is likely that untreated illnesses worsen, adding up to even higher bills and leaving millions of Americans stuck in an endless cycle of stress and isolation from the care they need. According to Curative’s 2023 national survey of employees, 57% of respondents said they had missed work because of illness or health-related issues in the last year and 48% agree that their personal or family health affects their work performance.

A recent study from HPS/PayMedix that polled over 1,000 Americans with employer-sponsored health insurance reveals the startling degree to which stress over high-cost care impacts employees. Over half of all study respondents said that paying medical bills had been stressful. A further 92% agreed that this stress affected their physical and mental health. In 

Stress over unaffordable healthcare takes a mental toll on employees and affects all aspects of their lives, including work. As high-cost care concerns grow, productivity, satisfaction, and retention rates suffer. In 2021, McKinsey & Company surveyed full-time employees at large US companies across industries and found that employees who reported not receiving the health services they need were twice as likely to consider switching employers. Without access to care, employees underperform, and employers see rising rates of presenteeism and absenteeism. Nearly 4 out of every 5 employees facing high health-related financial stress say medical debt distracts them from work. 

As more and more employees turn to their jobs for help, employers have a unique opportunity to invest in their health.

Affordable care, healthier employees

High-quality healthcare that is accessible and affordable motivates employees to take care of their well-being from the start. Preventive care services, like routine health screenings, blood pressure and cholesterol tests, and immunizations that often occur at primary care visits, are crucial to ensuring your employees catch early health problems before they become severe. However, only eight% of Americans get the preventive care they need, a leading reason being cost. 

While primary care visit attendance has been declining for years, the pandemic has made a bad problem worse. Missing these routine appointments inevitably results in having to treat serious illnesses that might have been prevented, as doctors report that emergency rooms are seeing more patients with chronic heart disease than before the pandemic. But when people do visit their primary care physician, the results are astounding. The likelihood of a patient receiving preventive interventions by attending at least one primary care appointment in a year increases by:

• 127% for vaccinations
• 122% for colonoscopies
• 75% for mammograms

By eliminating the stress of paying for expensive care for all levels of illness, both minor and serious, employers empower their workers to take control of their health and practice preventive care. Affordable care ensures your employees are in good physical, mental, and emotional health, meaning they’re more likely to perform at their best in the workplace compared to those who are struggling with their well-being. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, healthier employees:

• Are less likely to call in sick or use vacation days for illness
• Engage in better health behavior that carries over to their family, such as cooking nutritious meals at home
• Participate in workplace health initiatives that reduce presenteeism 

By offering affordable health insurance, employees seek out preventive care services that improve your business’s bottom line and could help your organization save millions of dollars on productivity loss and annual costs per person due to health considerations. 

Investing in affordable health insurance pays off

Affordable health insurance doesn’t just improve employees’ well-being at work; it transforms their livelihoods altogether. When equipped with affordable health insurance, employees face five key benefits:

1. Reduced financial burden - Enrollment in cost-effective coverage takes away the fear of unexpected medical bills. Employees can visit their doctor knowing that their insurance plan has them covered, free from worry over surprise charges, and a clear understanding of what costs they will be responsible for. With a plan they can trust, employees experience reduced stress and anxiety which allows them to hone their focus and intentions during their day-to-day work life and personal life. 

1. Improved access to care - A simple, transparent, member-oriented, and affordable health plan bridges the gap between access to high-quality care and employee well-being. Plans that promote health literacy and ensure members understand their provider options put the care of your employees first, guaranteeing they aren’t alone in navigating a complex healthcare system. The best affordable health insurance companies do this by incorporating built-in member support into their health plan, so you can rest assured your employees are equipped with the tools needed to access care.

1. Better health outcomes - Less than three-fourths of employees are not up-to-date on preventive care, such as screenings and immunizations. Affordable coverage is the missing link keeping many employees away from accessing the care they need, especially preventive services. The proactive approach of preventive care means employees can detect, address, and treat health concerns early on, and without concerns over cost, they can seek out these types of lifesaving services without worrying about going into medical debt. 

1. Enhanced confidence - Familiarizing oneself with healthcare jargon can be a daunting task for your employees. From finding an in-network physician to identifying premium, deductible, and copay costs, it’s easy to get bogged down by an overload of information. An affordable health insurance plan that clearly and concisely defines expected costs and available care builds employee confidence and personal health literacy, so they feel ready to take ownership of their health journeys and seek the high-quality care they deserve. 

1. Improved overall well-being - Bettering our community starts at the individual level. By taking care of one’s personal health, we simultaneously improve family and community health. Preventive care services, healthy behavior and lifestyle changes, and affordable medical care at the personal level all contribute to strong community health by fostering a healthy-living mindset that permeates all areas of life — including work. A workplace that promotes well-being initiatives alongside an affordable health insurance option shows employees that their overall health is a priority, creating a positive company culture where employees feel like valued members of the community and are thus motivated while on the job.

A cost-effective plan that’s a win-win for everyone

Selecting the right health plan to create a healthy, productive workforce doesn’t have to be a guessing game. The best affordable health insurance plans make it clear from the get-go that low-cost, high-quality care is a main priority. That’s where Curative comes in.

Curative is a new kind of employer-sponsored health insurance that allows your employees to focus on care, not costs. We believe health benefits should actually be beneficial — not stressful. Your employees deserve to be the healthiest versions of themselves, equipped with a health plan that helps them accomplish just that. Curative’s health plan is based on three key pillars:

• Affordability - Bringing costs down so members have no reason not to seek care
• Engagement - Building engagement from day one by facilitating trusted relationships with providers and Care Navigators
• Simplicity - Designing simple, modern experiences to make care management virtually stress-free

We want your employees to get the high-quality care they need, when they need it, at the right price. From routine appointments to more serious health concerns, Curative members experience:

• $0 copays*
• $0 deductible*
• $0 out-of-pocket costs*

Yes, we mean zero dollars. The only payment members need to worry about is one competitive monthly premium, just like any other monthly subscription. 

Moreover, our are never alone in their health journeys. After joining Curative and attending the annual free Baseline Visit, each member meets their designated Care Navigator. Care Navigators are not healthcare professionals, nor do they offer medical advice. Instead, they work with each member as a partner in health, ensuring they are making the most of Curative’s health plan. Members can text, call, and email their Care Navigator at any time to:

• Connect members with the right doctor.
• Help members build preventive care strategies. 
• Guide members through paperwork, like pharmacy transfers.
• Provide trustworthy, continuous support to members.  

Care Navigators are ready to connect members with the best physicians nationwide. No matter where they’re located, your employees can see a doctor quickly and easily through Curative’s virtual urgent care options. Our partners connect your employees with a doctor in 10 minutes or less for stress-free care management. 

Curative is proud to offer one of the best affordable health insurance plans for employees around the country. We’re excited to bring high-quality, cost-effective coverage to businesses everywhere so we can build healthier communities, together.

About Curative

Curative wants your employees to love using their health benefits, free from the worry of exorbitantly high medical bills. Our health plan actually delivers better health through affordability, engagement, and simplicity. 

No copays. No deductibles. No...really. Curative is changing the way we view health insurance to help your employees — and your business — thrive. 

Ready to offer your employees next-generation, affordable health insurance? Get connected with Curative by visiting us at https://curative.com/for-employers. 

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