According to Tom Sullivan, VP of small business policy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, small businesses struggle to recruit qualified staff and continue to bear the burden of worker shortages. The burger chain White Castle recently reached out to 550,000 past applicants from as far back as 2017 to try to fill open positions.

A poll conducted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and MetLife found that 24 percent of small businesses planned to increase pay to attract new employees. Other tactics include remote work, more flexible working hours, and better benefits.

A recent study by HR platform provider Ease examined the challenges facing small-to-medium businesses as the pandemic recedes. The study found that as employers sought to retain and recruit workers, they offered more voluntary benefits.

It’s not surprising that workers are interested in better benefits given the events of the past year. The looming possibility of serious illness, hospitalization, or fatality became painfully palpable for many workers. These threats motivated many to choose voluntary benefits during the 2021 open enrollment period to help protect their families and their income should they face more difficult circumstances in the future.

Health Costs are Increasing

The Ease study of small-to-medium businesses also noted an increase in medical plan premiums and medical costs overall during 2020. The average company in their study saw a year-over-year increase in individual medical premiums of nearly 6 percent, while family medical premiums increased almost 4 percent, on average.

The following health costs also saw an increase in 2020:

• Overall, health care prices rose nearly 2 percent.
• The cost of physician services increased nearly 2 percent.
• The cost of hospital services rose 3 percent.

The Cost of Turnover

Another expensive issue plaguing employers of all sizes is turnover. The costs of employee turnover vary depending upon the role and the nature of the business. Still, some studies estimate that each time a company replaces a salaried employee, it costs 6 to 9 months’ salary on average.

A CAP study found the following averages to replace an employee:

• Jobs earning less than $30,000 a year = 16 percent of annual salary
• Jobs earning $30,000 to $50,000 a year = 20 percent of annual salary
• Highly educated executive positions = 213 percent of annual salary

Improving benefits is also a way to reduce employee turnover, especially for small businesses.

A Cost-Effective Solution is Here

Attracting and retaining qualified talent is tricky, but offering benefits to make employees feel valued is significant. Small businesses often feel they can’t provide health benefits for their staff because insurance premiums and deductibles are cost-prohibitive. Add on the insurance claims that impact profits, and the cost of a meaningful health plan can quickly escalate beyond control.

Now there is a powerful alternative to traditional health insurance plans. It’s called direct primary care (DPC). Instead of paying monthly premiums or deductibles, this health membership offers unlimited visits to a primary care physician for a low monthly membership fee. The membership can be paired with an insurance policy or provided on its own.

DPC has been a game-changer for small businesses. This low-cost alternative allows employees of small companies and the service sector to get the healthcare necessary to keep themselves and their families healthy. When it comes to using health benefits as a recruitment strategy, direct primary care makes it easy. Employers don’t have to wait until open enrollment to implement DPC. They can sign up any time of year to offer health benefits to their staff.

If you’d like more information on how direct primary care can help employers stand out in a competitive landscape, contact Healthcare2U.

According to a recent survey by Prevent Cancer Foundation, 35 percent of Americans have missed routine cancer screenings due to COVID-19 fears.

Another 43 percent of Americans have missed medical appointments because of the pandemic. Health experts sound the alarm that this trend could have fatal consequences.

Pandemic or not, many people have a reactive approach to maintaining good health as some only seek medical care when something goes wrong. This practice can allow conditions to progress to a state that is either no longer treatable or extremely expensive to treat.

Experts say it’s better to be proactive about your health. Part of that includes taking advantage of the health screenings that are available with your primary care physician.

Annual Physicals Are Important

Doctors recommend that people of all ages have a physical exam done by their primary care physician every year. This appointment is a wonderful opportunity for physician and patient to discuss overall health and wellness status and goals. It’s also the perfect time to share any symptoms that your doctor may need to investigate further. Many times, physicians can detect and treat conditions before significant symptoms appear.

A physical is a vital tool that allows physicians to determine which areas of your health need extra attention to prevent disease states later. It’s essential to know your numbers from blood pressure to blood glucose levels and body mass index to keep them within a healthy range.

Allowing health issues to escalate or go unchecked for years can lead to serious health problems. Having an annual physical is a powerful step toward preventing severe conditions and taking control of your health.

Cancer Screenings

According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), the most important modifiable determinants of cancer risk are weight control, dietary choices, and physical activity levels for people who do not use tobacco. In addition to making healthy nutritional choices and exercising, the ACS also recommends screenings to prevent various types of cancer.

• Cervical Cancer – The ACS recommends various surveillance strategies, such as pap smears, and options based on a woman’s age, screening history, and other risk factors.
• Prostate Cancer -The American Cancer Society recommends that asymptomatic men with at least a 10-year life expectancy speak with their physician about screening for prostate cancer.
• Breast Cancer – The ACS recommends that women undergo regular mammography screening for the early detection of breast cancer.

These are just a few of the screenings recommended by the American Cancer Society. In any case, it’s essential to have an open dialogue with a physician to determine if or when you should be screened for cancer or any other condition. If your primary care physician doesn’t provide these screenings, they can refer you to someone who does.

Easy Access to Primary Care

In the past, people skipped annual physicals or visits to the doctor because they lacked health insurance or expensive copays, and deductibles made their coverage too expensive to use. Fortunately, more innovative healthcare solutions like direct primary care (DPC) have made visiting a primary care physician easy and affordable for everyone.

This healthcare membership differs from insurance because it provides unlimited access to a primary care doctor for a low monthly membership fee. This membership often includes annual physicals as well as other screenings and chronic disease management for diseases within manageable ranges.

For more information on how DPC can provide affordable access to preventive healthcare, contact Healthcare2U.

A recent survey by Voya Financial revealed 35 percent of employees do not fully comprehend any of the benefits they’ve selected. Things seem to be even more perplexing for younger workers, with 54 percent of millennials admitting they don’t understand their benefits.

As benefits offerings become more and more complex and even more costly, employees want more education from their employers. They want to know that they have chosen the right coverage for their families at the best possible price.

Even if the employer offers cost-effective benefits like direct primary care (DPC), if employees don’t know what it is or how to use it most effectively, everyone misses out on the savings. Here we’ll examine simple ways to educate employees about their benefits and why it’s crucial.

Understanding Mitigates Stress

Unfortunately, employees view open enrollment with a lot of trepidation because they are unsure of what they’re signing up for.

Even though benefits like direct primary care have been around for many years, people are just now beginning to understand the real power of membership compared to traditional health insurance. Here are some frequently asked questions about DPC that employees may need clarity on.

Providing Resources is Easy and Effective

Its clear employees need information and support from employers to alleviate stress leading up to open enrollment. Sixty-five percent of employees surveyed by Voya said they want help from their employers to better understand their benefits year-round, not just during open enrollment.

With this short video and other resources, helping employees comprehend their direct primary care membership benefits can be seamless.

If you’d like to help your clients or employees better understand DPC, download the FAQs about Direct Primary Care.

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and National Public Radio recently conducted a study about the challenges Americans faced receiving healthcare over the past year. They found 20 percent of U.S. adults postponed medical care or had no access to healthcare.

Many people said their doctor’s office wouldn’t see them as the pandemic overwhelmed hospitals and medical providers. Others reported they didn’t feel safe going to a doctor’s office, but 40 percent said financial barriers prevented them from seeking care. Some simply couldn’t afford healthcare, while others struggled to find doctors who would accept their insurance.

Delays Can Have Serious Consequences

Even people with chronic conditions reported a delay in receiving care. Allowing conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and cholesterol to go unchecked for a year is extremely dangerous. Countless patients were also forced to postpone elective surgeries. Of the one in seven adults who delayed or were denied an elective procedure during the pandemic, 54 percent reported negative health consequences as a result.

Experts estimate the delays in screenings could lead to 10,000 colorectal and breast cancer deaths over the next decade. From missed physicals and routine checkups to major surgeries, the impact of delaying care is now coming to light. Waiting to receive medical care is not only detrimental to a patient’s health, but it can also be extremely damaging financially. As conditions escalate, it can lead to more complicated surgeries, extended hospital stays, more medications, and higher costs.

Direct primary care (DPC) can easily eliminate all these barriers to care through a nationwide organization like Healthcare2U.

DPC Filled in the Gaps

Long before the world ever heard of Covid-19, people were catching onto the benefits of a DPC membership. But over the past year, the convenience, easy access, and low membership cost proved very valuable for many across the U.S.

Telemedicine became the bridge between the past and the future of healthcare. When many doctors were forced to shut their doors because of safety concerns, the many direct primary care providers who already offered telehealth and virtual services stepped to the forefront. Many DPC providers seamlessly transitioned to providing primary care in a primarily virtual setting.

Telehealth, virtual DPC, nationwide availability, and prescription discounts are just a few of the perks Healthcare2U’s direct primary care members enjoy. In addition to these benefits, early-stage chronic disease management has been a vital component of DPC memberships, especially over the past year.

With the necessary monitoring, communication, and medications, a primary care provider can prevent chronic disease states and other conditions from worsening. And with such affordable membership rates, locations in every state, and no out-of-pocket costs for telemedicine or virtual visits, the barriers to receiving timely medical care have been eliminated.

Direct primary care was created to help people avoid deteriorating health and escalating costs for medical care. For more information on unlimited access to nationwide DPC, contact Healthcare2U.

In 2020, the healthcare industry was forced to reimagine care delivery and dive headfirst into telehealth and virtual health solutions. Research and consulting giant PwC recently released a new annual report titled “Top health industry issues of 2021: Will a shocked system emerge stronger?” After surveying 2,511 American consumers, 128 health plan executives, 153 healthcare provider organization executives, and 124 pharmaceutical and life sciences executives in August and September 2020, PwC concluded the healthcare industry should be prepared for major shifts ahead. These shifts include offering a growing variety of health services virtually and investing in patient navigation.

A Variety of Virtual Healthcare Services

In 2016, only 56 percent of employers covered telehealth benefits. In 2020, that number exploded to 95 percent. Even those employers who may have been hesitant to buy into telehealth or virtual services had to reconsider in the face of a global pandemic that forced everyone to alter the way they lived, worked, and consumed health services.

As medical providers suddenly found themselves stretched beyond limits, there was no time to evaluate what made the most sense for care delivery and patient experience. However, the sudden thrust to telemedicine served as a valuable experiment. PwC sought to provide some insight to help healthcare organizations navigate the telemedicine explosion post-pandemic.

PwC researchers say, “In the year ahead, the industry will work to determine which virtual visits make the most sense, and where and how they should take place.” According to the report, providers say specific areas are expected to find even stronger footing in the virtual world, starting this year.

Provider Organizations Must Help with Patient Navigation 

Another major shift in the healthcare system surrounds using virtual care to orchestrate care delivery for patients. PwC researchers say, “Tying virtual to in-person visits seamlessly is important for reducing leakage and maintaining ancillary services, follow-up appointments, and prescription levels.”

They concluded that providers could improve patient care and mitigate dropped handoffs by better integrating virtual patient visits in a care pathway. Fifty-one percent of consumers surveyed by PwC said they wanted a care coordinator or navigator to help orchestrate virtual and in-person care and provide support services.

Thus, 68 percent of provider executives surveyed plan to implement more care navigators and coordinators this year. The first point of contact for consumers is most likely to influence shepherding those patients through the healthcare system.

Now that provider organizations have had time to catch their breath, it’s time to begin implementing long-term strategies. As the healthcare landscape grows more and more competitive, there are a few ways healthcare providers can distinguish themselves.

• Offer telehealth or virtual benefits that transcend geographies.
• Provide free or low-cost telehealth consultations to attract new patients.
• Prevent disparities by implementing apps that are readily available to all.

To learn more about how direct primary care offers bilingual Virtual DPC, telehealth, and stellar patient navigation — contact Healthcare2U.

While there are currently four generations that comprise today’s workforce, millennials make up the most significant portion. With the productivity of companies nationwide resting upon the shoulders of this massive group, keeping them healthy should be a priority. A survey revealed some millennials are at risk because they postpone seeing a doctor or ignore health issues altogether.

Harmony Healthcare IT, a health data management firm, recently surveyed millennials about healthcare, primary care physicians, and annual physical examinations during the pandemic. Aside from the risks of being exposed to the covid-19 virus, there were three main reasons millennials put off going to the doctor in 2021.

Whatever the reasons, it is abundantly clear that young workers do not engage with the healthcare system the same way other generations have. There seems to be a disconnect between traditional benefits provided by employers and what younger employees want in a benefits program. Even with employer-sponsored options like high deductible health plans (HDHPs), young people still feel they can’t afford to see a doctor. But alternatives like direct primary care (DPC) are filling in that gap.

Millennials Are in Debt

Of the respondents in the survey, 24 percent of millennials said they’ve taken on medical debt since the pandemic, with 28 percent having $1,000 or more in medical debt. When people don’t use primary care as the foundation of healthcare, it can create unnecessary expenses.

If a patient postpones or ignores a red flag condition, they often end up using urgent care clinics or the emergency room as their primary point of contact for treatment. This practice is a very costly way to engage the system. In essence, seeing a primary care physician before a condition escalates can save the patient and their employer money in the long run.

DPC memberships can be a lifesaver for millennials who can’t afford to pay high deductibles to seek primary care. For a low monthly fee, members get unlimited access to a primary care provider, and there are no monthly premiums or deductibles to pay out of pocket. Employers love this option because their employees can see a primary care physician without generating claims to impact the company’s health plan.

Millennials Want Convenience

Twenty-five percent of the millennials surveyed said seeing a doctor is too inconvenient. This inconvenience doesn’t have to be the case with choices like telehealth and virtual DPC. Most direct primary care memberships include these modern conveniences for no additional fees, so there are no geographical barriers to care.

Traditional benefits packages fall flat with younger employees because of generational shifts in perspectives and priorities. Millennials expect different types of resources than previous generations, and when presented with new technology and conveniences that meet their needs, they are far more likely to utilize them.

By offering cost-effective health memberships like direct primary care with telehealth and virtual DPC, employers can meet the needs of a constantly evolving and diverse workforce. Customizing benefits for the largest segment of the workforce promotes loyalty and healthier and more content employees.