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Prepare for a New Normal

July 30 | 3 mins

The world-at-large, business, healthcare, and everyday life will not look the same way it did pre-COVID. Some predict we will only begin to recover from the pandemic’s economic fallout by the end of next year. To contain fear during this crisis, timely and honest communication from credible sources is vital. Still, governments and media have struggled to properly explain risk while providing guidance without intensifying the public’s panic. As we wrestle with the best way to rebound from these turbulent times, employers can implement a few strategies to prepare for a new normal. Tactics as simple as remembering your employees’ value, preparedness to evolve, and offering affordable healthcare solutions for recently laid-off or furloughed employees can make all the difference.

Employees Are the Backbone

A business is only as exceptional as the people it employs. No human being exists in a vacuum. If an individual’s mental and physical health aren’t maintained, he can’t perform at optimal levels or represent your company to the best of his ability. In addition to providing safe working conditions, whether in-office or remote, an employer can support employees by offering a robust health plan to help protect its most valuable assets—people.

In addition to a competitive salary, highly qualified employees want the best benefits and will often choose one company over another because of them. Employers can promote a culture of wellness within their organizations by implementing a wellness program that focuses on detection and prevention.

Unfortunately, the employees with the lowest salaries are also the least insured. By putting affordable options like direct primary care (DPC) into a company health plan, employers can make sure all their employees feel cared for when it comes to healthcare.

Evolve with the Times

The pandemic has been a wakeup call for many employers, especially where technology and operations are concerned. Many were left unprepared to work remotely from home as cities shut down one-by-one with shelter-in-place orders. Laptops and other tech equipment went on backorder as companies scrambled to set up home offices.

For those who didn’t have sufficient processes in place, cracks in the foundation emerged. The lesson for all of us has been: you never know what kind of crisis will hit. Use this opportunity to ensure you have the technology to do business anywhere in the world. Our already digital world has gone even more virtual, and there’s no turning back.

Also, take a step back and evaluate the areas of your business where chaos ensued. Talk to staff about how you can you shore up weaknesses, so you not only survive going forward, you thrive.

There’s Hope for the Unemployed

As the unemployment rate continues to escalate, an estimated 10.1 million people will lose their employer-sponsored insurance, according to a recent report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Urban Institute.

The report says of the 48 million people who will lose their job this year, 34 percent are insured through a family member’s job, while 27 percent have coverage through Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). A mere 5 percent enrolled in a non-group insurance plan, and 10 percent are uninsured.

People in the service sector were hit particularly hard, and the job losses may worsen before they get better. It’s no surprise that workers in these industries often lack the benefits or means to get primary healthcare when they are employed, much less unemployed. COVID-19 has sharpened the reality that people need affordable medical care to stay healthy and lower risks for serious illnesses. They also need to be able to see a doctor or access telemedicine at an affordable cost.

This year, Healthcare2U launched an individual direct primary care membership for furloughed or laid-off workers called MyDPCplus. Now employers can work with benefits brokers to enroll employees they have been forced to let go. Knowing that they can still access healthcare for themselves and their dependents has provided peace of mind for many during these uncertain times.

If you’re a broker who wants to help clients who have recently laid-off employees, resulting in lost jobs and healthcare benefits, download this informative brochure.

Prepare for a New Normal

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