Five Ways to Reduce The Risk of Back Pain

Did you know office workers sit an average of 12 hours a day within a 16-hour waking period? It’s difficult for employees with desk jobs to get out of their chairs when a typical workday includes reading and replying to emails, making phone calls, and attending meetings. Sedentary jobs have increased by 83% since 1950, and as technology continues to advance, the hope for reversing this sedentary trend is dimming. Instead, be proactive and love your spine while at work by incorporating these five ways to reduce the risk of back pain.

Tip 1: Support your lower back  
When choosing a desk chair, know that the best office chair includes a high back and firm seat. Avoid soft chairs as they will round your back and deliver poor support. Once you have your chair, it’s essential to support your lower back to follow the natural curve of the spine. If your chair doesn’t include ergonomic lumbar support, you can use a rolled-up towel or purchase a lumbar support cushion to attach on.

Tip 2: Adjust the height of your chair  
The height of your chair is vital to encourage a positive sitting posture. First, have your feet rest on the ground at a 90-degree angle with your knees parallel to the floor. Do not cross your legs as this can offset the support from your hips and back. The height of your chair should allow 1) your hands to rest gently on the table, 2) your elbows to rest on the arms of the chair.

Tip 3: Set your screen to eye-level  
Your head weighs almost 10 pounds, and at any angle – forward or backward – and it can begin to put stress on your neck and back muscles. The computer screen should sit directly in front of you with the top of the screen no more than 2 inches above eye level. Consider stacking books under the monitor or utilizing a monitor stand for easy adjustment.

Tip 4: Use a Bluetooth handset  
If you’re making multiple or extended calls throughout the workday, don’t spend hours of your day squeezing a phone between your shoulder and ear. This habit can strain muscles and even cause ligament damage if done too often. Look into a Bluetooth handset to relieve your posture in addition to your hands for multi-tasking!

Tip 5: Stretch it out 
In eight hours, you can begin to forget about your posture. Don’t allow your body to get stiff in one position for too long. Build time into your busy day to step away from your desk or stretch. Regular trips to the restroom or for coffee refills, count! Get up and walk to tell a coworker something instead of emailing. Gently stretch out your wrists by pointing your fingers towards the ceiling with your palm parallel to the wall, and then back down to the floor. Shrug your shoulders up and down with deep breaths to release shoulder tension. Do whatever feels right and helps to relieve the tension in your body! For more stretches to do while in your office chair, check out this resource.

We hope these tips to reduce the risk of back pain help! Keep in mind that research suggests periodic workplace stretching can reduce pain up to 72 percent. You don’t have to suffer all day with back discomfort, but you do need to be proactive about caring for your spine. Share and implement these tips to ensure your spine is supported this World Spine Day!

Direct Primary Care as an Employer Health Plan Strategy

Health insurance often feels like a financial gamble for employers and employees. Some health plans leave employees with high out-of-pocket costs and a substantial financial burden, while others raise claims and damage a company’s bottom line. Instead of leaving the decision to “dealer’s choice,” brokers can assist employers with a health plan strategy that offers healthcare for less, protects assets, and provides quality care for employees. One win-win solution to unaffordable healthcare is direct primary care (DPC). Direct primary care is a healthcare membership that avoids insurance claims and deductibles – delivering timely access to primary care physicians.

Direct primary care is a valuable benefit to employee populations because of the broad coverage of health benefits through primary care physicians that offer membership.

Direct primary care is a valuable benefit to employee populations because of the broad coverage of health benefits through primary care physicians that offer membership. For example, membership often covers common acute illnesses, annual physicals, and the detection, treatment, and management of chronic conditions. Because they are gatekeepers to the entry point of healthcare and healthy living, the value of primary care physicians is unmatched. Studies have shown, that 1) states with a higher ratio of primary physicians have populations with better health and 2) patients who have a relationship with these physicians have lower overall health expenses than those without one.

Despite positive health attributes associated with primary physicians, another study found that many people do not have a personal doctor (28% of men and 17% of women). In Mercer’s article Direct Primary Care as a Strategy to Manage Cost, the author contributes this problem to a short supply of primary care physicians across the nation. Factors such as work-life balance, salary and administrative burdens have contributed to this shortage. Unfortunately, while primary care physicians are on the decline, the demand for access to these “gateway” physicians has increased to combat rising healthcare costs.

As employers look for creative ways to avoid shifting healthcare expenses to their employees, they may want to explore direct primary care as an employer health plan strategy. Direct primary care would allow affordable access to the entry point of healthcare a primary care physician that’s invested in the health and success of each patient. While there are many variations of the model, the average monthly cost for a membership is $70-$90 per member per month (PMPM).

Many traditional direct primary care providers are confined by location, only able to serve patients within a small region. As a hybrid model, Healthcare2U prides itself on being an integrated direct primary care organization that is nationwide, ensuring employers of all sizes and structures have access to affordable, consistent and affordable primary care. Our proprietary Partner Physician Network (PPN)™ grants our members unlimited access to any Healthcare2U clinic across the nation for only $10 a visit for acute and chronic conditions and 24/7/365 bilingual telehealth for no additional out-of-pocket cost. Our DPCplus product line also includes unlimited urgent care visits for $25 a visit.

When it comes to employee health and an employer’s bottom-line, neither should have to sacrifice. With Healthcare2U’s membership 40 percent below the average cost of traditional DPC practices, employers can cut costs on health benefits without the gamble. Learn more about Healthcare2U’s DPCplus solution here.

The Disruption of the Status Quo

The healthcare industry has multiple players, and like every pair of rivals, there is a genuine struggle between the status quo and those who are disrupting the industry. In Nelson Griswold’s article It’s time to choose: Status quo or disruption, the power struggle is illustrated between the “Status Quo” and the “Disruptors.” For years, insurance conglomerates with fee-for-service models have influenced the healthcare market and industry by driving up premiums and the cost of care. However, like-minded healthcare organizations, agents, and physicians are banding together to force a change within the industry, a disruption of the status quo.

In 2020, the top five health insurance carriers controlled nearly 44 percent of the market. Their reign has been long-standing, and healthcare expenses have consistently increased with premiums. From 1999-2016, the price of premiums increased by almost 300 percent. A benefit that once attracted employees and supported their health has now robbed their raises and indebted their families.

While the status quo still stands, the Disruptors press forward.

While the status quo still stands, the Disruptors press forward. Griswold describes these Disruptors as a team of sorts. The team consists of programs, organizations, and practices assisting employers in moving “away from fully insured plans to alternative funding arrangements” offering clients control over their benefit plans. This group is made up of benefit concierge programs, reference-based pricing vendors, bundled-price surgery centers, and direct primary care. Ultimately, these concepts are changing the “supply chain” of healthcare and how consumers pay for the services they need.

Healthcare2U’s mission is similar. As a hybrid direct primary care organization, we accommodate and encourage fellow Disruptors to service over 650 employer groups nationwide who wanted an alternative to the status quo. As a non-insurance healthcare membership, we eliminate claims while providing members convenient and affordable access to primary care. We understand healthcare is confusing and that navigation and education are critical. By giving a single point of contact to every member, our trained medical staff can guide each member through the healthcare system to find the best solution for their condition. Within membership, members receive unlimited access to primary care physicians for $10 a visit, urgent care for only $25 a visit, and chronic disease management for 13 of the most prevalent disease states for $10 a visit. They also receive unlimited 24/7/365 bilingual telehealth at no additional out-of-pocket cost.  By lowering costs to the entry-point of care, members are unrestricted by financial burdens and can seek the quality care they need.

Plans such as direct primary care place employees at a position of authority with their care, choosing the best option for them.

Direct primary care is a win-win for employees and employers. No matter if your clients are self-funded or fully insured, Healthcare2U has a solution that can contain their healthcare spend. For example, with Healthcare2U, our self-funded employers’ return-on-investment averages 13 percent after one year of implementation. If producers are looking for a more robust offering, we integrate our product into benefits such as indemnity bundles or Minimum Essential Coverage plans to adapt to any client’s need.

If you’re interested in disrupting the healthcare industry, let’s get started.

 

**Content updated on June 3, 2021

Five Factors Contributing to Childhood Obesity

Children are often unaware of the patterns or conditions that cause obesity, therefore, placing the responsibility on adults to lead them in the right direction.

Junk food, candy, and sugary beverages may be tasty and rewarding to children, but how do they contribute to their overall lifestyle? What effect do these snacks, along with genetics and varying levels of physical activity, have on childhood obesity? While children have fewer weight-related health issues than adults, obese children do have a predisposition to grow into overweight adolescents and adults. Therefore, becoming at-risk for high cholesterol and blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes. There are many ways adults can support children throughout their development and help lower the risk of contributing to childhood obesity.

Today, an estimated 1 in 5 school-age children are considered obese (a term determined by Body Mass Index, or BMI). When compared to children of the same sex and height, obese children rank in the 95th percentile or above. Many factors contribute to this epidemic such as genetics, unhealthy habits, lack of physical activity and environmental difficulties. Children are often unaware of the patterns or conditions that cause obesity, therefore, placing the responsibility on adults to lead them in the right direction.

Factor 1: Genetics
Genetics is tricky when it comes to childhood obesity. While the presence or absence of genetic factors can protect a person from or predispose a person to obesity, it is not the only determining factor. The CDC states that to be explained, the obesity epidemic must consider both genetics and the environment in which a person lives. Studies show that genetics account for less than 5% of obesity cases. This information reaffirms that while genetics can influence weight-gain, they are not the reason for the dramatic increase in childhood obesity. Because of this, we need to take the following factors into account.

Factor 2: Food Quality and Quantity
The consumption of sweetened beverages and junk food plays a role in excessive weight gain in children. Processed foods are often dense in fat, sugar, and salt, which contribute to excess weight gain when eaten in vast proportions. Fast-food restaurants are convenient and affordable for busy families – but higher calories, less nutrition and over-sized portions link these restaurants to the obesity epidemic. Speaking of portions, the National Institute of Health found these have doubled over the last 20 years. By controlling portion-sizes at home, parents can ensure their children enter adulthood with healthy habits.

Factor 3: Parental Perception
Many people overlook a parent’s perception and how that can take a toll on a child’s health. A study of mothers and children found that an alarming 62% of parents with obese children, perceived their child’s weight as healthy. If a parent doesn’t believe their child’s weight needs to be addressed, they will be less likely to initiate healthier habits at home. For children that depend on a parents’ guidance for nutritional meals, continuing poor habits could have damaging effects on their mental and physical health. It may be difficult for parents to notice or address their child’s weight, but pediatricians can provide information and intervention through consistent physicals.

Factor 4: Lack of Physical Activity
For healthy exercise, a rule of thumb is calories consumed must be balanced to calories expensed. A lack of physical activity progresses childhood obesity because the body begins to store unused calories as fat. For children, physical activity comes in the form of outside play-time or extracurricular sports. This digital-age brings increasingly popular and accessible video games and television shows. A study within the Journal for Adolescence found a strong correlation between video game usage and weight status within children. There was no correlation between television watching and weight status, but both activities are prevalent in children’s lives and continue to promote sedentary lifestyle choices.

Factor 5: Environmental Resources
Transportation and neighborhood features affect the resources children have in their fight against obesity. Children who live in unsafe areas with poorly lit walking paths have fewer opportunities to be physically active outside. They may be more likely to ride a bus or have a parent drive them to school, in comparison to walking or riding a bike. A lack of healthy grocery stores also contributes to food consumption and a family’s ability to eat home-cooked meals. Environmental resources play a significant role in how children grow up and the lifestyle to which they are exposed.

Childhood obesity is not a simple issue. It’s becoming more common in America, partially due to these factors listed above. From heritable genetics to environmental surroundings, many children struggle with fighting this disease, and concerned parents may wonder how to address the issue. First, it’s essential to let the child know that as a parent, you will be emotionally supportive of them at any size. According to WebMD, it’s important not to single out an overweight child but instead to focus on addressing the entire family’s physical activity and eating habits. By taking action and educating themselves about the contributing factors to childhood obesity, parents can support a healthy lifestyle for their children and help prevent this growing concern.

Five Things Employers Should Consider When Looking for a Direct Primary Care Provider

The goal of DPC is to provide patients with convenient primary care in the effort to prevent illness, reduce hospitalization and encourage healthy living.

Over the last decade, prices for healthcare grew faster than the general economy, so it’s no surprise that almost 92 percent of Americans say they have a major or minor problem paying basic healthcare bills. While that percentage is dependent on many factors, it has motivated physicians and employers to move towards practicing and implementing alternative care delivery models that provide patients with affordable access to care.

One of the delivery models that has risen in popularity among employers is direct primary care (DPC). DPC is an alternative to traditional fee-for-service payments which allows physicians to provide access to primary care services by charging a monthly, quarterly or yearly fee. Since DPC is an alternative to fee-for-service billing, it allows physicians to practice medicine without the hassle of insurance billing codes. DPC physicians bypass the administrative elements of insurance filing and billing while adjusting their panel to spend more time with their patients. Service arrangements between DPC practices and employers vary but may include chronic disease management, physicals, and routine labs. Often, members have convenient access to their physician through shorter wait times and after-hour call, text or video abilities built into their membership.

The goal of DPC is to provide patients with convenient primary care in the effort to prevent illness, reduce hospitalization and encourage healthy living. By providing basic and convenient access to patients, DPC develops a trusting relationship between doctor and patient, allowing for increased communication and the consistent monitoring of health concerns. Evidence shows that visiting a primary care physician before a specialist is associated with more appropriate, more effective, and less costly care.

There are several variations to the Direct Primary Care model, and each membership may include different features. Because of these variations, it can be difficult to know exactly what to look for. Below are five benefits an employer should look for in a Direct Primary Care provider to ensure the quality of a membership:

Factor 1: Availability 
A benefit to paying physicians directly includes their ability to provide care at unconventional hours. When looking for a Direct Primary Care provider, ensure a physician is available for the symptoms that arrive after business hours. This can be in the form of text, phone calls or video. Resources such as telemedicine have been known to save patients anywhere from $309 to more than $1,500 in emergency department visits.

Factor 2: Affordability
A major differentiator for DPC, in comparison to other health plans, is affordability. Prices within a membership are pre-determined, freeing patients from financial burdens and unexpected bills. Be careful not to mistake DPC plans for Concierge plans which can provide similar benefits but tend to be higher in price. DPC plans are often billed monthly, bi-annually or annually and the monthly membership national average is nearly $80.

Factor 3: Mobility 
Electronic Health Records contain historical health information about a patient. In traditional DPC models, these EHR systems don’t talk to one another, fragmenting the healthcare system. Mobile Electronic Medical Records (EMR) can increase accuracy and efficiency should a patient need a prescription refill, is prescribed a new medication or needs labs reviewed. Consider a DPC plan that provides multiple locations in the event of travel or relocation.

Factor 4: Acute and Chronic Care 
Patients build a strong, trusting relationship with their physician, encouraging the discovery of illness and disease sooner. By decreasing the barriers to quality primary care, patients and physicians can better detect, treat and manage disease states. Studies have found that employees that use a direct primary care model tend to have fewer recurring issues with chronic conditions, reducing emergency department and urgent care visits. When looking for a DPC make sure that the primary care physician offers a range of services from acute to chronic care.

Factor 5: Patient Navigation  
The healthcare system can be a confusing place even for educated consumers. With DPC, building a positive relationship with a healthcare provider allows you to contact someone to assist every step of the way. Find a provider that will navigate patients through their healthcare and assist in finding the most affordable and quality care.

The DPC model is gaining momentum within the healthcare industry at a time when many Americans are confused and burdened by health plan options and medical bills. As the price of traditional insurance increases, this cost-transparent solution for quality healthcare can be implemented into employer groups to support their uninsured or underinsured individuals, as well as those employees with high deductible health plans. The benefits of a DPC provider can be rewarding to both employers, physicians and patients. To provide a healthy relationship for everyone, keep these five features in mind when looking for your provider.

Brokers: Increase the Value of Employee Benefits, Not the Cost

An estimated five percent increase in health benefits cost raises employee contribution to nearly $15,000 annually.

The National Business Group on Health released its annual survey of 150 large US employers to find they estimate a five percent increase in health benefits cost for 2020. They foresee employers contributing 70 percent, leaving 30 percent to employees – raising the employee contribution for healthcare to nearly $15,000 annually. Benefits advisors and employers are getting creative to build package offerings that employees and employers can afford. The innovative ideas include passing drug price discounts over to workers and contracting directly with doctors. CNBC’s article Employee health benefits’ costs expected to rise 5% in 2020, new survey says, states that nearly half of the large firms surveyed are interested in increasing the value of employee benefits by contracting directly with physician groups for negotiated services, such as chronic disease management and primary care. 

The similar idea is to implement a Direct Primary Care (DPC) membership within employer groups. DPC is a retainer-based healthcare model that delivers primary care services for a monthly, quarterly, or annual fee. This membership grants valuable employee benefits through affordable access to a primary care physician without the concern of insurance. For employers, the DPC model serves as a solution to employees that have variable hours, are underinsured or who may avoid care because of high costs. DPC protects the company’s bottom line by utilizing the membership for primary, preventative, and chronic care concerns within the employee population, reducing claims filed against the employer’s insurance plan.   

Utilizing Direct Primary Care to Promote Cost Transparency

“Flying blind” is a term that may sound acceptable to adrenal-junkies but is unsettling in the context of seeking and acquiring medical care.

Imagine not knowing the price of a meal until you’re finished eating or hiring a cleaning service to shampoo your carpets without an estimate beforehand. It wouldn’t happen – the purchasing power of consumers simply wouldn’t allow it. However, this scenario is very common within the healthcare industry. Patients receive services and prescriptions that are crucial to their health without understanding the accumulating costs. Healthcare has become opaque. “Everyone’s flying blind,” said Francois de Brantes, vice president and director of the Center for Payment Innovation at the not-for-profit Altarum Institute. “Flying blind,” is a term that may sound acceptable to adrenal-junkies but is unsettling in the context of seeking and acquiring medical care. In all other aspects of our lives, purchasing services or items without cost transparency would be unacceptable. So why are the standards different in healthcare? While the industry has gotten away with it for years, there may be an end in sight.  

Consumer Price Shopping 

What’s stopping consumers from price shopping within healthcare? According to a HealthMine survey of consumers with sponsored health insurance, 39 percent say their plans don’t offer a tool that can help predict how much medical care will cost. Because such a low percentage of consumers have access to transparency tools like these, there’s low confidence that individuals can find an estimated total prior to receiving care. Another report highlights the issue of consumers calling hospitals and doctors’ offices, looking for answers and then finding that the relayed information didn’t help in making more informed decisions. In the long run, the lack of cost transparency is costing consumers time and money.  

For the individuals that do have resources to price-shop, insights show that they are using lower-price laboratory and imaging facilities, saving a small amount on high-priced tests or labs. However, that’s not enough to motivate all consumers to use these tools. Overall, cost-transparency tools are used at a low rate among individuals that have access to them. The barriers to increasing the utilization of these tools range from 1) some patients simply don’t support the idea of price-shopping and potentially lack faith in its effectiveness, 2) those patients who want to price-shop lack the time or information needed to identify low-cost options, and 3) patients may not participate because of their existing relationship with a provider or lack of alternative care options.  

An Innovative Care Model 

Recently the presidential Executive Order addressed the lack of cost transparency in U.S. healthcare. By placing patients first, the Executive Order aims to improve the price and quality of care through competition within the industry. Meanwhile, to assist with transparency at the entry-point of healthcare, many organizations have based their care delivery models on providing candid pricing from the start. 

Among these innovative care delivery models is direct primary care model (DPC) which often consists of a monthly, quarterly, or annual retainer for access to specific medical services. This model is not insurance-based, but supplements high-deductible health plans or catastrophic plans because of its affordable access to primary care and avoidance of deductibles. DPC arrangements can range from a single primary care physician entering into an agreement with individual patients, to companies contracting with DPC organizations that have a network of physicians to service their employees. Details aside, DPC focuses on fixed prices for members with a list of included services. The cost transparency within each provided service empowers patients to make well-informed, budgeted healthcare decisions.  

Evidence proves that visiting a primary care physician before a specialist is associated with more appropriate, more effective and less expensive care. Also, 90 percent of the nation’s $3.3 trillion in annual healthcare expenditures is spent on people with chronic and mental health conditions. By implementing the right DPC membership for employees, DPC can combat this dilemma with access to affordable primary care and chronic disease management. Meaning, employees utilizing a DPC model for preventative care tend to have fewer recurring issues with chronic conditions – reducing emergency services and hospitalization costs.  

While consumers may feel like they’re “flying blind” within the healthcare industry, hope is on the way. The Executive Order will begin to mandate hospitals publicly post pricing for services, easing the access for patients to price-shop for necessary medical care and simultaneously increasing competition among organizations. In the meantime, DPC arrangements will continue to service consumers with their transparent pricing model and pre-negotiated covered services. Cutting overall costs for patients, from unnecessary tests to chronic disease complications and hospital re-admittance.

Health Insurance Literacy: Employees Need More Resources

Without a doubt, healthcare is a complex entity that includes multiple constituents beyond the patient and care provider. From various carriers to government regulations, the intricacies of healthcare can turn around even the most informed consumers. So, what happens when consumers become overwhelmed by options and guidelines? Among other factors, the complications lead to a lack of health insurance literacy.

Health insurance literacy is the degree to which an individual has the knowledge, ability and confidence to find and evaluate information about health plans, select the best plan for their own financial and health circumstances and use the plan accordingly. Related to the public health term “health literacy,” it focuses on individuals’ ability to make well-informed health decisions based on their plans.

Employees Speak Up

A recent study by Maestro Health surveyed 1,000 employees with employer-sponsored health plans about their sentiment towards the current state of healthcare as well as how it impacts their care-seeking decisions. The survey concluded that 35 percent of the employees either somewhat understand, don’t understand or know nothing about their healthcare coverage. Even if they do fully understand, 62 percent of respondents feel their employer does not serve as a resource for their healthcare-related questions.

Employer-sponsored insurance covers over half of non-elderly Americans – approximately 152 million adults. Therefore, this lack of understanding is detrimental to not only employee health and finance, but to an employer’s bottom-line and the nation’s growing healthcare deficit. Group plan premiums begin to skyrocket with the increase of unnecessary claims and absenteeism can set back a productive business. Diabetes, alone, costs U.S. employers $20.4 billion in unplanned absenteeism and the nation $246 billion in extra healthcare costs.

Providing Care and a Resource

Employee communication is a valuable factor. When done properly, it can leave employees feeling well-informed and confident in their care-seeking decisions. Therefore, healthcare professionals and companies must share the duty of providing transparent and insightful information. At Healthcare2U, we strive to do just that.

All Healthcare2U members seek better health and wellness with a phone call. Our bilingual Medical Assistants triage their symptoms and schedule either an in-person doctor visit or virtual telehealth. Should care be provided outside of Healthcare2U’s partner-clinics, our staff walks the member through their plan to explain alternative options and how to use them.

To learn more about how Healthcare2U serves as a resource to shield claims from employer-sponsored health plans as well as navigate patients through their coverage, contact us!

Are High-Deductible Plans Placing Employee Health at Risk?

Chronic disease management is not only expensive and complex but it’s key in improving patient outcomes and minimizing overall healthcare expenditures. Currently, the price tag of chronic illnesses accounts for 72 percent of the $2.2 trillion spent on healthcare in the U.S. each year. Diabetes is one such chronic condition that is so common, 30 million Americans are affected by the disease which can lead to blindness, kidney disease, amputations and heart disease. With the prevalence of chronic diseases, what happens to ill employees when their employer raises health insurance deductibles?

In the article, Getting the Diabetes Care You Need on a High-Deductible Plan, a study follows 34,000 diabetic employees through their transition from a $500 maximum low-deductible health plan to a high-deductible insurance plan that boasted out-of-pocket costs of $1,000 or more. Compared to individuals who remained on low-deductible plans, employees who switched to high-deductibles waited longer to seek various treatments because of expenses. For example, patients waited an average of 1.5 months longer to seek care for chest pain – the first major symptom of atherosclerosis, a high-risk condition for diabetic patients. Employees also delayed treatment by two months for the first major diagnostic test, and three months (or longer) for the test result’s recommended medical procedure.

The study didn’t include research of the health outcomes of these individuals or how the delay in care affected their pre-existing diabetes. However, it is important for employers and healthcare professionals to note the value in time-sensitive decisions for care. If left untreated, diabetes can create numerous health complications to include heart attack, stroke or amputation of extremities. With atherosclerosis, in particular, a delay in treatment can result in heart attack, stroke or another medical emergency.

End Delayed Care with an Affordable Solution

Many factors can contribute to delayed care – however, it’s a fact that the cost of healthcare is a huge concern for patients. Employees with less-than-adequate health coverage/insurance may decide to “wait-out” their symptoms, increasing their risk for serious health complications in the future. If your clients utilize a high-deductible option, their insurance plan is at-risk for serious health expenditures down the line.

To offset an employee’s health expenses from a high-deductible health plan, employers may to offer gap plans that include affordable and convenient access to care. Gap insurance is a supplemental health plan that cushions expenses for employers and employees who utilize high-deductible health care plans. By offering a gap plan, employers improve the entry point to healthcare and encourage their employees to seek treatment at the onset of an illness, reducing urgent care and emergency room visits.

One gap solution is to provide employees a membership to Healthcare2U’s No-Claims Healthcare™. Through unlimited access to our patient-navigation platform, Healthcare2U shifts care away from traditional insurance and towards membership services, avoiding claims. By directing members towards affordable and convenient care, Healthcare2U can educate employees about their health and their next steps towards wellness. Healthcare2U works with employers of all sizes and there is no exclusion of pre-existing conditions. Benefits include – but are not limited to – same or next-day acute care with a board-certified physician for $10 a visit, 24/7/365 bilingual telehealth for no additional cost and chronic disease management for 13 of the most prevalent chronic disease states for the same $10 visit fee. Because of Healthcare2U’s cost-containment nature, employers have seen an ROI of 15 percent within their first year of implementation.

With DPC, members create a trusting relationship with their primary care physician, unaffected by budgeting concerns. This educates them to lead a healthier lifestyle, minimizing future insurance premiums for their employers. Are you interested in learning what Healthcare2U can do for your employer groups? If so, let’s talk.

National Women’s History Month: Five Influential Women in Medicine

For decades, various female-activist groups advocated for the inclusion of women’s history in classrooms across the nation. It wasn’t until 1980 that President Carter issued the first Presidential Proclamation to declare a National Women’s History Week. By 1986, 14 states were honoring women’s accomplishments throughout March, and a year later Congress officially declared March as the National Women’s History Month. Today, galleries, memorials and museums across the nation are commemorating the contributions women have made in American history and contemporary society.

For decades, men represented the majority in medicine. In 1860, there were only 200 female physicians in the United States, but today there are more than 376,000. Although it was challenging, the following five exceptional women have made major contributions to the medical industry. From breakthrough pharmaceuticals to advanced research discoveries, these women deserve applause for progressing healthcare in America.

National Women's History MonthRebecca Lee Crumpler, MD (1831-1895)

Dr. Crumpler became the first African-American woman to earn a medical degree in the United States. She graduated in 1864 from New England Female Medical College and published her book, Book of Medical Discourses, in 1883. Her work included providing medical care to free slaves through the Freedman’s Bureau, as well as poor women and children.

 

National Women's History Month

Margaret Higgins Sanger (1879-1966)

Sanger was a controversial and well-known birth control activist, sex educator and nurse. Around 1910 she coined the term ‘birth control,’ causing a backlash that forced her to flee the U.S. until 1915. In 1916, she opened the first birth control clinic in the United States and was arrested nine days after it opened for violating the Comstock Act. In 1921 the American Birth Control League was established, an earlier adaptation of Planned Parenthood. Her passion for women’s reproductive rights inspired her to push forward towards what resulted in the first oral contraceptive, Enovid.

 

National Women's History MonthVirginia Apgar (1909-1974)

Dr. Apgar was an American obstetrical anesthesiologist and the first woman to become a full professor at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. Apgar was known for contributing the Apgar (Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity, Respiration) score – a standardized method of evaluating newborn health after birth. The Apgar score also helped Apgar and researchers quantify the effects of obstetrical anesthesia on babies which improved the fight against infant mortality.

 

National Women's History MonthGertrude Elion (1918-1999)

As an American biochemist and pharmacologist, Elion shared the 1988 Nobel Prize for the development of drugs used to treat several major diseases. After retirement, she oversaw the development of azidothymidine (AZT), an AIDS treatment that prevents pregnant mothers from spreading it to their fetuses. Elion was also responsible for the first immunosuppressive drug used for organ transplants, as well as the first antiviral drug to treat viral Herpes infections.

 

National Women's History MonthMary-Claire King (1946-present)

As an American Cancer Society Professor, Dr. King studies human genetics and complex traits. Her work involves studying the interaction of genetics and environmental influences in various diseases. Her contributions to medicine include identifying understanding the genetic susceptibility of breast cancer, demonstrating that humans and chimpanzees are 99% genetically identical, and using genomic sequencing to identify victims of human rights abuse such as illegal adoption.

 

These influential scientists, doctors, and activists represent only a fraction of the impact women have made in medicine throughout the course of history. From progressing societal expectations to introducing new pharmaceuticals, these women have left their mark in the history of healthcare. Today, America remains a leader in medical research thanks to their dedication to innovation. Therefore, this National Women’s History Month we honor their multiple accomplishments and contributions.