Virtual Medicine

(This question came to me Anonymously - Steve)

My company has been considering alternatives to traditional group insurance efforts because we want to make sure our employees are getting personal care. Has anyone had success with any virtual healthcare programs?

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  • Yes, We have had great success offering it because it follow employees to not have to run to the doctor for every little thing and get medical bills they don't need. 

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  • I work for a company that provides this type of alternative approach. As Hayley mentions, it is very convenient for the employee and has direct and indirect cost benefits as well. 98point6 is a step beyond telemedicine accessed through a secure in-app and is on-demand that connects immediately to a board certified physician to have a text based visit (with option for video if desired or needed). You can have a private visit in public places. The fee structure offers cost management ($1PEPM subscription, no copays or implementation fees). I can be reached at stacey@98point6.com or 847-650-6491 to see if it is the right fit for your organization.

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  • We have a TeleHealth program through Bost (Katie Miracle at 877-283-7600 x268 | kmiracle@BOSTbenefits.com . A virtual program can't replace a doctor but it is a nice benefit that helps keep healthcare costs down at a minimum rate and gives employees a 24/7 resource. I'd highly recommend it and happy to share any of our experiences if you'd like. Robin@strategicHRinc.com

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  • YES! There are several options to consider. One is a Direct Primary Care (DPC) benefit alongside a healthshare type of medical coverage. With DPC, covered employees have access to their doctor both in person and virtually 24/7. This takes teledoc to a whole 'nutha level!  Employees LOVE the ability to connect with THEIR doctor (not just "A" doctor, i.e., some teledoc physician who doesn't know them at all). Additionally, with DPC, because of the accessibility, and the fact that they do not charge copays or deductibles, the employee experiences HUGE reductions in out of pocket expenses - including Rx.  For the employer, they experience reduced downstream claims, reduced ER and urgent care visits, and reduction in Rx expenses which can reduce the cost of the insurance plans. If DPC sits alongside a healthshare, typically you'll see a reduced premium for the healthshare, as well, because they already know that there is very strong data that shows that when people have a relationship with and access to a primary care doctor, they are less likely to experience large claims (related to health risk - high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, cancer, etc.).  

     

    Some DPC providers offer virtual only type of membership as well.  For example, the traditional DPC may be $99 per month for the employee (for in person and virtual connectivity). For virtual only, it's $59 per month.  

     

    Keep in mind that a primary care doc can take care of up to 80-90% of most people's medical needs. It's pretty impressive. Feel free to email/contact me if you want any additional info.

     

    You can find a DPC provider by visiting https://www.dpcfrontier.com/mapper/

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  • It is very promising to see all of the virtual healthcare solutions that are geared towards primary care first. We certainly need it! An interesting article that I would like to share is according to Gartner, over the next five years, Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enhanced virtual care could result in 20 million fewer ER visits. Reach out if you'd like to learn more about how 98point6 ( stacey@98point6.com ) Inc.'s AI-enhanced virtual care solution can help reduce unnecessary ER visits. http://bit.ly/2CvCTrX
     

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    • Ryan Mount
    • Employee Benefits Specialist
    • Ryan_Mount
    • 5 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    We use several different vendors for our telemedicine partners.  Most of them at $0 Copay.

    We also have some full presentations on the ER avoidance, drug cost comparison, and more by using a telemedicine provider.

    More than happy to submit further info, but in the meantime here are some additional materials for review. 

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