Your Insurance Mom Explains: Your Plan’s Wellness Benefits
We often think of health insurance as something we use reactively after we’re not feeling well or when we have an ongoing medical condition. But did you know your insurance company wants you to be proactive about your health? Preventative health is essential for your wellbeing, and insurance companies want you to take advantage of their benefits and programs to keep you healthier. Plus, all plans cover certain kinds of preventative health visits and measures. Many people don’t realize that wellness benefits are complimentary—they’re included in your policy! Here, The Insurance People share what you’re getting with your plan and how to proactively utilize your benefits.
Each insurance carrier has a package of benefits that provides discounts and incentives to each policyholder. Depending on which carrier you use, the programs will vary slightly. For instance, Blue Cross Blue Shield has a wellness discount program called Blue365 that offers discounts on various wellness products like gym memberships, equipment, and nutrition plans. United Healthcare’s Medicare wellness program, called Renew Active, offers policyholders a community of Fitbit exercise and movement programs, brain health actives, and access to gym memberships. Aetna’s Health Connections programs includes a fitness tracking program, called Get Active, that offers fitness challenges and incentives to employees year-round.
Another useful tool that carriers offer is an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). This program offers guidance for employees who might be struggling with substance use disorders, need help finding care for children or seniors, and help people find therapeutic services for free. EAPs are useful when people need an additional helping hand to refer them to services that can help improve their wellbeing. Other perks people often don’t know about are that some plans offer services with nutritionists, free chiropractic visits up to a certain limit, and unlimited mental health services (with or without copay, depending on your plan). Also, everyone should be taking advantage of preventative health for adults and preventative health for children. These are visits that are covered by all plans and contribute to your overall health and wellbeing.
At the end of the day, carriers offer these discounts and incentives in order to help you be healthier. When you are healthier, they spend less money on claims—that’s why it’s in their best interests to offer you these benefits. And having these perks and programs at your disposal benefits you, because health care is so expensive! When you’re spending so much money on health care plans for yourself, employees, and your family, it’s important to learn about and take advantage of what is free to you to use. When we act proactively and invest in ourselves, everyone benefits!
Questions about your plan’s wellness benefits? Contact The Insurance People today!
