Resource Center: 10 Ways To Reduce Healthcare Costs

As health care costs continue to soar to record levels, employers will be forced to take a more aggressive role in controlling their own costs or risk the possibility of being priced out of the market. Can employers effectively reduce their health care costs? Definitely - and it may be a lot easier than you think.

Educate employees to be better drug consumers or health care partners to avoid unnecessary prescriptions (i.e.. not pressuring physicians to prescribe antibiotics to treat a cold or flu).
Educate employees to use Emergency Room services for "life threatening" or serious conditions and not routine "sick visits" that are more appropriately handled in a physician's office.
Encourage employees and their families to routinely utilize "wellness" services and have annual check-ups to catch potential problems early. Advanced or serious illnesses can be very costly to treat.
Get the right plan design to cost-effectively meet employee needs. For example,
consider utilizing a plan with greater cost sharing for a group that uses a lot of services.
Look for a health plan that has a 3-tier pharmacy program and/or cost-sharing.
Encourage employees to ask their physicians for prescriptions that are more cost-efficient without sacrificing effectiveness.
Encourage employees to seek second options on diagnoses requiring surgery or costly treatments to help avoid medical errors and unnecessary procedures.
Form a health care partnership with your employees and educate them on how their health care spending impacts insurance costs so that they can make better consumer choices.
Check to see if they have any discounts on occupational medicine services to help control worker's compensation costs.
Join a coalition, Health Purchasing Group (HPG) or a PEO (Professional Employer Organization) to take advantage of group buying or negotiating efficiencies. Look for organizations that have a track record of controlling costs.

Return to Resource Center > Health Care Cost Savings

No matter how you slice it, ECHI is a smart business decision. Call the McLean County Chamber of Commerce today at (309) 829-6344. Simply say: Tell me about ECHI today!