Latest news with #Surest
Business Journals
01-06-2025
- Business
- Business Journals
How a modernized health plan is lowering total cost of care and improving employee experience
Less than a decade ago, the Surest health plan came on the scene, driving a trend toward simpler, more modern employer health benefits and empowering people to shop for care. Like any good startup, the copay-only Surest® health plan came from a group of innovators discontent with the status quo. These veteran insurance innovators asked themselves, what if health insurance could work like other helpful consumer services? What if provider options and clear costs were available before members sought care so people could shop for health care like they shop for many other products? In 2016, that concept became a reality. Shortly thereafter, the company that would later be rebranded as Surest, signed its first customers, and in 2022, it upscaled its business, joining with UnitedHealthcare. How does the Surest plan work? Surest is an employer-sponsored health plan available to Georgia employers and is offered on a self-funded, fully insured, or level funded basis. With employers of all sizes looking to combat rising health care costs, Surest remains the only product that can help curb rising health care costs without trimming benefits, narrowing networks or shifting costs onto employees. What makes Surest different? It allows members to more easily compare cost and coverage options upfront and provides more convenient, better access. The Surest health plan makes it simpler for members to choose higher-value providers, which are proven to bring better outcomes and lower costs. The Surest plan simplifies coverage and helps improve access by eliminating financial barriers like deductibles and coinsurance. Instead, with an easy-to-use app, members can see clear cost and care options upfront. Within the app, members can compare care options (including virtual visits) and network providers and see actual costs in the form of a single copay — not costs estimates. Copays are lower for providers evaluated as higher-value, based on past effectiveness or cost efficiency data. Surest members chose high-value providers 17% more compared to traditional plans. [5]. Members pay the single copay offered upfront in the Surest app for the health services provided during the visit. In other words, there are no deductibles, no coinsurance and no surprise bills, and with Surest, members have access to the broad, national UnitedHealthcare and Optum Behavioral Health networks. This reimagined health plan is accessible, intuitive and affordable — and it's reducing costs for both employers and employees alike: expand Why does Surest work? This innovative model is resonating. Since 2022, Surest has grown from serving 1 in 9 of UnitedHealthcare's largest employer clients to 1 in 4 today. But with numbers like that, it's no wonder that when employers are first introduced to the plan some react with: 'It's too good to be true.' 'Our broker explained the magic in the sauce is really through the decision-making of the employee,' said Maria Freda, chief client finance officer for Horizon Media in New York City. In other words, with its health plan design, Surest empowers its members to comparison shop for care. Putting members in the driver's seat of their health care has paid off: According to a third-party study, Surest medical and pharmacy spend was 7.5% lower in 2021 and 7.7% in 2022, compared to the control group. [4] Surest uses visible Care Ratings within the digital experience aims to improve member confidence in choice of providers by evaluating providers on services they offer, then assigning higher Care Ratings — and lower copays — for higher performing providers. Surest can help reduce the utilization of potentially wasteful (and costly) treatments. For instance, compared to a control group, Surest members had: [5] 14% fewer emergency room visits 17% fewer surgeries 4% less complex imaging (MRI/CT) At the same time, Surest members used more efficient services more often than the control group: 698% more virtual visits 584% more virtual mental health 8% more preventive visits 19% more physical therapy visits With better, more convenient access to care and improved affordability, plus lower costs for employers, the Surest health plan can be a win-win. Sources: [1] Surest actuarial results through 2024. [2] Members who migrated from a non-Surest plan to a Surest plan in 2022, compared to those who stayed with a non-Surest plan. [3] The Surest book-of-business demographic, adjusted compound annual growth rate from 2019 to 2023 was 4.6%. [4] Aon's Cost Efficiency Measurement of Surest 2021-2022, March 2024. [5] Study comparing Surest financial and utilization outcomes to a matched control group composed of non-Surest members from the same employers, using the same network. Members were matched on age, gender, geography, and chronic conditions.
Business Journals
27-05-2025
- Health
- Business Journals
4 tips to help Oregonians save more on health care costs
Better understanding health care costs is important since medical costs continue to rise year-over-year and can have an impact on your wallet. In 2024, 10.2% of adults in Oregon avoided health care due to costs in the previous year, according to new data from America's Health Rankings. Resources and benefits may be available to help support whole-person health and may help people save more money in 2025. Here are four tips to consider: 1. Consider health plans designed to help you shop for care. Price transparency and rising health care costs have long been an issue in health care. Prices can vary by hundreds or thousands of dollars for the same services within the same city. Until recently, many consumers did not have a simple and convenient way to compare their health care and cost options ahead of time. Fortunately, that is starting to change. Some employers now offer more modernized health plans to their workforces that offer upfront costs and care options to help people shop for health care like they shop for other products. Talk to your employer about what benefits may be available to you. The Surest health plan from UnitedHealthcare, for example, eliminates deductibles and shows members their care options (e.g., virtual visits, urgent care) and costs upfront through the Surest app or website, displaying lower copays for providers who historically offered more effective, cost-efficient care. People enrolled in Surest have saved 50% on average out-of-pocket compared to traditional plans. 2. Take advantage of financial incentives and wellness programs. You may be able to earn rewards through your health plan for activities like your annual wellness visit, getting certain preventive screenings or completing a health survey. Some employers offer wellness programs that aim to help individuals better manage costly chronic conditions. For example, for eligible individuals with Type 2 diabetes, UnitedHealthcare's Level2 program combines wearable technology with customized clinical support designed to help improve the health of people living with this condition. 3. Don't forget about other core benefits. Dental and vision plans may help you save money and access care, while supplemental health benefits like accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity insurance may help provide financial protection and greater peace of mind. Many dental plans include coverage for preventative care including dental cleanings and oral cancer screenings. Some plans offer extra benefits like additional cleanings and gum maintenance during pregnancy at no additional cost. You may also have access to teledentistry services that provide a clinical consult 24/7 in addition to your regular preventative care. 4. Access preventive care. Remember to schedule your annual wellness exam and preventive screenings. Health plans usually cover preventive care, which means you may pay $0 out of pocket for certain covered preventive services if you go to a network provider. Additionally, consider options like virtual visits for non-emergency care. Virtual visits may be both cost-effective and more convenient. These strategies may help you make more informed health decisions and may help you save more money. Talk to your employer and health plan about what benefits are available to you for 2025.
Business Journals
21-05-2025
- Health
- Business Journals
How employers can improve workforce access to mental health care
Mental health challenges continue to grow and can have a significant impact on employees. According to new data from America's Health Rankings, nearly 20% of adults in Tennessee reported experiencing frequent mental distress in 2024. To focus on just one condition, 40 million American adults suffer from anxiety disorders that can impact quality of life both inside and outside the office, and anxiety is now the No. 1 mental health issue among American workers. Workload and working long hours can have a negative impact on overall mental health, happiness and well-being, according to the American Psychological Association. Supporting employee mental health needs Surveys show that employees overwhelmingly believe support for mental health at work is important. In fact, 92% of workers said it is very or somewhat important to them to work for an organization that values their emotional and psychological well-being. Having affordable mental health care is, therefore, crucial to promoting well-being and a positive employee experience. Offering employees modernized health plans can help the workforce more readily access needed services to support their overall health, well-being and experience. Modernized health plans offer better access The Surest health plan from UnitedHealthcare gives employees the tools to search for mental health care through an easy-to-use digital shopping experience that can help improve access and lower the total cost of care. Surest eliminates deductibles and coinsurance. Instead, members have copays that vary based on the provider and facility, with higher-value options costing less. Providers are evaluated on how they have performed historically on certain criteria like effectiveness and cost efficiency. Recent studies found the Surest model lowered consumer out-of-pocket costs by 54%. For employers, total cost per member per month was 11% lower with Surest. Women who choose Surest paid 88% less for anxiety-related provider visits and 82% less for depression-related visits compared to members on a conventional health plan, according to one recent study. Data also shows that Surest members interact with the health system more frequently when they need care, including 20% more physician visits, a 9% increase in preventive physical exams, a 15% increase in preventive mammograms and a 34% increase in preventive colonoscopies. They also tended to opt for better provider options with 92% of members selecting high-efficiency providers. Digital resources offer support and convenience Studies show that Surest members also have improved access to care. Eligible Surest members can now access digital tools, such as Calm Health, as a part of their mental health benefits. Calm Health offers an entry point for eligible Surest members to connect with personalized resources to help support their mental health in the moment or as a supplement to engagement with a licensed professional. Calm Health is an evidence-based mental health app, designed to help members access personalized mental health support, including mental health screenings, therapy referrals, personalized programs and daily self-care content. By offering more modern health plans and digital resources, employers can enhance their employees' access to mental health care. These types of resources reduce out-of-pocket costs, improve health outcomes and can help create a more engaged, productive and satisfied workforce.
