Men dodge health care, Aflac’s survey finds

June 22, 2022 Linda Lalande

More than half of men go to the doctor only when they feel sick or have an accident. No surprise? 

Aflac‘s annual Men’s Health Survey reveals many men postpone taking care of their physical and mental health.
Key findings include:

  • Fewer than half of U.S. men have had an annual checkup or wellness visit within the past 12 months
  • Seven in 10 men experienced some type of mental or behavior health concern in the past 12 months, with Gen Z and Millennial men most susceptible
  • Two out of five men postponed or avoided going to a doctor or filling a prescription because of the medical costs

Read more

HEALTHCARE COSTS

Deloitte Analysis: Unaddressed Inequities Could Triple Healthcare Costs by 2040 

Findings signal a looming crisis for the healthcare industry and an impact on patients’ health and wallet that no one can afford

Key takeaways

  • Health inequities account for about $320 billion in annual health care spending today, and if unaddressed, this could grow to $1 trillion or more by 2040.
  • The projected rise in healthcare spending could cost the average American at least $3,000 annually, up from today’s cost of $1,000 per year.
  • Every organization today should address health inequities by intentionally designing for an equitable future of health.
  • Trust, partnerships, measurement, and addressing individual and community level disparities are critical underlying mechanisms for the industry to eliminate health inequities.

Why this matters

Healthcare inequities across the U.S. affect underserved populations’ access to affordable, high-quality care, and create avoidable costs and financial waste that impact all of society. Inequities impact the ability for every person to achieve health and well-being and the costs have greater impact on historically underserved populations.  Read more.

BENEFITS

Enhance Benefit Offerings: Acupuncture, Chiropractic, Wellness and MORE
PPO Direct members offer payers and administrators targeted strategies that can help expand their provider networks while better serving their customers. American Specialty Health (ASH), a member of PPO Direct, is a health and wellness company, providing health insurance providers, employer groups, insurance carriers, and trust funds with programs to improve the health of their members or employees.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Aflac named one of 50 most community-minded companies in the US for fifth consecutive year by Points of Light

This is the fifth consecutive year that Aflac has been recognized with this prestigious honor. According to Points of Light, The Civic 50 is the only survey and ranking system that exclusively measures corporate involvement in communities.

To view the full report and see the complete list of The Civic 50 2022 honorees, visit www.pointsoflight.org/the-civic-50. Read press release here. 

Warner Pacific Acquires Beta Health Association’s Dental Health Platform
New partnership will enable Warner Pacific to pair Beta Health’s dental savings plan with dental plans from national carriers.
Read press release here.


Benefitexpress Brand Transitions to WEX Health, Inc.
Benefitexpress announced their brand is changing to WEX Health, Inc.

Any formal references to “benefitexpress” as a company will be updated to WEX Health, Inc. For example, the website Terms and/Conditions. Informal references will be updated to WEX. Client customized phone numbers and greetings are not changing. Client customized communications reflecting the client branding and name are not changing. Questions? Contact help@mybenefitexpress.com.

Good News if You Sell in Northern California
Sutter partners with Rogers Benefit Group to expand NoCal offerings

Sutter Health Plus and Rogers Benefit Group are now collaborating to offer the health plan’s small and large group plans to brokers. This relationship expands brokers’ access to compare benefit plans, prices, and provider networks in Northern California.

“Rogers Benefit Group is a well-respected general agency with 60 years of proven expertise partnering with agents in Northern California,” said Rob Carnaroli, vice president of Sales at Sutter Health Plus. “As brokers prepare for fall open enrollment, this partnership offers a new avenue to shop and compare health plan options for their small and large group clients.”

Read more.


Guardian Life Plans Now Available to PrismHR
New partnership allows PEOs to offer their clients tailored, value-added benefit plans

The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (Guardian®) announced a new partnership with PrismHR that allows Professional Employer Organizations (PEOs) access to Guardian’s full suite of dental, vision, life, disability, supplemental health, and mental wellness benefits.

“The Guardian PrismHR relationship reinforces Guardian’s commitment and leadership in the PEO space. We are excited to bring our innovative product portfolio to more employees, helping PEO members obtain lifelong well-being,” said Jeff Wasco, Head of Specialty and Emerging Markets for Guardian.


Blue Shield of California Names Rhonda Skelton Mission & Values in Action Award Winner 

With her talent for inspiring others Rhonda leads by example. She helped boost volunteer participation and giving in her workgroup from 28% in 2019 to more than 80% in 2021. Rhonda is a 25-year employee in BSC’s Federal Employee Program customer service office in Redding.

“Rhonda has embedded community service and volunteerism into her work and has supported and encouraged entire workgroups to do the same,” said Joe Foley, Rhonda’s manager, who nominated her for the award. “For her, it’s not about hitting a percentage, but about service. It’s about seeing a need and working tirelessly to fill it.”
Read more.

Webinars on Demand

Nonstop Wellness Webinars & Guides
Nonstop Wellness supplies resources to help your organization thrive. Explore expert insights, tips, tools, and articles created to help your organization navigate the healthcare landscape. Access here. 

AHIP’s plan year 2023 Medicare training
Experience the unsurpassed value of AHIP’s Medicare + Fraud, Waste, and Abuse program. Meet CMS requirements. Earn CE credits. No hidden fees. See all the reasons the industry’s most widely recognized program is the better choice for your annual training. Enroll today.

Aetna Provides Healthcare Resources 

Aetna provides informative healthcare resources for you and your clients. These include webinars and white papers such as “The Enduring Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health,” linked here. And here for webinars available on demand such as “Understanding Employee Burnout and Improving Resilience in the Workplace.”


Images from Aetna COVID-19 white paper

EVENTS

  • SDAHU Day at the Races, Aug. 4, Delmar Races PAC Fundraiser, Early Bird Special by July 4. Register here.
  • CAHIP Engage, Statewide Leadership Conference, July 18-19, Universal City, Calif.  Register here.
  • IEAHU, OCAHU & SDAHU Senior Summit, Aug 23-25, Pechanga resort and casino, Temecula, Calif. Register here. More info here.
  • InsurTech Connect: The Future of Insurance is Here, Sept. 20-22, Las Vegas. Info here. :
  • Women In Financial Services (WIFS) National Conference, Sept. 29-Oct. 1, in person, Phoenix, Arizona. Info here.  
  • National African-American Insurance Association (NAAIA) 2022 Annual Conference & Empowerment Summit, Oct. 5-7, in person. Baltimore, MD. Info here.