Five Radnor Corporate Center
100 Matsonford Road, #5-444
Wayne, PA 19087
United States of America
Toll-Free: (866) 762-4455
Main Fax: (888) 452-6512
Everyone has the right to the highest attainable standard of health. However, not everyone has equal access to the systems and services that can help them lead strong, vigorous, and healthy lives.
Healthcare disparities around gender, race, age, and socioeconomic class are nothing new. Even after the Affordable Care Act was passed in 2010, significant gaps in healthcare access, affordability, and quality continue to affect Americans, especially those who are low-income or part of a racial minority.
The good news is that employers can significantly improve health equity with the kinds of healthcare benefits they offer to their employees.
Below, we discuss how inclusive healthcare solutions can help employers address ongoing healthcare disparities and meet the needs of a diverse workforce.
Solutions to Help Employers Address Healthcare Disparities
The moral reason for addressing healthcare disparities and ensuring everyone has equal access to healthcare is clear: Everyone has the right to live a healthy life.
Addressing disparities also has an economic impact, including decreased medical costs due to improved health and improved productivity due to reduced absenteeism.
All in all, improving healthcare equity is a win-win for both employers and their employees — and there are many strategies employers can use to make it happen.
Address social determinants of health.
Social determinants of health (SDOH) have a large impact on health factors, quality of life, and more. These are the conditions in which people learn, age, worship, play, and work.
Typically, they're grouped into five categories:
- Healthcare access and quality
- Economic stability
- Social and community context
- Neighborhood and built environments
- Education access and quality
Because many SDOHs are interconnected, they can have disproportionate effects on existing health disparities. For example, if someone doesn’t have access to nutritious foods, they may experience an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. If they earn a low income, they may not be able to afford the medications and care that are a part of their treatment plan for chronic conditions. If they don’t have easy access to transportation, they may be unable to attend follow-up appointments for their condition.
There are several ways to help address and mitigate these factors, including healthcare solutions such as NaVcare from Vālenz Health®. With this feature, care navigators help members identify the best care option for them based on their income, healthcare needs, and location. Members are matched with high-value providers, including little-to-no-cost charity care options.
Another solution is to use inclusive language in healthcare resources. For example, information on fertility benefits for heterosexual couples may be easy to find, but same-sex couples may be unsure if they have those same benefits. Immigrants and children of immigrants may also have difficulty understanding their benefits information, due to potential language barriers and the nature of the complex, nuanced U.S. healthcare system. Employers can address these issues by ensuring materials resonate with multiple audiences, are in languages their employees use, and are easy to navigate.
Offer a support team.
Healthcare is confusing, and not everyone has the same health literacy. As a result, members may not understand their treatment plan or where to go for care. They may not even realize that they can shop around for services — and, even if they do, they may not know where to start.
Healthcare navigation solutions and care navigators can help alleviate these issues, while simultaneously ensuring employees receive care that aligns with their cultural and/or social identification. For example, care navigators can help people who identify as a part of the LGBTQ+ community find an LGBTQ+-friendly provider.
Care navigators guide members throughout the entire care process, helping members find a provider they’re comfortable with, scheduling appointments, coordinating details such as the transfer of medical records, and more. Handling these time-consuming tasks helps ensure all members receive equal access to care and can significantly improve the healthcare experience, helping members avoid high costs and inefficient care in the future.
Expand access to care.
Many people don’t have easy access to primary care physicians and mental health providers. They may also be prevented from accessing necessary care due to barriers such as physical disabilities, lack of transportation, work schedules, or inadequate childcare.
Additionally, employees may perceive some stigma in the workplace when seeking care, whether it’s physical or mental healthcare. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, 61 percent of employees surveyed felt there was a stigma in their workplace toward coworkers seeking help with their mental health.
Employees with chronic conditions, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and people of color often experience apprehension while using their benefits. People of color and those in the LGBTQ+ community report concerns that they’ll be passed over for a promotion or perceived as lazy or not committed to work if they need to take time off to care for their health. Employees with chronic conditions also worry that their condition will impact their chances of being promoted or even keeping their jobs.
To address these concerns, employers must evaluate their virtual health services and ensure they’re offering care that’s appropriate and culturally informed. Leaders should also make it clear that taking time off for healthcare needs is expected and acceptable in the organization.
Most importantly, employers should take time to understand their workforce and the challenges they face and provide meaningful benefits tailored to employee needs. If current healthcare benefits and education fall short, disparities with access and care will continue to persist, preventing employees from leading the strong, vigorous, and healthy lives they deserve.
Updating healthcare benefits to meet those needs and to expand employees' access to care is one of the most effective ways to improve healthcare equity as an employer.
Find a Solution That’s Right for Your Organization
As you explore these strategies to improve healthcare equity for your employees, it can be challenging to find solutions that meet your organization's unique needs. The experts at Valenz can help you narrow down your options and identify the navigation solution that's best suited for your and your employees' requirements.
Connect with us today to learn more or get started.