Blend Benefits

05/25/2024

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Ever tried to lose weight? Many of us have purchased videos, attended gym classes and tried diets, but nothing worked. Why? We weren't truly commited. Losing those extra pounds was not a priority. Once it was, the pounds fell off.

11/13/2023

It’s mid-November. Do you know where your deductible is?

For many of us, that deductible is still thousands of dollars away. If this sounds like you, time to look for opportunities to save on healthcare for the remainder of 2023 and beyond.

If your doctor suggests you go for an MRI of the abdomen (code 74183), look for imagining centers both in and out of network and ask for the cash price. Prices vary widely and you could end up paying way more than you need to. For example, in Charlotte, NC, the average price using health insurance is roughly $2,300 while the cash price at an imaging center 14 miles away is less than $600.

Need a CT scan of your chest (code 71270)? You could pay an average of $1,760 using your insurance or only $780 and not leave the city limits.

Don’t let hospital affiliated healthcare providers take charge of your pocketbook. Many will only refer you to providers that maximize profits for the hospital system. Become a better healthcare consumer. For more information, please reach out.

10/17/2023

Studies show that regular visits to your primary care provider not only save money (as compared to delaying care and then going to the emergency room) but lives. Emergency visits are 12 times the cost of a doctor's office visit.

In addition, a study showed that increasing the number of P*Ps by 10 in a population of 100,000 people, increased the average life expectancy of that group by over 51 days.

Continuity of care is the difference. Substituting providers, for example, relying on urgent care and "Minute Clinics" for cheap, sporadic care, does not improve long-term outcomes.

Unfortunately, we have a shortage of P*P in the United States and less than 10% of prospective doctors are choosing primary care. Plus, many people are afraid to see any doctor due to the cost.

Studies show that regular visits to your primary care provider not only save money (as compared to delaying care and then going to the emergency room) but lives. Emergency visits a

10/10/2023

Attention Everyone: Free Benefit package

We have added a couple of new benefits to the lineup in the past months and would love to give a couple of you a free trial! No credit card needed. Take a look at the attached pdf I used for a local group. It has the same package I am describing but FREE for a 3-month period for you and your family.
You can find detailed descriptions of the 11 benefits on my site at www.blendbenefits.com
PM for details.

09/03/2023

Remote Care for College Students

As students return to campus this fall, it is time to consider their access to healthcare. And not just for dependents who live away from home. Demands of classes, part-time jobs and busy social lives can make scheduling doctor visits a challenge no matter where they live.

Having a discount plan in place that includes free medical and mental health benefits is a great way to save them money and stress. For dependents 18 and over, they will need to set up their own account to access care even if they remain on your plan. Our plans cover dependents up to the age of 26.
Don’t wait until your child needs to see a doctor or mental health professional. Contact your provider now to make the arrangements. Your child will have his/her own username and password. It would be a good idea for them to share this information with you for emergencies.

Arm your child with a discount Rx card, too. It is a good idea to carry more than one as discounts vary between pharmacies. GoodRx typically features larger chains while our Rx plan includes many small pharmacies. Of course, your child will need to pay out of pocket for medications in most cases so make sure you have addressed how they will access cash in an emergency.

08/19/2023

Thanks to new transparency laws, hospitals must report their cash and insurance prices for the public to review in advance.
Here is an example of how this data is being presented thanks to a group of programmers who converted the raw data into easy to view reports: This is a moderate level ER visit for the greater Charlotte, NC area:
You can pay as little as $675 to as much as $7,051 if paying cash.
Let us know how we can help you.

08/12/2023

https://consumer.healthday.com/suicide-2663224051.html

THURSDAY, Aug. 10, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- The mental health crisis hitting Americans shows no sign of abating, with provisional numbers for 2022 showing suicides rose by another 2.6% last year.That follows on an overall 5% increase in suicides in 2021, noted officials at the U.S. Centers for Disea...

08/11/2023

I am excited to report that I have achieved the Certified Health Value Advisor (CHVA) designation.

What does that mean?

Spending on healthcare is one of the top concerns of your employees. Sharing ideas on how to reduce that spend can be part of your role as their employer. I can now provide you with the tools and data to assist you in discussing these issues.

Let me know how I can help.

08/01/2023

https://www.blendbenefits.com/blog/the-fixers

07/20/2023

The article below is exactly why you need a separate, supplemental plan to access care outside your health insurance. UTIs are one of the hundreds of issues that can be diagnosed and treated via telemedicine. Our plans give you unlimited, no fee visits for families at only $25 per month (plus discount dental, no fee counseling and other benefits). Employer plans start at only $15.

A quarter of insured adults report delayed or missed medical care because of administrative tasks.

07/18/2023

The newest advancement in telehealth is here. Meet Recuro Health Complete Care. This holistic approach to virtual care gives your employees access to scheduled visits with the same provider for Virtual Primary Care ($0 with annual checkups - including labs), Behavioral Health ($0 with licensed mental health professionals) and $0 24/7 Urgent Care visits - all with the convenience of one inclusive platform.

Recuro Health Complete Care is delivered and managed by an integrated team of board-certified physicians through video- and phone-based interactions. It’s a new way to surround your employees with personalized care in a virtual setting — including primary care.

Ideal for part-time, contract and new hires as well full-time employees with a high deductible plan. Add dental, vision and Rx with a Recuro Health Complete Care package and pay a total of less than $50 per member per month and covers your employee's entire family*.

Interested in adding this game-changing virtual health solution to company benefit plan? Contact me at [email protected]

Benefits offered through Blend Benefits are not health insurance.
*family members include spouse/partner and children up to age 26.
https://www.blendbenefits.com/blog/primary-care-telehealth