Healthcare Innovations

We live in a time of change; technology has shaken up the world time and time again, from learning and working virtually to Ai innovations. Disruption is the name of the game in today’s society, so it is no surprise health leaders’ media has reported the healthcare industry is ready for a reckoning. The health leader’s media article “Assessing the biggest disruptors in healthcare” focuses on telehealth champions, but the disruption to the industry doesn’t stop with virtual care. But telemedicine is a great place to start. We now live in a world where you can call a doctor in bed with the flu and have a prescription ready for pickup in an hour. In addition, from an overall health perspective, there are now resources like Rightway, the dedicated health guides who can schedule appointments, find in-network doctors near you, and handle billing disputes all in one app. 

Here at HealthEE by HBG, we use technology to benefit underserved community members like part-time employees, gig workers such as uber drivers and instacart drivers, and freelancers. You can get quotes 100% online pay for monthly coverage like a Netflix subscription. 

Get covered as soon as the following month, and have rightway by your side to sort through plans and telemedicine to avoid waiting in doctor’s offices when you would much rather be in bed.

source:

https://www.healthleadersmedia.com/innovation/assessing-biggest-disruptors-healthcare

3 years later and the day many of us have dreamt of is on the calendar

Since March 2020, we have all been waiting. Waiting to go back to normal, as the months went on, we were waiting to leave our homes for more than a grocery run; then we were waiting for mask mandates to be lifted, and now the last straw is that the state of emergency is set to be lifted this May. Over the past nearly four years, there have been moments we wouldn’t see this day for many years, but now that we are here, what does it mean? As we still have about a month to go, there is a lot of speculation regarding how the lift will change our new normal—the New York Times reported on the subject defining the situation as “confusing” as such. Here is how we expect the state of emergency lifting should affect you based on your insurance. 

Not insured 

During the state of emergency in some states, those without coverage have received temporary Medicaid coverage for tests, treatments, and vaccines, which could end in May.

On Medicaid

Those on Medicaid can access covid tests and treatments at no cost until 2024 due to the American Rescue Plan. 

On Medicare

Thanks to the CARES Act, medicare members can still obtain free covid vaccines; however, you may have to pay copays for therapies like antivirals and tests ordered by doctors. 

Private insurance

The most significant change for most people will be they can no longer be eligible for eight free at-home covid tests each month through their insurance. 

 

This next “Normal” phase is new territory, especially for the healthcare industry. While the state of emergency lifting is a sign of Covid being in our rearview mirrors, staying updated with vaccines and boosters for the whole family remains vital. Physicians still recommend wearing masks and getting tested when you are under the weather. 

Source

 

Rightway and HBG Expand Partnership to Increase Health Coverage and Care Navigation Access

Rightway’s care navigation solution will be available to anyone who purchases health benefits through the HealthEE by HBG stores.

NEW YORKOct. 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Rightway, the healthcare company reinventing care navigation and pharmacy benefits, today announced an expansion to its strategic partnership with Healthy Business Group (HBG). This partnership combines the health plans available on the HealthEE by HBG store with Rightway to give everyone access to comprehensive benefits coverage and an effective, modern care navigation solution.

HBG is a workforce health solutions company that assists small to midsize companies in enhancing their offerings for full and part-time employees. Over the last year, HBG has grown their platform to include HealthEE, an online store that makes benefits accessible to association and union members, part-time and gig workers, freelancers, and more. These individuals can purchase many different coverage options, all in one location, directly from the HealthEE by HBG store.

By teaming up with brokers, associations, and employers, HBG and Rightway can solve one of the biggest challenges that part-time and hourly workers face, which is finding and navigating their health benefits. The HealthEE by HBG store makes it easy for these individuals to purchase affordable benefits traditionally offered by organizations. When members buy a health plan through the HealthEE by HBG store, they will also receive access to Rightway.

Rightway is a clinician-driven care navigation solution that improves healthcare outcomes by pairing members with a live, personalized health guide who can help them find affordable, high-quality care. Having access to a care navigation solution is an especially important benefit for members that have nowhere to turn for healthcare support due to a lack of medical coverage through their employer. Rightway’s goal is to democratize concierge navigation and give healthcare support to individuals who previously didn’t have access to one-to-one clinical experts.

“When people get benefits outside of their employers, they’re even more confused about how to seek the best care,” said Christian Stearns, Managing Director of Innovation and Growth, HealthEE by HBG. “Rightway health guides will become a lifeline to members who buy benefits through our store. Guiding them to highly rated providers and facilities, informing on what they can expect to pay for the services, and more. This partnership will improve health literacy and equity for people that haven’t traditionally been eligible for benefits in today’s healthcare ecosystem.”

“Through an expanded partnership with HBG on their benefits store, we’re able to tap into an important and growing market of part-time workers in need of health insurance,” described Kara Kubarych, VP of Partnerships, Rightway. “Medical coverage is just the first step for this population. By offering Rightway in tandem with HealthEE by HBG plans, individuals are better equipped to navigate the healthcare system to get the most value from their coverage, leading to better health outcomes overall.”

By embedding Rightway in HBG’s medical coverage choices, employees can receive the best health benefits and support to get the care they need–displaying the partnership’s commitment to making healthcare more attainable for everyone, everywhere.

For more information on the Rightway and HBG, please email partnerships@rightwayhealthcare.com or info@hbgnow.com.

New research shows stress caused by concerns regarding recurring payments can lead to poor health

Traditional 9-5 jobs come with various stressors that cause many, especially following the pandemic. Many have left the commute, the office, and the corporate games for the freedom of being their boss. However, the grass always looks greener on the other side. For all the stress, gig workers and freelancers left their traditional jobs to commit to a job based on hustle comes with its stressors. New research shows that workers whose income fluctuates and unpredictable pay tend to have a night of poorer sleep, more stress, and miserable physical symptoms that affect their work and home life. 

The primary stressor is the unknown of future profits to commit to recurring payments. For instance, you may have ten clients in September but only 2 in October. The difference in the income you experience during those two months can make paying for benefits, your phone, and rent hard to know for sure. For as much control as freelancing provides you, there are specific areas where you want consistency, especially regarding your health. Many freelancers, gig workers, and other workers with commission-based pay fall into a scarcity mindset which entails a deep financial worry about having enough to make ends meet and a concern about being able to cope with unexpected bills, etc. This worry can be debilitating, causing people to not register for recurring necessities like health benefits.

Remedying this sense of scarcity is more than just a one-and-done solution. But if you are experiencing this, let us be the first to tell you that you should be doing something other than sacrificing necessities like your health benefits because you feel you can’t afford coverage. Freelancers, part-time employees, gig workers, and anyone suffering from feelings of scarcity have access to low-cost coverage options when they shop at gethealthee.com. Now listen because this is the most critical part. You pay monthly or quarterly, so if your client load differs monthly, you can control your coverage to match your needs. You can also save on your phone coverage because when you get phone protection with gethealthee.com, you can cover 25 additional items, so if you’re a freelancer, cover your laptop and camera as well as your headphones on top of your phone. Finally, think about how much less stress you would feel knowing all the tools you need for success are protected, and it’s only $15 a month. 

You deserve to enjoy the sense of freedom deciding to be a freelancer or gig worker grants you. No one can rain on that parade. You are more likely to have more time to spend with loved ones and on hobbies and should be able to enjoy those moments free of stress.

Schedule a call with our benefits to help resource the free and friendly HealthEE support team to learn more about available options. 

Retention is the name of the game

Job seekers have never had such power regarding what they desire from employers. Global employment company Monster has recently published its inaugural Work Watch report, showing that more than half of workers believe their well-being is more important than a salary increase. However, the same workers disagree with the employer’s opinion that employees have unrealistic salary expectations. What is classified as a realistic salary increase can be controversial, but can we all agree on the value-added benefits? Monster’s career expert Vicki Salemi spoke with Employer Benefits News about the importance of keeping workers engaged and happy and offering benefits. Salemi told Employer Benefits News, “Employee salary expectations may be higher than what the market will bear right now, so consider well-being in terms of mental health benefits offerings and more flexibility. That can help create the whole picture for the right job fit.” 

While we can’t necessarily provide you with a way to allow your employees to work flexible hours, we can offer a different kind of flexibility through benefits. When you use HealthEE by HBG to offer your employees benefits, you are essentially giving them the tool kit they need to finish the job in the best way for them as an individual. Having a one-stop shop for benefits allows for maximum flexibility, from choosing the type of coverage your employees desire to when they want to register HealthEE by HBG gives employees all the power.  

 

 From an employer’s perspective, this power can be freely shared with no cost to the employer and no administrative headaches. If employees have questions, they can direct them to our HealthEE support team, and after purchasing Rightway, the dedicated health guides can also offer support. 

So you want to add gig workers to your book of business?

Now that you know you can add gig workers, freelancers, and part-time workers to your book of business, you have to get out there and find them! The great thing about this segment of the employment market is unrepresented workers are all around us, including already on your book of business. 

Your book of business is filled with part-time workers, contract workers, and team members who aren’t eligible for the benefits that your clients are offering their full-time employees. Company leadership can offer these benefits at no cost, making the pitch is easy because we provide the tools and support you need to bring a HealthEE by HBG store to your existing business. Employees can simply select their benefits, add to cart, and pay with their debit or credit card. The leadership teams can forget about doing a second open enrollment and more payroll deductions with HealthEE by HBG – making this an easy to implement solution at any time throughout the year. 

Now if you want to go beyond your current book of business, you have to remember that these workers are all around us, like I said before. They deliver our packages, your uber driver, and the barista who remembers your regular early morning order. For those you see daily, word of mouth is the oldest communication practice in the book. So if you want to leave a business card in the tip jar or on the seat, we have those tools available for you..

You can receive cards and other promotional materials by emailing marketing@hbgnow.com.

Gig workers need a hand protecting their health

There are many benefits to choosing the freelancer lifestyle. From flexibility over your hours, work environment, and even client choice, only a few other professions allow such control. However, control inevitably means a lack of dependability; it’s all on you; there is no one to fall back on and no stability in terms of a yearly salary, employer-sponsored benefits, or workout stipends. This lack of stability can lead to financial insecurity, poor sleep, stress, and miserable physical symptoms that affect work and home life.   

Gig workers and freelancers are traditionally excluded from a broker’s books of business. Still, it is clear that these communities need coverage, and there are options for them. So we need to get the word out. Freelancers, gig workers, part-time workers all those lacking the stability of a traditional 9-5 can access low-cost coverage with benefits from Healthee by HBG. With no employer sponsorship and no open enrollment, freelancers can enjoy the same flexibility and control they have in their work life and their health. 

No one deserves to have their health suffer when there are options available. What could potentially stop this could be having more freelancers, part-time workers, and gig workers aware that opportunities are available, as many may not know.

 

source: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2022-12-12/gig-economy-could-be-harming-workers-health

So you’ve purchased a healthcare plan, now what?

HealthEE by HBG prides itself on our support team being genuine advisors looking to assist you on your benefits buying journey. But did you know that once you purchase your healthcare plan, HealthEE support passes the torch to Rightway, the clinically driven care navigation solution? 

Simply put, Rightway equips you with a dedicated health team to be there with you every step of the way. You begin by asking Rightway to curate a care plan based on your needs. Then, you can ask your guide to find a doctor in the network in your zip code, and they will produce a list of doctors where you can see user reviews from other Rightway users. . Once you choose a doctor, Rightway will ask for your availability, the reason for the visit, the time frame you would like to see a doctor, and other specifics before making an appointment request! Its seamless experience makes finding doctors and booking appointments more straightforward than ever. 

But scheduling appointments is just the tip of the Rightway iceberg. Using the Rightway guides, you can have a second pair of eyes on your bills to ensure you are charged correctly and help you obtain any reimbursement you are owed. 

Taking care of your health can be stressful. So let’s face it between finding a friendly doctor to make you feel comfortable to feel confident you are only paying for what you need to when it comes to bills to even the stress and time of making an appointment, Rightway is a big part of how HealthEE by HBG is taking the stress out of healthcare. 

Where HealthEE by HBG is your knowledgeable friend who introduces you to the right plan for your needs, Rightway is that older sibling or parental figure available to do the often overwhelming heavy lifting for you so that all that is left is for you to benefit!

Give yourself the gift of wellness

After a month of shopping, cooking, and cleaning for others, you deserve a little treat for yourself. Look no further than HealthEE by HBG’s wellness guide.

  1. A Fancy candle 
    • You can find a fancy candle high and low during the holidays but instead of purchasing one for someone else, buy yourself as fancy a candle as your heart desires. I recommend the Trader Joe’s candles if you’re balling on a budget for a fragrant scent. If you want to dish more, I recommend The Hinoki Fantome candle by boy smells pricier but is worth the tag to experience when treating yourself! 
  2. eMindful
    • eMindful offers daily mindful courses and on-demand resources to relax your body and mind. From meditation to mindfulness-based games, this is the perfect resource if you need a reminder to relax. It’s $20 for three months, so it’s different than committing to a gym on January first and being stuck till the following January. Trust me; you can treat yourself to a daily reminder to relax for a few months.
  3.  Mean lean hydration & immunity support
    • With all signs of this flu season being a doozy, why not implement something extra into your routine? Depending on how “treat myself” you want to take this one, you can go anywhere from the emergen-c packets found at pretty much any drug store or get a little fancy with it and try Nuun, which has more of a flavor variety, low sugar-of course.
  4.  Oneperfect
    • One perfect is like a mindset podcast written by a psychologist with a personalization factor, almost like a verbal journal. Using the OnePerfect app, you can record your messages for yourself or others dealing with similar circumstances. With episodes or “shifts” for many of life’s hiccups, it makes you feel less alone knowing others are dealing with the same struggles and sharing how they are getting through is motivating. Plus, your first two weeks are free! The perfect guiltless treat yourself. 
  5.  Refresh your nighttime routine 
    • A nighttime routine is sacred, let me tell you, and it can change your whole sleep game, having specific actions that remind your body that it’s time to wind down and help you sleep better. While I am no dermatologist this year, I have begun swearing by the nighttime routine dubbed slugging, where you put on a night mask or thick moisturizer before going to sleep. Trader Joe’s has a great watermelon overnight mask, and Kiehl’s ultra facial overnight hydrating masque would be my step-up choice. Both leave you ready for bed ultra hydrated. 
  6.  Your gym alternative
    • Look, we have all learned our lesson at this point. No more gym memberships we aren’t going to use. Instead, opt for something a little more low-maintenance. Wellbeats is the premier in-demand fitness program with 30 channels, hundreds of virtual fitness classes, and 20 + healthy eating cooking tutorials. They have workouts for every age and ability; you don’t have to leave the house! Perfect for the January freeze.
  7.  Telemedicine 
    • Look, it’s something you don’t think you will need until… You do! Picture this not a single minute clinic open for miles, and me miserable with the flu. Walmart health virtual care was indeed my saving grace. When the researchers cried wolf, saying this flu season was going to be a bad one, what they meant was this isn’t something a little DayQuil will solve, for when it’s cold, for when you are sick, or your kids are sick, trust me, you will be glad you have Walmart Health virtual care to get the prescriptions you need asap.  

 

Should you go freelance?

With industries announcing hiring freezes and the work-from-home movement in full swing working in the gig economy is hotter than ever. However, if you consider taking on freelance work either full-time or as a side gig, you may need help with where to start.
First of all, you must take a step back and consider how you work and whether your preexisting work habits would coincide with the freelance culture:
Ask Yourself these questions.

If you concluded that yes, you are the correct type of person to go solo, then read on the freelancer starter checklist.
Before taking the plunge, you should get your finances in order. Start by making a budget to ensure you put money aside as a safety net when you first start. You will also need to set up a financial bookkeeping system to have a strategy for organization from the outset, which goes hand in hand with opening a business bank account to keep track of incoming and outgoing payments specific to your business.

To prepare yourself for success, create a schedule and stick to it. Rookie mistakes include burning out from working too much or sidetracked by less important tasks.

A social presence is vital for any freelancer as it’s how you promote yourself. Use social media as a tool to promote your work as well as build connections. Having potential clients lined up will make the transition easier, so along with Instagram, make sure your Upwork and other gig sites are up and running and you have begun reaching out. For Networking, Linkedin is a no-brainer.

Fill your toolbox with everything you need to succeed. Freelancing is a one-person show, so you must cover all your bases. Do you need Adobe Creative Suite? Canva? Whatever programming it is, get your ducks in a row.

Create yourself a workspace or decide upon a public one. In metropolitan areas, you can throw a rock and hit a WeWork. Since the pandemic, several other options for co-working spaces have arisen, but if you plan to work from home, creating a quiet, organized, designated area for you to be productive will be critical to your success.

Lastly, When you decide to leave your corporate 9-5, you’re also preceding your employer-sponsored benefits. With gethealthee.com, you can access affordable health benefits with no employer sponsor and no open enrollment, meaning you pay on a monthly or quarterly basis and can hop on or off anytime, making it the ideal platform for freelancers to shop for coverage. Before becoming a full-time freelancer, you should schedule a call with a HealthEE advisor to deduce the best range.

Sources:

Thinking of going freelance? Here’s 8 things you should consider