Wellthy, a caregiving solution that is now offered by Healthy Business Group, provides employees with guidance when it comes to giving care to a loved one. When utilizing this tool, employees will have a Care Coordinator who will act as their personal healthcare advocate and expert.... Read More

2nd.MD goes by the motto “The best doctors in the world available by video in 3 days”. They are a major disrupter in the health care industry, as we know it today. They provide a telehealth platform combining treatment support with expert opinions from doctors at elite institutions. 2nd.MD’s effortless concierge approach connects members with the right specialists from top institutions like Mayo Clinic, Harvard and John’s Hopkins. This is virtual, expert decision support for difficult, complex conditions: a new diagnosis, possible surgery, worsening of a chronic disease or change in medication.   2nd.MD provides unbiased, direct video-based consultations with experts in conditions from renowned institutions.  All from the comfort of your own home in just a couple of days. According to 2nd.MD, theses Virtual Centers of Excellence yield some staggering results: 73% of treatment plans have been improved, 1 in 3 surgeries are being voluntarily cancelled by the member and 34% of consults result in an expert suggesting an alternative diagnosis. This next phase of consumerism is bringing us higher quality care, improved safety, less waste, unprecedented access to elite specialists and a much more confident consumer.... Read More

A 2016 study conducted by the National Business Group on Health (NBGH) and Fidelity Investments found that 22% of companies have mindfulness training programs already in place, and another 21% plan to add a mindfulness training component in 2017.... Read More

After years of big promises, telemedicine is finally living up to its potential. Driven by faster internet connections, ubiquitous smartphones and changing insurance standards, more health providers are turning to electronic communications to do their jobs—and it’s upending the delivery of health care. Doctors are linking up with patients by phone, email and webcam. They’re also consulting with each other electronically—sometimes to make split-second decisions on heart attacks and strokes. Patients, meanwhile, are using new devices to relay their blood pressure, heart rate and other vital signs to their doctors so they can manage chronic conditions at home. Telemedicine also allows for better care in places where medical expertise is hard to come by. Click here to read full article... Read More

Need a dermatologist? Today, online tools can show you which doctors are in your plan’s network as well as rank them by the likely cost of a visit. Still not sure which one to pick? The tools also show whether you have already met your plan’s deductible and offer Yelp-like reviews of the doctors. The idea behind these web tools, which have been available from health insurers and start-ups for several years, is to harness the power of so-called big data. The companies cull medical claims and other sources of information to help people become sophisticated shoppers for medical care — and they promise to curb the overall cost of health care in the process. By some estimates, the savings from this newfound transparency could run in the billions of dollars a year. Click here to read full article.... Read More

At HBG we work with our clients and their advisors to drive employee engagement of healthcare solutions.   A powerful method we use is implementing a “Pledge” or “Commit” program. By promoting incentive strategies within the legal framework of the final rules on incentive programs, HBG is able to drive participation and engagement for proven results. This exhibits displays actual utilization and savings from HBG’s transparency solution before and after implementing a Pledge program engagement strategy for a 400 life group.   After 13 months of passive engagement, this client wanted to push harder for utilization.   After realizing a savings of 6K in 13 months, this client wanted to push harder for utilization.   Once a custom engagement strategy was implemented, client’s savings increased 20x in 1/2 the time. After customizing an engagement strategy that aligned with their corporate culture, this client’s savings increased 20x in 1/2 the time.... Read More

At HBG we are lucky to work with a diverse clientele. One of the trends being noted in the industry is the wide range of generations that are working side-by-side in today’s corporate environments.  In fact, the National Business Group on Health just released a compelling report quoting that the U.S. labor force is currently made up of Millennials (34%), Generation X (34%) and Baby Boomers (29%)*. To best support the needs of a multi-generational workforce, today’s benefit strategies should vary accordingly to address the diversity of each generation.   Employees beginning their careers tend to have different physical, financial, emotional and personal needs than employees transitioning into retirement.   In addition to this, NBGH states that 73% of employees say they would value more personalized benefits geared towards the different generational groups. We have been hearing a lot about how to assimilate these generations into a productive collective and the struggles our clients are facing. We believe the answers lie in first understanding the motivations and characteristics of each group.  Once you understand what each generations main concerns are you can properly create wellness programs targeted to assist with these worries. *All statistics are referenced from our partners at the National Business Group on Health and their latest report published on generations in the workforce. ... Read More

The obesity epidemic has gone global, and it may be worse than most thought. A new study in The Lancet says that if current trends continue, 18% of men and 21% of women will be obese by 2025.  In four decades, global obesity has more than tripled among men and doubled among women, the study says. Click here to read the full article  ... Read More