What makes HealthEE Support different

Last month you were introduced to Michael and Allie, two HealthEE support members. I popped by again just as they finished another day of answering questions for potential and current HealthEE members. I asked the two of them to describe healthee support in one sentence, and I loved their answers: 

 

Michael: “HealthEE Support is a dynamic support team that is determined to provide you with the best in class customer experience in the Healthcare industry.”

Allie: “If you need benefits, we’ve got you covered from start to finish.”

 

I couldn’t have said it any better myself. What I loved about their answers is that both center around you, the caller, and you, the one who needs the support and help. Yes, HealthEE by HBG offers a one-stop shop for coverage with countless benefits, and our support team could have focused on all we have to offer, but instead, true to the team’s nature, their focus is on you and your needs. 

Next, I asked Michael and Allie what being on the HealthEE Support team has taught them. Allie said she has learned “there is no one size fits all approach to customer support. Each customer deserves a personalized experience based on their individual needs.” Michael followed with how the team has taught him “always to take the next step to give our callers and members better solutions to their needs. I am a natural problem solver, and I love being able to help all who call.” Our support team understands how personal shopping for benefits is. As dedicated and excited as the team is to offer callers guidance, they are a support team – not a sales team. HealthEE Support recognizes having you purchase a plan that isn’t right for you helps no one, which is why we train the support team to be simple guides, a helping hand in your health coverage journey. 

Whatever you need, answers to questions, guidance, or just information, you can feel confident that the intentions of the support team center around finding the best coverage for you and your needs. 

 

Contacting HealthEE Support is easy. You can call or text 888-655-4053, or if you would like to schedule a live appointment via Zoom, you can visit the calendar here.

 

Meet the team: Michael

HealthEE by HBG prides itself on having a friendly support team, and that begins with having a friendly face at the helm. Today we are spotlighting Michael the Customer Support Team Lead here at HealthEE by HBG. In speaking with him, he shared, he is an avid gym-goer and fitness enthusiast. “I love spending time with my family and friends. A fun fact about me is that I love to cook!” Michael shared when I sat down with him.

Michael, being the fitness fanatic he is, loves our Wellbeats virtual fitness program. He enjoys interacting with different members and knowing that he and the team positively impact members’ benefits and experiences. When I asked him about his favorite interaction to date, he replied, “As a growing company, we take pride in every interaction with our members. Most recently, we had a member who, unfortunately, was laid off from their organization and was looking to cancel their monthly subscription for medical coverage. While we were sad to see him go, he was extremely appreciative and grateful for our positive outlook and high-touch customer service. He said he would come right back to HealthEE once he was employed again. Until then, we look forward to serving more of our members!” Michael’s interaction is a prime example of how HealthEE by HBG is different from other benefit offerings. With no open enrollment periods, the member could cancel his medical coverage as soon as the following month. The other factor making HealthEE by HBG different is the support team itself. In Michael’s words, “0ur attention to detail and sincere hope to help each and every single one of our customers and current members differentiates us from the traditional support teams in the industry – we take pride in everything we do!” Whether you have questions about plan specifics or want to ensure your doctor remains in network, the HealthEE Support team is ready to help. Like detectives, they will find you the answers you need to make a well-informed decision for you and your family. Want to speak with Michael? You can contact him directly at michael@hbgnow.com, by phone at (888) 655-4053, or by our customer support email address at support@hbgnow.com

Meet the team: Allie

Say hello to Allison, aka Allie, whose life’s passion is her two kids, and boy, do they keep her busy! When She isn’t chasing after the two of them and not helping the support team, she is an avid reader and enjoys winding down with yoga. 

A true people person, Allie loves talking to our customers, getting to know them, learning about their healthcare needs, and helping them feel supported while choosing the right healthcare coverage. Her favorite HealthEE by HBG benefit is our partner Rightway, the dedicated health concierge. On the topic, Allie described the benefit of Rightway as “unmatched in this industry. Having a personal guide to help navigate the often confusing and time-consuming world of health coverage is so valuable.” 

I asked Allie what makes the HealthEE Support team different from other support teams. She answered, “ The HealthEE support team is so unique. We pave our way – by conforming to the needs of our customers and using trial and error to fine-tune our processes. This open-minded flexibility sets the stage for innovation and allows us to maximize our service. From our prioritization of human interaction to our willingness to go above and beyond, we believe our customers deserve the highest standards for support”. A specific example of this prioritization of the human experience was a case where a woman called Allie and began the call frustrated and unsure of what she registered for. Allie was able to walk her through her coverage from A-Z. The caller purchased additional coverage following her conversation with Allie because she loved the convenience of contacting Allie anytime with questions and trusting the information Allie provided. I then asked Allie what being a part of the Healthee Support Team has taught her, to which she replied, “When it comes to benefits, there is no one size fits all approach to customer support. Each customer deserves a personalized experience based on their individual needs.” Allie enjoys helping solve problems with callers to narrow down which plans will best suit their needs and can help you do the same. You can contact HealthEE Support 5 days a week, and Allie recommends you start by emailing support at support@hbgnow.com to create a line of communication based on what works best for you. Want to speak over the phone? Great, or do you prefer to text or zoom? We do that too. 

Call or text: 888-655-4053

Schedule a live call here

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. 

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!

Checking in with HealthEE Support

As you know, our HealthEE support team is HealthEE by HBG’s friendly and accessible resource for answering any and all healthcare-related questions. January is a hectic month, we have many new members onboarding and calling with questions, so I checked in with the team to see what patterns they are noticing.
One wholesome trend we see is family members calling on behalf of loved ones like parents and significant others. It is incredibly touching to see family members discussing their loved one’s options and seeking the best plan for their needs.
Following the holidays, many callers have been looking for general plan overviews and in-network inquiries. Our team has found that the best way to clarify the difference from plan to plan comes down to the correlation between cost and coverage.
The feedback we have been receiving from callers is the general consensus that our members love the flexibility HealthEE by HBG healthcare plans offer.

HealthEE by HBG Support

We’ve all been trapped in a loop of “press 3 if you’d like to speak with a service provider” and “stay on hold for the next available representative.” With each awful hold song, you get more and more frustrated just to have a real person at the end speak as if they were a robot themselves and just want you to purchase whatever it is they are selling- whether or not it’s the right option for you.

That is not the HealthEE by HBG way. When you call 888-655-4053 or schedule an appointment online, you are speaking with the real people who make up the HealthEE by HBG support team. No premeditated scripts or robot voices telling you to repeat your name and date of birth over and over, just a conversation.
Personal, friendly and focused on finding the best solution for you, that’s HealthEE by HBG.
Schedule a free call here to discuss your benefit needs with the HealthEE by HBG support team today!

Pumpkin banana muffins

In recent years pumpkin spice and consequently pumpkins as a flavor in general have gotten the short end of the stick. Dubbed “basic” by many I thought it was high time we reclaimed the goodness that is pumpkin but this time with a twist. If you’re anything like me you have bananas staring down at you from wherever they are kept in your home, mine are above my fridge just begging to be used. So pumpkin-banana muffins it is! I found the perfect recipe so you don’t have to, all you have to do is bake!

 Not that I needed a reason to love pumpkins anymore than I already do but for my non-believers there are actually several health benefits to pumpkins. For starters they are rich with Vitamin A, which strengthens your immune system, never a bad thing especially in our current climate. Pumpkins are a great source of fiber and along with a whole slew of other vitamins and minerals is high in vitamin C which can be contributed to faster healing. Read on for the fall-in-a-bite vegan pumpkin banana muffins that will turn even the most anti pumpkin person into a pumpkin lover like the rest of us. 

Ingredients: 

  • 2 overripe bananas, mashed
  • 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

Instructions: 

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Prep your muffin pan by Lining it so nothing sticks and set the pan aside.

Step 2: First in your baking bowl add the bananas, pumpkin pure and brown sugar.

Step 3: Now mix together the baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Step 4: Stir in the oil and vanilla extract.

Step 5: While being cautious not to over mix, begin to contribute the flour and gently fold until combined, note the batter is supposed to be thick. 

Step 6: Divide batter into muffin pan equally among the cups.

Step 7: Bake for 18 – 20 minutes.

Step 8: Cool in pan for 10 minutes & enjoy! This recipe makes roughly 12 muffins. 

Enjoy!

Terms to know when it comes to benefits, coverage and insurance.

Part of what makes the Healthcare industry so confusing is all the jargon and terminology. So as our goal is to clear the confusion, we take to our Instagram stories regularly, asking our followers what terms leave them scratching their heads. We do much more than just answering questions on our stories, so if you aren’t already following us, check out @healtheebyhbg on Instagram. We have compiled a few terms and their definitions into one place for those of you looking for clarification. 

Premium is the amount you must pay your insurance company for coverage. This amount is determined based on various factors depending on the type of insurance you purchase. For example, what’s impacting your car insurance premium will be different from your medical insurance. A general rule of thumb for most health-related insurance plans is these five main factors; age, tobacco use, location, type of plan, and the number of people the plan covers. With HealthEE by HBG, you pay this monthly or quarterly.

Prior Authorization, otherwise known as preauthorization and pre certification, is a requirement by health plans for the patient (you) to obtain approval for a health care service or medication before it can be provided. This occurs when the insurer wants to evaluate whether or not the care is medically necessary.  

Policy vs. plans– the insurance policy is the set of rules in place regarding the limits and regulations of your coverage. The insurance plan is the roadmap for your health, considering the policy. In other words, the policy affects what is available within your plan. 

The deductible is the amount you pay before your insurance company steps in. This amount is dwindled by your premium payments. Once you pay the deductible amount through your premium payments or paying for doctor’s visits, your insurance company steps in. A low deductible means your premium prices will be higher, but chances are you will meet your deductible quicker, whereas a high deductible will lower your premium payments. If you don’t go to the doctor, this could be the right choice for you; however, in the case of an emergency, you may be footing the bill on your own.

An IUA or initial uninsurable amount 

An IUA is an amount you pay per a specific medical event before your expenses become sharable. For example, our Common Sense health share plans which can be found here, have IUAs that members are responsible for paying – but have no deductibles.

We could write a novel with how many terms exist within Healthcare and insurance, but we hope these terms bring clarity to your relationship with your coverage. Suppose you have further questions or other phrases you would like clarified. In that case, our Ask Evan advisory team is made up of real people at your disposal to answer questions, provide support, and give you coverage and confidence on your benefit purchasing journey. Click here to schedule a free, noncommittal call with an advisor today.