Staying in the same plan after year can be a waste of money if someone is in the wrong plan for them. And not understanding benefits can lead to wasted money as well, as workers often skip necessary appointments, check-ups and treatment regimens for chronic conditions, which in turn puts their health at risk.

As coverage has grown in complexity over the past decade, it’s important that you provide the resources for your employees to choose the health plan that is best for them. Here are three tips that will help them get the most out of their benefits.

Don’t skimp on explaining

While some employees’ eyes are bound to gloss over while someone is explaining the various plan options, their networks, their copays, deductibles and more, it pays to take the time to explain them step by step.

That means breaking the benefits down to the basics in language anyone can understand. Avoid getting bogged down in health insurance jargon and keep it simple. The simpler the better.

Don’t think of it as talking down to your employees, because there’s a good chance some of them are not familiar with how health coverage works. Encourage questions, by telling them there are no stupid questions. Invite employees to speak one-on-one with your benefits point person if they have questions they’d rather ask privately.

Make benefits communications all year long

When the new year starts and open enrollment is in the mirror, most employers don’t reach out to staff until a few weeks before the next year’s enrollment period starts.

Plan now for regular benefits communications throughout next year. Send them e-mails and materials during the course of the year that remind them to consider how their current coverage is measuring up to their needs.

This is especially important if someone’s health situation changes. They may be looking to make a change during the next open enrollment, and feeding them periodic memos about their coverage can help them educate themselves and prepare.

Communications could include explainers about cafeteria plans, health savings accounts, how to use their health benefits wisely, and more.

Know your crew

After open enrollment, run a report looking at what plans your employees are signed up for and see if they are concentrated in certain plans. Many employees when choosing health plans ask their co-workers, which often leads to them choosing a plan that is not optimum for them since there are many factors that may vary, including:

• Their age.
• Whether or not they are married.
• Whether or not they have children.
• Their health situation.

That’s why it’s important to run some analytics on your employees’ health plan choices. We can work with you to make sure that they are in the right plans and identify what might be a better alternative for them.

For example, in many cases, the younger and healthier someone is, the best choice may be a high-deductible health plan with lower premiums, tied to an HSA. Older employees and those with health conditions — those who are more likely to use medical services and be on medication — may need a plan with a lower deductible.

The takeaway

It benefits both your employees and you if your employees are in the appropriate plan for their life and health situation.

Fortunately, you can ensure that they understand their benefits by understanding their needs and helping them learn about their benefits throughout the year.

Diabetes afflicts more than 11% of the adult population, including about 6.3% of full-time workers and 9.1% of part-time workers.

Adults with diabetes incur more than $8,480 in direct treatment costs, on average. Those who are insured spend even more.

A 2016 report from the Health Care Cost Institute estimated that insured workers with diabetes spend more than $16,000 on health care costs per year. Those without diabetes, on average, generate about $4,396 in medical costs per annum.

Indirect costs

Employers aren’t just paying more in direct health care costs and insurance premiums. They also pay via lost productivity.

On average, those with diabetes miss an extra week of work – 5.5 days – compared to other workers, according to Gallup estimates. All told, that adds up to 45 million missed workdays and productivity costs to U.S. employers of $4 billion.

And for employers, these costs may represent just the tip of the iceberg. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that more than 114 million adults in the U.S. – a third of the workforce – have undiagnosed diabetes or prediabetes.

What can employers do?

The CDC recommends that employers design wellness programs that specifically target improvements in the following areas:

• Exercise and activity levels
• Smoking
• Hypertension
• Blood cholesterol
• High blood glucose
• Weight/obesity

There also are a number of measures employers can take to help mitigate some of the costs to the organization.

• Offer ongoing counseling with professional dieticians. Employees that regularly meet with dieticians who can help them set small, manageable goals for themselves, make significant and measurable health improvements, according to a 2016 study. The research found that they lost 5.5% of their body weight and reduced blood glucose levels.
• Start a walking club. The American Diabetes Association’s Stop Diabetes @ Work program recommends that employers encourage company walking clubs to attend diabetes walk-a-thons like Step Out: Walk to Cure Diabetes, or host a Community Walk to Cure Diabetes.
  You can find resources, including posters, newsletter articles, training plans, and walking guides, at diabetes.org.
• Encourage self-assessment and screening. According to the CDC, 30% of people with diabetes aren’t even aware of it. Workplace screenings are easy and effective. Many employers provide incentives for workers to participate via reduced insurance copays or even cash payments. All screenings should be confidential and employers should not penalize employees who have diabetes, as this could violate the Americans with Disabilities Act.

• Encourage smokers to quit. Diabetics who smoke have far higher medical costs on average than non-smoking diabetics or non-diabetic smokers. Discouraging tobacco use can pay off in the long run.

With so much at stake, a robust workplace program to fight diabetes can generate a significant return on investment.

The American Diabetes Association estimates that preventing or delaying the onset of diabetes in just one prediabetic employee can generate more than $50,000 in direct and indirect cost savings over five years.