3 healthcare cost-cutters that will work for any employer

Last year, a huge automaker managed to avoid healthcare cost- increases for the overwhelming majority of its workforce. But the tactics they used aren’t specific to giant corporations.

They can work for firms of any size. Here are three ideas worth stealing right now.

1. Cost-free flu shots

Most organizations spend a considerable amount of time and effort each flu season urging staffers to get vaccinated. Problem is, many staffers balk at paying even a few dollars for the shot.

This company went the opposite direction and offered free flu shots to its employees.

2. Mandatory physicals

Another effective tactic: Mandatory physicals.

Here’s how it worked: All participants in the organization’s PPO health plan (roughly 70% of all salaried staffers) were required to get an annual physical – which included biometric, blood sugar, tobacco, BMI and blood pressure tests – by a certain date or get hit with a penalty.

The penalty: An employee’s deductible for in-network care would go from $1,000 for family coverage to $3,400 if the worker and his/her spouse didn’t get the physical.

Result: 90% of the company’s PPO participants and spouses got physicals.

3. Tailored action plans

Of course, health assessment data isn’t beneficial on its own.

So, following their physicals/assessments, employees and their spouses received tailored action plans to help them take on existing health issues before they become more serious – aka, costly.