Last month, my colleague Theresa Bell wrote a blog about how our dedicated Advocates at RetireeFirst go above and beyond by proactively assisting retirees with challenging issues, such as drug coverage and in-network providers. They also engage retirees to improve their health and wellness while fostering strong, trusting relationships. In this second installment of the blog series, I’d like to share more about our approach, exploring how we empower retirees to enhance their health and bridge gaps in care.
Retiree Health and Wellness Initiatives
Annual Appointment Reminders and Coordination
Through our Gaps In Care program, designed to help retirees take an active role in ensuring their health and wellbeing, our Wellness Advocates set annual reminders to proactively contact retirees and advise them about scheduling important wellness appointments. These include colonoscopies, diabetic eye exams, mammograms, flu shots, and other annual activities critical to ensuring retirees’ health.
To further aid members, our Advocates coordinate with healthcare providers while the retirees are on the phone, assisting in scheduling important appointments. These wellness checks not only promote individual well-being but also contribute to the overall population health, supporting proactive health management.
In-Home Wellness Assessments
On behalf of our carrier partners, we actively inform retirees about covered programs that prioritize their health and safety. Do you remember the days when doctors would make house calls for appointments? Well, today, in-home wellness assessments, also known as House Calls, offer seniors valuable support from clinicians, benefiting everyone.
These comprehensive visits encompass a range of evaluations, including health assessments, safety checks for essentials like smoke detectors, railings, and steps, as well as assessments of home accessibility. Clearly, these assessments are particularly advantageous for homebound retirees facing mobility challenges.
Beyond these tangible benefits, House Calls also offer a distinctive social advantage. For retired individuals who may be alone, home-bound, or widowed, these visits provide more than just a health assessment. They deliver additional support from dedicated clinicians, and the connection retirees build with caregivers, committed to their wellness and safety, resonates deeply and adds an essential layer of care to the process.
Ancillary Plan Benefits
Many retirees may not be fully aware of the supplementary wellness benefits offered by their plan. Think gym benefits, discounts for vision and hearing services, private-duty nursing, and even enhanced chiropractic care. These ancillary perks can considerably contribute to enhancing retiree wellness. We collaborate closely with our carrier partners to communicate the array of ancillary benefits they provide. Subsequently, when our Wellness Advocates speak with retirees, they take the opportunity to educate them about these valuable benefits.
Engaged Retirees. Healthier Outcomes.
By engaging retirees on health and wellness initiatives, our dedicated Wellness Advocates effectively bridge gaps in care, translating to reduced visits to costly urgent care centers and ERs. This not only helps overall care expenses but also leads to happier and healthy retirees – and that drives positive outcomes and value for plan sponsors and health plans.
If you didn’t get a chance to read Part I of our “Going Above and Beyond” blog series, you can read it HERE!
