How To Insure Your Employees During Tough Times

All businesses go through rough patches, whether it be when they first start up, or when they are faced with unforeseen circumstances. If your business falls on hard times, you might end up feeling stressed out and overwhelmed. It’s important, though, not to forget what it is that keeps your business running: your employees. You need to be there for your employees through tough times because they are your most important asset. One of the best things you can do for them is to look out for their physical and mental health by offering (or continuing to offer) them health insurance. woman with her head in her hands in front of a laptop

Offering a healthcare plan might seem out-of-reach during hard times, but showing your employees you care enough to provide them health insurance will help with employee retention and will ultimately boost your business’s growth and productivity. If you are unsure how to keep a group health plan going at this time, we have some tips – and we have agents who can talk you through all of your options. 

Healthcare On A Budget

Keeping your employees insured will help your business in the long run, as it will relieve some stress and support your employees’ well-being. Stressed and unhealthy employees are less productive, less present, and less likely to stay in their jobs. Here are some things to consider when shopping for a group insurance plan on a tight budget:

  • Ask what they need- Ask your employees what kind of insurance they need by giving them an anonymous health insurance survey. By taking the time to ask some simple questions, you will have a good idea of where to start when looking for a plan to cover your employees. You might find that most of your employees would be happy with a high deductible health plan, which would cut down on your premium contributions.
  • employees sitting around with one woman standing in front of a whiteboard pointing at it
    Help your employees understand their options and learn about the benefits available to them, so they can take advantage of everything being offered. 

    Update or offer wellness programs– Wellness programs not only offer your employees ways to get happier and healthier, they can also help you save money in the long run. They can lower your overall healthcare costs over time by encouraging employees to adopt a healthier lifestyle. Even making simple changes like setting up a space for meditation or relaxation in your workspace can do wonders to relieve stress.

  • Provide resources– Help your employees understand their options and learn about the benefits available to them, so they can take advantage of everything being offered. 
  • Find a carrier that offers the right mix of benefits– Working with many carriers for different benefits is more of a headache than it’s worth. Find a carrier that can provide all the benefits you want for your employees. 
  • Consult an EZ agent- One of the best ways to insure that you can offer your employees good health insurance is to compare plans and see if there are ways to save some extra money. We will find a carrier that meets all your needs and within the best price.

Contact Your Current Health Insurer

If you’ve already got a group health plan that you’re happy with, but are worried about keeping up with the costs, there are a couple of things you can do before canceling it. You can contact your current group health insurance company and request an extended grace period for premium payments on your group plan. If you cannot get one, then consider shopping for a new group insurance plan. One of EZ’s agents can find you a plan that will keep a little more money in your pocket during these trying times.

Federal & State Resources

You can also look into The Payroll Protection Program, which is part of The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. This program was set up to help small businesses pay up to eight weeks of payroll cost including benefits. All small businesses as well as individuals who are self-employed, are eligible for the program if they meet the size standards. At least 60% of the loan must be used to fund payroll and employee benefit costs, and the remaining 40% can be spent on:

  • Mortgage interest payments
  •  Rent and lease payments
  •  Utilities

african american woman with a phone to her ear and a pen writing down in the other

If All Else Fails, Encourage Employees To Get Individual Insurance

If you do end up having to lay off employees or place them on temporary furlough, you can encourage them to get their own individual insurance.  Anyone who has lost their job or is furloughed qualifies for a Special Enrollment Period and can enroll in an individual plan. If the employee qualifies, they could be eligible for significant premium reductions, as long as they sign up for a plan within 60 days of losing their job. Send them to us: EZ will work with each employee and direct them to the best plan for their financial situation and health needs.

Your employees need health insurance during hard times, not only for their physical well-being, but to manage their mental health too. Insuring your employees can cost you a lot, which can seem like a burden during tough times, but there are ways to continue offering your employees the healthcare they need. EZ.Insure will help you keep your employees insured, whether through a group plan or with individual insurance. We work with all available carriers in your area, and can compare plans within minutes. We’ll make the process easy and pain-free. You will be provided with a highly trained agent who will compare all available plans and help you decide which plan is best for your business. To get free quotes, enter your zip code in the bar above, or to speak with an agent, call 888-998-2027.

Insurance from a Distance: Can You Offer Healthcare to Employees in Different States?

Thanks to modern technology, anywhere can be an office or a workspace, and you can have meetings with people you’ve never actually met in person. You might employ people in different parts of the country, and your only contact with them might be through email and Zoom, but they are still part of your team, and should be treated as such. Offering healthcare to your employees – wherever they are – is a great way to show you value them. It is also a way to attract the best candidates for your remote positions. Figuring out a group health plan can be hard enough, but adding employees from different states into the mix can make it feel impossible. But there are ways to make it happen!

Why Offer a Healthcare Plan and Where to Startpersons hand on a laptop keyboard with zoom screen of people

If you’re running a small business with a handful of employees working remotely, you might be questioning whether it’s worth it to even look into a group healthcare plan. Rest assured, it is worth it. There are multiple studies that show that offering healthcare boosts retention rates, employee satisfaction, and productivity.

If you’re looking to find – and keep – the right people for your remote positions, then consider what employees told a Willis Towers Watson study. 45% said that their employers’ healthcare benefits were a reason they chose their job, and 55% said their healthcare benefits were a reason they stayed at their job. 

Everyone loves to have days off, but it turns out that employees love not having to worry about huge medical bills even more. According to a survey done by Glassdoor, 40% of employees chose healthcare as their number one most desired benefit, edging out more vacation time and performance bonuses. Glassdoor also found that having healthcare increased employees’ satisfaction with their jobs more than did perks like extra vacation time, retirement benefits, or even parental leave. And remember, satisfied (and healthy!) employees are more present and productive when they’re working. 

It is important to note that you can’t just throw any old cookie-cutter plan at your employees, especially those who are working remotely and who you don’t know very well. Studies have shown that 80% of employees say that having health benefits customized to meet their needs is important to them. So the best way to start when looking to cover your far-off employees is to simply ask them what they want. Anonymous health surveys are great for finding out about employees that you don’t know well; include questions about how much coverage they want/need, whether they have dependents they want covered, etc. 

The Obstacles 

womans hands counting money at a table with a pen and notebook in front of her.
Your employees might want to choose their own plans, but have you help out with costs.

So the benefits of offering healthcare to employees are clear, but if they’re in different states, it’s not necessarily an easy thing to do. There are some obstacles that might limit your options. For example:

  • Some insurance companies won’t cover out-of-state employees. Others might, but will require a majority of the employees to be located in the same state.
  • Your state might have specific insurance requirements that make it difficult for you to find an insurance company (which are regulated at the state level) that can offer the same plan to all of your employees.
  • Your employees might want to choose their own plans, but have you help out with costs.
  • If you qualify for an ACA SHOP plan, you may be put off by the process of getting plans in multiple states. 

Don’t get discouraged by these difficulties! It can be done, and we can take you through the ways that you can successfully navigate the process of choosing coverage.

Your Options

Covering out-of-state employees basically boils down to four options, all of which have their pros and cons.

1. Separate state plans – You can actually offer different plans to different employees in different states, which would allow everyone to get the right plan for them. If you qualify for an ACA SHOP marketplace, there is an option to choose a plan that operates in different states, and you might be able to qualify for the small business healthcare tax credit

On the downside, though, if you decide to offer different plans to different employees, you might find the whole process of choosing and managing separate plans overwhelming. In addition, if you go through SHOP and your state has its own exchange, you’ll be stuck making separate accounts for each marketplace, instead of being able to use a single account with the federal exchange. And if you have the option through SHOP to offer a single plan, you may find that it doesn’t work for all of your employees. 

2. A national plan – If the idea of multiple plans in multiple states gives you a headache, you can also look into a national plan. Some insurance companies, such as Aetna, Humana, and United Healthcare now offer the option of healthcare plans that are accessible from multiple states. With a national plan, you don’t have to keep track of multiple states’ rules and can offer everyone the same plan, although again, this can be a downside if your employees are diverse. National plans can also be much more expensive than other plans, such as those offered through SHOP, so they may be out of reach for some smaller businesses. pile of hundred dollar bills stacked on top of each other

3. A self-funded plan – With self-funded plans, you basically take on the responsibility of paying for your employees’ healthcare costs using a pool of money that everyone pays into. This might work well for employees that are diverse and spread out over multiple states, but there are downsides to this type of plan, as well. Typically, smaller businesses have been wary of self-funding because of the risks of major claims wiping out a large chunk of their finances. 

4. A health reimbursement arrangement – This might just be the best option for small businesses looking to ensure employees in multiple states. With a health reimbursement arrangement (HRA), like a QSEHRA or ICHRA, you set aside a fixed monthly amount for your employees (QSEHRAs have a limit, while ICHRAs do not) and employees can choose and purchase their own plans and then come to you for reimbursement. They can also get reimbursed for other qualified health expenses. So, employees get the plan that they want, you save money on payroll taxes by putting aside tax-free money for reimbursement, and you save yourself the headache of picking a one-size-fits-all plan that you need to manage over multiple states. You also get to keep any money that is not claimed at the end of the year. It’s certainly something to consider.

Whatever options you are looking into to do right by your far away employees, EZ can help cut through the jargon and make the whole process a lot less confusing. When you come to us, we’ll set you up with your own personal agent who can answer all of your insurance questions, give you fast and accurate quotes, and even sign you up when you’re ready – all for free! So stop wondering what’s possible when it comes to insuring your remote workforce and get started with us today! Simply enter your zip code in the bar above, or to speak with an agent directly, call 888-350-1890. No hassle, no obligation!

Group Health Newbies: Don’t Be Caught Off-Guard When Shopping for Your Business’ Plan

If you’re a newbie shopping for group health insurance for your small business, how are you feeling about the whole process? Confident? Nervous? Confused? We get it, there’s a lot of feelings to feel when it comes to picking a plan. But we’re here to guide you, and steer you past some of the common surprises and pitfalls that may come your way.

You Might Need More Info Than You Thought

caucasian hand holding a pen filling out a survey
Conduct an anonymous employee health survey prior to shopping, so that you know what your employees want in a plan.

We’ll start you off with an easy one. When it comes to getting accurate quotes, you used to be able to simply provide the age ranges of employees. Now you need to have their exact date of birth, as well as the dates of birth of any spouses or dependents they want to cover. Don’t be caught fumbling around for info, make sure you’ve collected all of your data before even looking for a plan. We would suggest conducting an anonymous employee health survey prior to shopping, so that you have all of the facts at your fingertips, as well as a good idea of what your employees are looking for in a plan.

A Provider You Thought Was Covered Isn’t

A lot of people are attached to a certain doctor or healthcare provider. When choosing a plan, you need to pay close attention to the network that is offered, especially since many plans are reducing the size of their networks to cut insurance costs. You could end up with unhappy employees who are unwilling to enroll in your plan if the network is too small or if their doctor isn’t included. And if this is your second time offering insurance, pay extra close attention to any changes made to the network; plans can change from year to year, so the providers that you were sure were covered, may not be. 

Your Employee Isn’t Eligible

time sheet
Employees are usually required to work at least 30 hours to be eligible for certain plans.

This one might really come as a surprise. You’ve decided to offer healthcare to all of your employees, but that doesn’t mean that all of your employees are eligible. The state your business is in, your insurance company’s rules, or even the policy you choose can dictate the number of hours an employee must work to be eligible for your plan. Employees are usually required to work at least 30 hours to be eligible for certain plans; they must also satisfy a waiting period before they are covered. It could be disastrous to extend coverage to an employee who signs up, only to find out later that they were ineligible for the plan. They could end up saddled with a giant medical bill even though they thought that they had insurance.

You Need to Communicate with Your Employees – A LOT

Keeping your employees informed about their health coverage is not a courtesy, it’s an absolute must. You need to provide a Summary of Benefits Coverage (SBC) to participants and beneficiaries prior to enrollment in the plan, at renewal of the plan, within 90 days of a special enrollment period, and within 7 business days of a written request. 

You also need to give each employee covered under the plan a Summary of Material Modification (SMM) when there are changes made to their health benefits. We know, that sounds like a lot of paperwork, but it’s important that you familiarize yourself with all of these notices. Remember, EZ’s agents can help you manage all of the crazy insurance admin that you have to deal with! 

Prescription Drug Pricing Is Complicated!

If your employees are counting on prescription drug coverage in their group health plan, then you’re going to want to take a closer look at how your chosen plan covers medications. All drugs are priced differently, and generics cost less than brand name medications, but what you might not know is that the same drug may be priced differently by different insurance companies. The same drug might even have a different copay on different plans with the same company. Familiarizing yourself with different plans’ drug formularies can help to cut down on prescription price surprises.prescription drug bottles

One more thing that you might not have realized in regards to prescription drug coverage is that some plans now actually have a separate drug deductible. Just as with a general deductible, your employees would have to meet a set amount of drug expenses out-of-pocket before their plan would begin covering the cost of prescription medications. Again, this is where an employee health survey would help to give you an idea of what your employees need, and what you need to avoid when looking at healthcare plans.

A High Deductible Isn’t Always a Bad Thing

Yes, a high deductible can sometimes be a burden to employees, especially those with lower incomes, and you might think that if you’re providing healthcare you should avoid any plans that might pile high out-of-pocket costs onto your employees. But you might be surprised to find that some employees actually prefer these lower premium plans, especially if they rarely use medical services and are just looking for a safety net in case of emergency. This is especially true if you pay a higher percentage of their (low) premiums (meaning you’ll still be saving money), choose a plan that is HSA-eligible, and then contribute to those health savings accounts. HSAs have tax advantages for both you and your employees, and having that money put aside means that employees will be able to cover a surprise medical expense. 

The list of things you need to know about healthcare plans as an employer can seem endless, and it may feel like you are constantly being surprised by some new rule or protocol. But we promise, you’ve got this! And we’re here to support you, simply contact one of EZ’s knowledgeable agents and you’ll have all the answers to your insurance questions at your fingertips. We can also sort through all of the plans on offer and get you instant, accurate quotes so you can find the best plan for your business and your employees – and we’ll do it all for free! No hassle, no obligation, and no surprises! To get started with us, enter your zip code in the bar above, or to speak to an agent, call 888-350-1890.

New IRS Rule Allows Mid-Year Plan Changes

There are many ways you can describe the health insurance system, but when it comes to enrollment, “flexible” isn’t always one of them. Each year, you choose your company’s plan and your employees have a set enrollment period (either the ACA open enrollment period or another one of your choosing) during which they can sign up. Once they do, that’s pretty much it for the year, unless they experience a qualifying life event, like marriage or the birth of a child. But 2020 hasn’t been an ordinary year. The IRS has decided to recognize this fact and allow mid-year changes to healthcare plans, and they are leaving the decision about whether to allow these changes up to you, the employer.

What the IRS Is Allowing

cafeteria plan written on a white piece of paper
The IRS has decided to allow mid-year changes to healthcare plans including cafeteria plans.

If you offer your employees a healthcare plan under IRS Section 125 – otherwise known as a Cafeteria Plan – and/or a flexible spending account (FSA), then you have a decision to make this year. The normally rigid rules surrounding when and how employees can make changes to these plans have been suspended by the IRS, and you now have the option of letting them make a one-time change to their plan. This comes at a time when employees may need relief from premium payments, extra coverage, or even more time to use their FSAs. You are not required to let employees make any changes, but if you decide to, you can allow them as many options as you like, including:

  • Enrolling in the plan if they had previously declined coverage
  • Changing from a higher to a lower cost plan, or vice versa
  • Moving from family to individual coverage, or vice versa
  • Dropping coverage, but only if they have another plan in place

Again, you don’t have to allow all or any of these changes. You also have to be sure that you make the options fair and equal to everyone. The IRS even suggests that employers only offer options that would improve healthcare coverage, such as moving from an individual to a family plan or from a plan that covers very little to a more comprehensive plan, to make clear that these changes are meant to benefit your employees, not simply lower your premium contributions. 

In addition to changes to their healthcare coverage, employees now also have more flexibility when it comes to their FSAs. Your employees might be finding it harder to make the most of their FSA dollars these days because they haven’t been going to the eye doctor or dentist, for example. If they use these accounts for dependent care, they may have been unable to send their children to summer camp this year. For this reason, the IRS has extended the grace period for using 2019 funds through the end of 2020. Employees will also be able to roll over more of their funds through 2021.

What Employers Need to Consider

Your employees might welcome the chance to change their insurance policies right now, but you also have to think about how it will affect your business. Consider:caucasian man sitting down writing on a white board.

  • How it will financially impact your business if employees drop their plans, especially if it is the healthier employees who opt out and the employees who need more care who stay in
  • Your plan’s requirements. If your plan is fully-insured, there may be a minimum number of participants, so having employees opt out or change plans might mean having to rethink your whole healthcare policy.
  • The admin! It will take a lot of time and resources to review and process all of the changes. 

It’s a tough decision to make. These are crazy times, and both you and your employees have a lot on your plates. As a small business owner who may already be struggling to provide healthcare, but who also wants the best for your employees, you may want to allow changes, but limit them. Consider following the example set out by the IRS and offer your employees the ability to enroll in or upgrade their plans. You can also decide to do an emergency stock-take: throw together a mid-year employee health survey and see what is on your employees’ minds. You have until December 31, 2021 to adopt your plan (which can be retroactively implemented), so don’t stress too much!

If you find yourself completely confused, then remember, EZ’s knowledgeable agents can answer any questions you have. And if you find YOU need a change in policy for your company, then come to us for instant, accurate, free quotes. We’re ready, willing, and able to shoulder some of the burden of small business healthcare, so get started with us today. Simply enter your zip code in the bar above. Or to speak with an agent directly, call 888-350-1890. No hassle, no obligation! 

How Small Businesses Can SHOP Around for Healthcare

One of the questions often asked by small business owners is: can I offer my employees ACA Marketplace coverage and qualify for subsidies? The answer to this is actually yes and no. If you are a small business owner looking to offer insurance to your employees, you cannot apply for the subsidies that individuals shopping on the Marketplace can. However, you can offer your employees plans that are basically identical to individual Marketplace plans, and possibly qualify for a tax credit when you do so. If you run a small business but still want to offer your employees healthcare, you may want to look into the Small Business Health Options Program, or SHOP.

SHOP Plans three medals on lanyards, one gold, one silver and one bronze

The good news about SHOP is it’s easy to understand: the plans offered look basically the same as those offered on the individual ACA Marketplace. Just as on the individual Marketplace, there are four types of plans that are based on a “metal tier” system. You can choose from Platinum, Gold, Silver, or Bronze plans, and, as Healthcare.gov points out, the levels do not indicate quality of care; rather, the categories are based on how the cost of care will be shared by your employees and your insurance company. Cost sharing for these plans generally look like this:

  • Platinum – 90% on average paid by insurance, 10% on average paid by employee
  • Gold – 80% on average paid by insurance, 20% on average paid by employee
  • Silver – 70% on average paid by insurance, 30% on average paid by employee
  • Bronze – 60% on average paid by insurance, 40% on average paid by employee

You can also choose to add dental coverage to these plans, or even offer a stand alone dental plan to your employees if they are interested. 

How to Qualify

illustration of clipboard with a blue pen on it and blue check marks in all 4 boxes
You can qualify for SHOP as long as you meet 4 requirements.

SHOP is an easy and straightforward way to offer insurance to your employees, but not every business qualifies for it. Your business needs to meet 4 requirements:

  • Have 1 – 50 full-time (or full-time equivalent) employees. This does not include you, your spouse, or other family members.
  • Offer coverage to all full-time employees. This includes all workers averaging at least 30 hours per week. You can offer coverage to part-time employees, but you are not required to do so.
  • Enroll at least 70% of your full-time employees in your plan. However, if an employee already has another healthcare plan, they are not counted as rejecting your plan.
  • Have an office or employee worksite that is located in the state whose SHOP coverage you are using.

Also make sure to look at the specific plans offered in your state; they may have other specific requirements.

Why SHOP?

Now that we’ve looked at what SHOP actually is, let’s take a look at why it might be a good option for you and your business. As mentioned above, both the plan options and requirements are fairly straightforward. There are other advantages to it, as well:the word choice written in chalk on blackboard  with arrows all around it

  • SHOP offers you choice and flexibility. You can offer your employees one plan, or multiple options, you decide how much to contribute to their premium costs, and you can also decide how long new employees must wait before enrolling. There is also no need to wait for an open enrollment period; you can start offering your employees SHOP coverage at any time during the year. 
  • You can work with an agent. You don’t sign up through Healthcare.gov, or need to start an account with them. You can work with a trusted insurance agent or broker to help you through the process.
  • You may be able to get the Small Business Health Care Tax Credit. This is where your alternative to ACA individual subsidies comes into play. If you meet certain requirements, you can get a tax credit worth up to 50% of the costs of employee’s healthcare premiums. To qualify for the minimum credit, you must have fewer than 25 full-time employees making less than an average of around $52,000; to qualify for the maximum credit, you must have fewer than 10 full-time employees earning less than an average of around $25,000.

Health insurance is complicated, especially if you’re running a small business and trying to figure how you can do the right thing and offer healthcare to your employees. SHOP might just be a way for you to simplify things a bit for yourself – and maybe get a little of that hard-earned money back in your pocket. And remember, whatever type of group health plan you’re looking into, EZ.Insure can help. We’ll connect you with your own personal agent who will answer all of your questions, get you the most accurate quotes, and even sign you up – all for free! Get started with us today by simply entering your zip code in the bar above, or you can speak to an agent by emailing or calling 888-998-2027.

Support Your Employees’ Mental Health, Support Your Business

There’s more to healthcare than just physical health. Annual check-ups and care for injuries or illnesses are important, but so is managing stress, anxiety, and other mental health concerns. You can offer your employees a group healthcare plan that emphasizes both of these aspects of their well-being. Doing this will not only have a positive impact on your employees’ lives, but will also help keep your business running smoothly.

Stress & Anxiety in the Workplace

african american woman sitting with her elbows on her knees and her hands together on her forehead.
More than 70% of workers say that stress and anxiety interferes with their lives.

It won’t come as a surprise to any employer that working can sometimes equal stress, and even anxiety. But there are some concrete numbers that may surprise you. Around 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. suffer from some form of mental illness in a given year, close to 60% say they are suffering from “burnout,” and more than 70% of workers say that stress and anxiety interferes with their lives. 

According to the Anxiety Disorders Association of America (ADAA) 2006 Stress & Anxiety Disorders Survey, employees said that stress and anxiety most often impacts their:

  • workplace performance (56%)
  • relationship with coworkers and peers (51%)
  • quality of work (50%) 
  • relationships with superiors (43%)

These numbers should sound an alarm for you. Stress at work affects job performance, negatively impacts the culture of your workplace, and can also spill over into your employees’ outside life. They may have troubling sleeping, difficulties with their relationships, and may even end up suffering from depression.

A Culture of Silence?

There is hope. Almost 90% of employees who get help for mental health issues report feeling better about their job, more productive at work, and less likely to take time off, according to a study in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. But before that relief can come, they need to be able to ask for help. Is your workplace a safe environment for expressing anxiety and talking about stress? It might not be. 

Many employees are not comfortable speaking to their employer about their stress or other mental health concerns. Again according to the ADAA survey, only 40% of employees whose stress was getting in the way of their job had talked to their employers about it. Of those who did speak to their employer, only 4 in 10 reported being offered some sort of help. 

It is up to you as an employer to make sure that your employees know they can ask for help if they need it. They also need to know that they will be listened to and offered some sort of help. One way you can do this is by normalizing mental health care: make clear that you take your employees’ mental health seriously, and make your mental healthcare plan as comprehensive and accessible as your physical healthcare plan. 

Make Mental Health a Priority

caucasian man sitting in front of a laptop with mental health related words on the screen.
You can find a plan that offers good mental health services for your employees.

Employees need to feel safe and comfortable asking for help at work, but they also need practical ways to access that help. Fortunately, it’s much easier nowadays to prioritize mental health care. To show your employees that their mental health is a priority, you can

  • Offer them an ACA-approved healthcare plan. Simple, right? You were going to offer them this benefit anyway, and mental health coverage is actually one of the 10 essential benefits that must be covered under all of these plans. Make it clear to your employees that these benefits are included, and give them all relevant info on how to access the included services.
  • Look for mental-health specific add-ons. One of the fastest growing and most popular “extras” you can add to your employee health plan is an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). EAPs offer, among other things, a number of helpful mental health services at no cost to employees, like in-person or telephone counseling. Adding these programs may cost you a little bit extra, but they are worth it: you are showing your employees that you care about their mental health – and you are keeping your workforce healthy and productive. You are also protecting them against future stress-related physical illnesses that could end up costing more in the long run. 
  • Try out well-being apps. While these digital benefits don’t replace therapy, they are easy to use and a great supplement to other mental health care benefits, especially for younger employees.
  • Add telehealth options to your plan. While apps can be fun, quick, and easy, some people prefer to speak to someone directly. Offering telehealth options removes some of the barriers of seeking in-person counseling or therapy. 
  • Make your workspace a mental health-friendly place. If you have a workplace wellness program, don’t just focus on weight-loss goals or quitting smoking, focus on mental well-being, as well. Even if you don’t have one of these programs, you can still do small things to reduce stress in your workplace like offering yoga classes, having a meditation room, or even just encouraging break times that allow employees to get outside and walk together. These small steps obviously will not treat mental illness, but they will help to relieve stress and will also show that you care about your employees’ mental health.

Mental illness, stress, anxiety – all of these things are steadily increasing in our complicated world. Unfortunately, for most people, work is just another part of the problem. However, you can be the kind of employer who takes these issues seriously, listens to your employees, and offers them the help that they need. Make mental health a priority in your workplace, and you will find yourself with a happier, healthier, and more productive workforce. If you need help finding the right healthcare plan with the right mental health coverage, come to EZ.Insure. We’ve got the answers that you’re looking for, right now, for free. You can start by simply entering your zip code in the bar above to get a quote,  or call 888-998-2027 to speak to an agent.

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