Engage Health Group

Author: Ian

  • Bupa Global Launches New Executive Wellbeing Index

    Bupa Global Launches New Executive Wellbeing Index

    The pandemic has been a nightmare for us all in one way or another, but it has also made us take a step back and reassess how we’ve been living our lives up to now – a lot of us don’t want to go back to exactly how it was before. Perhaps the small silver lining in this crisis is that it has forced us to re-examine our values and goals; What’s really important? And how would we prefer to muddle through this life in the future?

    As we realise that COVID-19, or at least, the effects of it, are here to stay for a good while longer, we’re adapting to a new set of needs and wants. And so, too, are the world’s boardroom executives. These business leaders will be helping to shape businesses, employment, and economies in the Post-COVID world – so how have they felt the impact? How will they respond?

    The New Executive Wellbeing Index

    In light of this, the leading International Health Insurance provider, Bupa Global, has commissioned research across seven key global regions (China, Egypt, France, Hong Kong, UAE, UK and USA), interviewing almost 2,000 high net-worth individuals and senior executives. The result is their recently released: Executive Wellbeing Index – a fascinating insight into how each area reacted to the spread of the virus, both in terms of public health and the economy. The report also comments on how business will be changing in response to the experience of 2020 and indicates how the focus areas within an International Employee Benefits offering may shift. We have outlined some of the key findings below;

    • Seven in 10 experienced poor mental health in this time, rising to eight in 10 for business leaders. For many, this was a new experience and didn’t know how to best handle the situation, with 40% of board-level executives reporting that they delayed seeking help.
    • This experience has led to one in four executives committing to provide better mental health and wellbeing support for colleagues. This is something that Engage Health Group can testify too, with a surge over the last few months, of interest in International Employee Assistance Programmes (iEAP) which deliver low cost, but very high impact mental health support.
    • One in three board-level executive plan to continue working mostly from home on a permanent basis, with over half stating they plan not to return to the same fast pace of life.
    • Other key findings include; a planned cut down of travel, plans to manage down their hours (24%), take more regular exercise (38%), maintain a better diet (32%), make more time for meditation and mindfulness (30%), and an increasing number of executives are looking to opt for early retirement.

    The Wellbeing Index Highlights Mental Health Problems

    It is sad, but perhaps, unsurprising, that mental health and wellbeing was one of the biggest issues identified, with such a large percentage of the interviewees claiming to have experienced mental health issues. The silver lining to this cloud may be a genuine acceleration in embracing the importance of workplace mental and physical wellbeing, and a rebalancing of work/life priorities. These business cultures can often stem from the top down and with such a significant and lasting impact on board level exec’s focus, and crucially budget, being allocated to support the many employees becoming increasingly isolated. A well designed International Employee Benefits strategy is critical in providing employees with a consistent and effective support system, and with a broad range of products and services now available to international businesses, a meaningful International Employee Benefits offering can be provided across a range of budgets and employee host countries.

    Bupa Global’s research also uncovered that 70% of executives now plan to purchase Private Medical Insurance, or International Medical Insurance, with an emphasis on preventative care and mental health, in the next 12 months.

    In anticipation of this demand, Bupa Global has been investing in its mental health services to support employees, individuals and their families by removing annual and monetary limits across their International Medical Insurance plans for in-patient and day-patient mental health treatments. They are now also including cover for various conditions relating to mental health that had previously been excluded from their policies.

    Bupa Global, and the majority of other International Health Insurance providers, now also provides an International EAP incorporated into their company International Private Medical Insurance plans, as standard, to reflect the demand in this space.

    Bupa Global’s full Executive Wellness report can be downloaded here and the accompanying infographic can be downloaded here

  • Cigna Global to Launch Enhancements to their Individual Plans in October 2020

    Cigna Global to Launch Enhancements to their Individual Plans in October 2020

    Cigna Global Improves their Product Offering

    Leading International Health Insurance provider, Cigna Global, recently announced a raft of enhancements to their Cigna Global Health Options products. The range is specifically for individuals and families and the changes will take effect for plans starting or renewing from the 22nd October 2020.

    Cigna’s Global Health Options have been in the Worldwide Health Insurance market for seven years, and have proven to be very popular due to their flexible modules, rich benefits levels and solid wellness offering. Markets evolve however, particularly in the competitive International Health Insurance space, and so following some extensive research, Cigna are launching the following enhancements to new and existing members;

    • The core International Medical Insurance module is to include a new benefit for Accident and Emergency Room treatment for outpatient treatment when a member doesn’t go on to occupy a bed (Cover in full as standard), and also an expansion of their Mental and Behavioural health care coverage under a new benefit name.
    • The International Outpatient module is to include Genetic Cancer testing and Sleep Apnoea as new benefits. There will also be extended coverage in the Life Management Assistance programme to include access to online a self-help Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) programme.
    • In the International Health & Wellbeing module, there will be an increase in coverage for many of the available screenings.
    • The previous International Medical Evacuation module is being renamed to International Evacuation and Crisis Assistance PlusTM, as it will now include a worldwide comprehensive Crisis Assistance PlusTM programme, bringing significant value to globally mobile individuals. The service offers time-sensitive advice and coordinated in-country crisis assistance for risks that may occur when travelling.

    These enhancements bring, what was already a compelling offering, more up to date, particularly following recent market improvements to improve mental health coverage, and employers increasing levels of concern around keeping global mobile employees safe, wherever they are around the world. The International Private Medical Insurance market continues to evolve at pace, driven by a competitive insurer landscape and the changing needs of individuals and employers adapting to the challenges of working and living in different territories around the world.  

    Read our latest case study: Managing Expat Risk with a Medical Evacuation Plan

  • Now Health International Launch Telemedicine Service to UK Based Members

    Now Health International Launch Telemedicine Service to UK Based Members

    International Health Insurance provider, Now Health International, have announced this week that during the Covid-19 pandemic, they are launching a virtual doctor service to their members based in the UK, however the detail is important as the standard plan terms and conditions apply.

    With many people still uncomfortable with going to see their GP at their surgery, telemedicine services have seen usage swell by up to 400% over the last few months. Now Health International has now responded to this demand and is offering pay and claim coverage for telemedicine.

    In addition, Now Health has also agreed a preferred partnership with telemedicine service provider, Medicspot. Upon launch they introduced Medicspot as using “cutting edge innovation in medical technology to help improve the quality of healthcare for all. Their vision is to change lives with transformative care, one community at a time. Medicspot uses innovative technology to perform a full clinical examination of patients. This technology allows Medicspot to treat 70% more conditions than smartphone-based GP services.”

    It’s useful for members to note that, while Medicspot are Now Health’s preferred partner, International Private Medical Insurance members can use any recognised telemedicine service provider in the UK on a pay and claim basis during the pandemic. It is however important to note that reasonable and customary charges do apply, so if the claim is outside of standard charging practises there may be a shortfall that needs to be covered by the member. If you aren’t sure, we would recommend using Medicspot to ensure your claim is reimbursed in full.

    It is also worth pointing out that consultation fees and medication are covered in accordance with your plans benefits. This means that you can only use this service if you already have outpatient doctors consultations and/or prescription drugs benefits on your International Health Insurance plan. If you have an outpatient deductible, per visit excess or co-insurance, then these will also apply as they would do for a normal doctors visit.

    A growing number of International Health Insurance providers have started incorporating virtual doctor services into their products over the last 12 – 24 months. The insurers who have rolled this out as a core part of their offering are doing so for members internationally, rather than just the UK. During the pandemic many have also made it available to all their members, whether it was originally included on their International Medical Insurance plan or not.

  • Bupa Global enhances mental health coverage

    Bupa Global enhances mental health coverage

    Leading international health insurance provider, Bupa Global, has launched a range of improvements to the mental health coverage offered across its international health plans. 

    The improvements announced include:

    • Removal of mental health waiting period
    • Removal of mental health lifetime limits
    • Enhanced out-patient benefits to bring them in line with those of physical conditions
    • Remove of general exclusions for addiction, ADHD and self-inflected injury

     

    These enhancements have already been introduced to a large number of Bupa Global’s International Medical Insurance plans and they aim to have them applied to every plan by April 2021. 

    Bupa leads the way in mental health support

    The move represents a response to the growing demand for mental health support – and provides further value to its global health plans. It’s important to note, there are a range of international plans available for individuals and businesses – and so depth of coverage varies. However, mental health support is being increased across all these products.

    Bupa Global already had one of the more generous coverage levels for mental health conditions on their International Private Medical Insurance plans before these changes. Implementing these improvements now mean that when we compare International Health Insurance products, Bupa Global now lead the market on their approach to, and coverage for, mental health conditions.

    Will competitors follow suit?

    With mental health conditions effecting 1 in 4 people in their lifetime a large number of Bupa Global’s present and future customers should benefit directly from these improvements. This move may trigger an improvement from other insurers in a large and competitive International Health Insurance marketplace, which will now fall short of Bupa Global’s benchmark. Employers are increasingly interested in providing comprehensive mental health support to their teams, particularly for expatriate employees which can be under particular strain.

    ADHD is finally being addressed

    It’s also refreshing to see issues around neurodiversity being addressed too. For example, getting a diagnosis for a condition like ADHD is an important first step for many – and Bupa provides coverage for that. But they are also making available treatment related to some of the mental health issues which may stem from ADHD such as depression or anxiety.  

    Dr Luke James, Medical Director for Bupa Global and Bupa UK Insurance commented:

    “Mental health issues can affect everyone. Early diagnosis and treatment improves outcomes. Our new extended cover, which includes ongoing support for all mental health conditions, will ensure that more people than ever before can access the right help.”

     

    At Engage Health Group, we work across the health and wellbeing marketplace to ensure you find the right policies at the right price, and ensure your whole benefits package provides prices from across the market.

    Contact our expert team at enquiries@engagehealthgroup.co.uk or call 01273 974419 for FREE no-obligation advice and support.

  • Home working: a game-changer for Employee Benefits strategies?

    Home working: a game-changer for Employee Benefits strategies?

    Let’s face it, 2020 has been extremely challenging for HR decision makers. Employee safety and wellbeing have become the number one topic in organisations and senior management teams have had to move mountains to adapt working processes to cope.

    One of the most prominent changes has been in the number of employees who are working from home. And people seem to like this new arrangement. According to a March 2020 survey by Glassdoor, 67% of UK employees felt that they could be just as productive and benefit from the work-life balance and flexibility that comes with working from home. So if people’s attitudes are changing, what does this mean for an organisation’s employee benefits strategy?

    Of course, not all employees can or should work from home. But the pandemic has certainly erased assumptions that companies had about the necessity of all of their staff to be in their place of work to get the job done. Information gathered by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development suggests that 61% of employees who were not furloughed in April were working from home on a full-time basis. That’s an increase from 24% before the pandemic hit. If there’s anything certain in all of this uncertainty, HR departments can expect a future increase in the number of flexible working requests that they receive on the issue of working from home.

    Radical shifts in thinking are not just the preserve of employees who are wondering if working from home could be the ‘new normal’ for them. With dangers of financial losses from reduced trading in all kinds of sectors, senior managers are looking at empty offices and asking themselves if they’re all really needed when technology can carry the communications load.

    Is your employee benefits strategy still fit for purpose?

    Going beneath people’s desire to work from home reveals all sorts of emerging attitudes about wanting to feel safe and wanting to protect their families and others. But it has also resulted in people valuing some extra time with their loved ones or getting more work done and rejecting the prospect of returning to the dreaded commute. It’s not unreasonable for employees to ask for their changes in attitudes to be supported by their employers.

    From the company point of view, the debate revolves around the advantages and disadvantages of working from home versus the costs of paying for office space. Increasing home working options removes understandable concerns associated with social distancing, wearing face masks and using communal areas. And if people do go back to work in the same numbers, companies may also need to consider improved ventilation and additional cleaning, which only adds to the costs of what may already be an expensive line item.    

    The other aspect of a review of employee benefits revolves around employee costs. Sickness absence costs have probably risen and there may well have been an increase in demand by employees for wellbeing services such as counselling, occupational health consultations and health screenings. The pandemic has increased levels of anxiety and prevented people from getting their usual access to NHS medical and dental services, leading to further health problems. If your benefits strategy has no provision for these types of services, it may be time to ask for advice on what is available.

    Return on investment on employee benefits

    Achieving the best value for your employee benefits package doesn’t have to mean that values are compromised. For example, the trend for open plan spaces and smaller working spaces has compromised people’s privacy. A hard edged business proposal to reduce office space and redirect that savings into a revised benefits strategy may be pushing on an open door as far as employees are concerned.

    There’s no doubt that flexible working, including home working, is a benefit in itself. A successful review, though, should take account of the kinds of benefits that home and other workers are likely to value these days. Some examples are:

    • Dental plans – The pandemic has reduced access to dental services so funded dental plans will help employees to be treated more quickly when dentists open up fully.
    • Business Health Insurance – There are all sorts of packages for all sorts of budgets but the most successful option will focus on the explicit health needs of the workforce.
    • Group Income Protection – The media has covered the real worries that employees have had about being off sick without sufficient sick pay. Income protection can help workers to feel more secure and less stressed.
    • Group Health Cash Plans – These are low cost and can provide a range of benefits to help employees cover the cost of eyes tests, dental work and initial consultations or tests to help get staff diagnosed and back to work quickly. They also often come with an Employee Assistance Programme included, which provides mental health support and, where needed, face to face counselling for employee struggling with their mental health, financial worries and a range of other issues.

    To argue successfully for a change in your company’s employee benefits strategy, it’s crucial to bring some number crunching to the table. A thorough analysis may include the following:

    • The impact of employee benefits on engagement, motivation and productivity
    • Costs that can be saved or expenditure that can be moved into employee benefits – for example, reduced sickness absence levels or reduced office space
    • The key reasons why the proposal is required to allow the company to adapt for the better
    • Acknowledgement of any potential disadvantages or risks, with proposed actions ready to remove or reduce them.

    One route that can assist is an independent review of your current benefits package and what changes you would like to make. Our consultations are designed to analyse at a critical level the employee benefits options that would fit your company’s organisational needs and your employee’s changing desires.

    At Engage Health Group, we work across the health and wellbeing marketplace to ensure you find the right policies at the right price, and ensure your whole benefits package provides prices from across the market.

    Contact our expert team at enquiries@engagehealthgroup.co.uk or call 01273 974419 for FREE no-obligation advice and support.

  • 5 employee benefits which are FREE or inexpensive to implement

    5 employee benefits which are FREE or inexpensive to implement

    Attracting and retaining the best calibre of staff, and then keeping them engaged throughout their tenure is more important than ever. While benefit provision has historically been a significant focus for large businesses, it’s clear to see that smaller organisations are now making this part of their core business strategy too.

    Of course, big corporates have big budgets, and the ability to deliver a glossy range of benefits and rewards which might be out of reach for many smaller organisations. Thankfully that doesn’t mean employee benefits are a non-starter for SME’s, and there are some very effective ways to engage staff without breaking the bank.

    Below we have listed our top five benefits which can be implemented at a comparatively small amount, but still offer a fantastic return on investment.

     

    1. Employee Assistance Programme

    Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) can be thought of as a “Citizens Advice Bureau” for employees. Its main aim is to provide confidential, independent, impartial and unbiased guidance to employees who could be suffering in a range of areas including Health & Lifestyle, Legal, Work Life and Home Life.

    With a 24/7 helpline and up to 8 sessions of face-to-face counselling included, employers can feel assured that they are not only satisfying their Health & Safely obligations, but also supporting employees who might otherwise not have a sounding board or advice outlet available to them.

    Some of the key areas that employees utilise an EAP are as follows:

    • Mental Health
    • Eldercare
    • Addiction
    • Terminal illness
    • Debt problems
    • Bullying and harassment
    • Stress
    • Identity & LGBTQ
    • Domestic abuse
    • Bereavement

    Finally, due to the rich Management Information available to employers in terms of how the EAP is being used, this can assist in identifying underlying risks in the organisation which mightn’t otherwise have been obvious.

     

    2. Group Health Cash Plan

    A mechanism to provide cover for the every-day healthcare costs which employees might face, Group Health Cash Plans are more popular today than they’ve ever been.

    Full Private Medical Insurance, whilst excellent, is comparatively expensive to provide, and for those with a limited budget, may be a non-starter.  Health Cash Plans on the other hand are not only available for a fraction of the cost, but are arguably more valued by employees, due to the fact that the benefits can be extracted and enjoyed on a more frequent basis.

    In practical terms, a Health Cash Plan allows employees to claim back money spent in a number of health-related areas, the following of which tend to be the most common;

    • Routine dental treatment such as check-up’s, scale and polish, fillings
    • Routine optical care such as glasses and contact lenses
    • Physiotherapy, chiropractic and osteopathy
    • Chiropody, podiatry and homeopathy
    • CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy)
    • Health screening, massage and flu jabs
    • Virtual GP

    It is also typical for employees’ children to be included for free (up to 50% of employee limits) under the plan, and for individuals to have flexibility to add their partners and upgrade cover on a voluntary basis.

     

    3. Volunteering

    Employees of all ages, but particularly the younger generations now entering the workplace, are finding it increasingly important for their employer to play an active role in supporting the local community. 

    More and more employers are using this route to enhance their Employer Value Proposition (EVP), in addition to the traditional benefits which companies offer.

    A great way to embrace this growing requirement is implementing a volunteering benefit which is both free to roll-out and can supplement any existing corporate social responsibility or charity focus already in place.

    If you are considering putting this in place, here are some top tips to consider:

    • Set a dedicated person to manage this benefit, record days used and manage some of the below considerations.
    • Set a fixed amount of days per year which can be used, either in one go or throughout the year (Between 1 and 5 days is a common offering)
    • Consider which charities you want to support via this benefit;
      • Do you want one charity that your business wants to support with a key project that they have?
      • Consider providing a panel of pre-vetted local charities or good causes which you would like to direct employees towards.
      • Do you want to let your employees choose their own charities that are important to them? If so you should require prior submission for you to vet the charity.
    •  Employees should be required to give between one week and a month’s notice before their volunteering day in order to give you time to plan for their absence.
    • You should ensure that any charity that you are supporting has the appropriate insurances in place should your employee injure themselves while on their premises.

     

    4. Group Life Insurance

    Sometimes referred to as Group Death-in-Service Insurance, this benefit is designed to ensure that, in the event of an employee passing away, a tax free payment will be made to their dependants/beneficiaries, whether that is a parent, partner or child/children.

    Interestingly, employers considering this benefit often ask if the term “death in service” means that the employee must physically be undertaking their employed role when they die.  This is not the case, and the benefit is payable as long as the employee is in active service.

    Employers typically structure the benefit to provide either 2x or 4x the employee’s salary upon death, and it’s also possible to have different levels of benefit depending on seniority or grade.

    Each employee completes an “Expression of Wish” form upon joining which outlines who payment should be made to in the event of their death.  The form also allows for multiple beneficiaries to be recorded, allowing the employee to specify how any benefit should be divided.

    The other great feature of this type of cover is that in most cases, employees do not have to complete medical underwriting, unlike individual protection.

    With so few people taking financial advice and setting up their own personal Life Assurance provision, this kind of scheme is an excellent way of demonstrating to employees that you have their families’ interests at heart if the worst was to happen.

     

    5. FREE added extras to Group Risk Protection policies

    Providing a small Group Risk Protection policy for your exec team can provide FREE counselling, second opinion service, treatment sourcing and retail perks platforms for ALL employees.

    Did you know that if you purchase a Group Risk product (Group Life, Group Income Protection or Group Critical Illness) for a minimal number of staff, some insurers will allow you to extend a whole range of additional benefits to your entire workforce, completely free of charge?

    Providing Group Risk benefits to just two Directors, for example, could enable you to extend the additional value to hundreds of other staff!

    Group Life, Income Protection and Critical Illness are a fantastic way to cover your people in the event of death and illness respectively but the key benefit we want to highlight here is the value which immediately becomes available to all staff NOT insured under the Group Risk protection plan. 

    These can include:

    Counselling Services

    • Confidential counselling
    • 24/7 telephone helpline
    • Up to 10 Face-to-face sessions with a psychologist
    • Putting employees in touch with support groups in their area
    • Financial and legal telephone services from an independent consultant
    • Guidance on a range of everyday issues such as debt, buying a home, tax and divorce
    • All delivered via easy to use apps
    • Access to service from anywhere
    • Wellbeing articles brimming with articles and podcasts
    • Meaningful Management Information to show usage and identify trends

    Second Opinion Service

    • Provided by leading services such as Best Doctors
    • For any employee who has been diagnosed with a medical condition (private or NHS)
    • Locates world-leading experts for the condition
    • Arranges full review of employee medical condition
    • Employees received full diagnosis, a comprehensive report and recommendations for treatment plan
    • Health questions answered by an expert
    • Access via phone and online portal
    • Extensive library of wellbeing tools, videos and literature
    • Medical and travel arrangements made if employee chooses treatment outside of the UK

    Treatment sourcing

    • For those without private healthcare but wanting to source private treatment
    • Competitive treatment costs as opposed to following retail route
    • Access to over 20,000 consultants around the UK
    • Treatment sourcing deal with 450 private hospitals and NHS private patient units
    • Fast and efficient booking process to facilitate quick consultations, tests and procedures

    Perks

    • 1000 + perks via app
    • Cinema discounts
    • Retails discounts
    • Restaurant discounts

     

    How will you deliver highly valued perks to your workforce within budget? Contact Engage Health Group’s team of impartial brokers to uncover the best FREE quotes and receive expert guidance. Email enquiries@engagehealthgroup.co.uk or call 01273 974419.  

  • Bupa Global announces removal of their general pandemic exclusion during their first digital event

    Bupa Global took the opportunity to make this a global event, attended by key intermediaries from all over the world from the comfort of their own home / office. I’m getting quite used to sitting down with a cup of coffee for these, rather than jumping on a train for half a day, although I do miss the chance to catch up with a few old faces and in this case, some of my previous colleagues.

    Bupa Global speakers;

    • Paddy Watt, Commercial Director at Bupa Global
    • Dr Paula Franklin, Chief Medical Officer at Bupa Group
    • Sheldon Kenton, CEO at Bupa Global / GeoBlue
    • Rebecca Kett-Young, Head of Operations at Bupa Global 

    This event was the start of a new series called ‘Perspectives’, aimed to increase communication with the International Health Insurance market, and will be held regularly with the next session in September.

     

    Session 1: Exploring our new reality

    COVID-19 has, and will continue, to lead to disruption in the International Health Insurance industry and Bupa Global discussed three topic areas, showcasing how they have felt this impact and how they have dealt with it.

     

    How Bupa Global are supporting customers through the crisis

    Sheldon Kenton – CEO, Bupa Global and GeoBlue

    • The business stood up well to the immediate challenges created. It is a diverse organisation with many different operations and it saw the initial impact earlier than most other European headquartered businesses via its operations in in China and Hong Kong. This allowed Bupa to road test what would go on to become their global response and provided some advantages in maintaining their customer capability, allowing all 3,000 employees to work remotely while maintaining their turnaround times.
    • Despite the challenges faced, the NPS (Net Promoter Score) results, by which Bupa measure customer satisfaction, have continued to rise throughout this period.
    • With customers all over the world facing different access to, and capabilities of, care, Bupa worked hard to help steer members through this by creating a digital COVID-19 Hub. This is proactively supporting International Health Insurance customers with regular updates and is supported right across the Bupa Group.
    • Another response was to give every customer access to Global Virtual Care and they extended mental health benefits across all customers.
    • Between January and May Bupa Global’s Virtual Doctor service saw a 49% month on month registration increase
    • While International Medical Insurance claims have been suppressed during these month, core claims still continued, Bupa babies were still being born and cancer is still being covered as usual
    • A dedicated case manager has been assigned to every case of COVID-19, or which is suspected to be COVID-19 to help ensure the best support and clinical advice, as well as helping to manage some high cost International Health Insurance claims.
    • Bupa Global has also announced today that they are permanently removing the general pandemic exclusion from their International Health Insurance products moving forward.
    • Although they quickly announced that they would cover this pandemic in full, they wanted to reassure customers that this would continue, and that they would also now cover any future pandemic. This is good news for both their members and the market in general by removing uncertainty and bringing Bupa Global into line with the other major International Health Insurance providers.
    • There was an acknowledgement to the market feedback early on that Bupa Global didn’t come out to the market with their initial stance on COVID-19 as quickly as they might have done, however as a large organisation working through a lot of change, it was difficult to come out with an overview of their position, however they feel that now is the right time to make sure that they are providing more regular updates moving forward.
    • What can customers do if they are experiencing financial difficulties? Bupa Global already have processes and protocols in place for this scenario within their service team. They are sensitive to the issues and have had low levels of enquiries about ability to pay already. It will effective different customers in different ways and so a blanket statement isn’t possible, however Bupa are willing to try and support customers through this period where possible.

     

    The Global Picture

    Dr Paula Franklin – Chief Medical Officer, Bupa Group

    • Dr Franklin provided a recap on the symptoms of the virus and how it has emerged over the initial months, acknowledging that information and details of the disease are still evolving daily.
    • Reiterated that those at greatest risk are those
      • With an immune deficiency,
      • over 70,
      • under 70 with chronic heart, lung and kidney issues
      • with a BMI over 40.
    • Ethnicity and lower income populations are also reported to have had a worse experience with the virus, seemingly having experienced a higher risk of catching it, catching it more severely. Dr Franklin explained that this experience is driven by socio-economic factors, rather than clinical ones, with a range of reasons still being researched, but including;
      • Limited access healthcare
      • Densely populated living conditions
      • Cross generational housing
      • Populations with a higher level of chronic illnesses
    • Numerous government restrictions to reduce the spread of the virus have taken place around the world, mainly focused on restrictions on movement and increasing levels of testing.
    • The UAE and Saudi Arabia were two countries called out by Dr Franklin which had led the way, with establishing high levels of testing very early on.
    • By the 25th of January the UAE had already tested over 1 million people.  With two locations within the Emirate conducting door to door testing helping to identify, localise and contain the virus.
    • High levels of testing, used alongside contact tracing appears to be the most effective way to combat the spread of the virus.
    • The development of a vaccine, or vaccines, is being conducted at a pace truly unprecedented in medical history. A vaccine can usually take a decade, or longer to develop in normal times, even fast tracking is usually around 5 years. The aim of 12 – 18 months is extraordinarily fast and has been driven by high level of collaboration, not seen before, between both pharmaceutical companies and countries.
    • There are currently 150 vaccines in development and 19 already in clinical trials across the world.
    • Once, and if, a vaccine has been found, it then needs to be produced on scale, funded and distributed, so there is still a long way to go. How this further steps will be achieved remains to be seen
    • There will be ongoing consequences from the pandemic, not only economic, but broader health implications also. The delay in screening services, preventative treatment and potential chronic implications for some patients after having COVID-19 will all have an impact.
    • There is also a particular impact on mental health which is already starting to come through in research. The impact of being isolated and limitations on activities which people usually use to ‘decompress’ have had an impact and there is already clear evidence there will be a mental health burden due to the pandemic.  This will be have both a short term impact with stress and anxiety, but also longer term impacts where families and friends that have passed away and they are dealing with bereavement. People in the provision of care in general, not just hands delivery of care, are also expected to be impacted significantly. Experiencing trauma like this can often see a delay in mental health issues arising, sometimes an anniversary is a trigger, meaning we are likely to be dealing with this issues for a long while to come.
    • What happens to a vaccine if the virus mutates? This is common, the seasonal flu vaccine is annual for this reason and COVID-19 is being monitored and has already mutated, however these have not affected the behaviours of the virus so won’t impact the current vaccine work. If it does mutate significantly then yes, the vaccine would need to change and or adjust to respond to this.

     

    Impact to services and operational highlights

    Rebecca Kett-Young – Head of Operations, Bupa Global

    • Bupa Global experienced a sudden drop in International Health Insurance claims from February onwards, particularly in outpatient claims as private facilities shut around the world.
    • They saw a steady month on month decline, particularly in April which was 53% lower than March and 65% lower than January which was the last month with a normal claims trend.
    • Claims for May experienced a 35% increase compared to April, however were still 50% less than January.
    • Customers did still make claims and access cover, however, maternity and cancer claims were largely unaffected while some countries did continue almost as normal with no national lockdown.
    • To date, just under 250 Bupa Global members have been admitted into hospital with COVID-19, globally. All of which have been case managed and supported clinically.
    • All regions saw an increase in International Medical Insurance claims in May.
    • Most regions claims are still 50 – 60% down, other than China which is now back up to 95% of where it is expected to be.
    • During the pandemic 3,000 customers downloaded and accessed Bupa Global’s Virtual Doctor app and has proved a very popular tool from the feedback received.
    • Additional claims costs are expected moving forward as hospitals increase the use of PPE and cleaning regimes.
    • Uncertainty remains over what future claims will look like after they experienced a spike in claims in Beijing after the lockdown was eased there.
    • Bupa does expect a claims bounce back with many member accessing treatment which was delayed. They expect this could happen later this year or at the start of 2021 and are planning to ensure they have the employees in place to be able to maintain services levels at this time.
    • Bupa Global recorded a record score of +60 in their NPS claims feedback in June which has been consistently high, scoring +53 in March and April and +57 in May.
    • While some of the inpatient COVID-19 treatment has been expensive, this high claims impact is likely to be balanced out by a fall in claims elsewhere.
    • Bupa processes over £1Billion of International Health Insurance claims each year and this large scale helps in these scenarios and means the pandemic is unlikely to have a large impact on pricing moving forward.
    • The Bupa UK domestic business has offered members a financial rebate, however Bupa Global is unable to make the same commit at this time as their products and scope of coverage is very different. However they stated a clear priority to customers and will be fair and transparent with what they do commercially and are not looking to make any financial gains form the pandemic.

     

    Engage International is the specialist International division at Engage Health Group, supporting expatriates and high net worth clients with International Health Insurance UK, as well as offering a full range of broking and consultancy for businesses with an international footprint. 

    If you have any International Health Insurance needs, wish to discuss this article, or would like to discuss the broader International Employee benefits market in further detail, please get in touch.

  • COVID-19 Claims Trends: International Health Insurance (Aetna)

    COVID-19 Claims Trends: International Health Insurance (Aetna)

    Aetna International, one of the leading International Health Insurance providers, hosted their first virtual conference last week to their key partners.

    As well as being a great day and a chance to connect with the Aetna International team, we were provided updates on claims trends being seen during COVID-19 as well as details on how Aetna are working to simplify and improve member resources for their International Health Insurance members.

    Key updates

    • Donal O’Leary, Vice President International Actuarial & Underwriting, talked us through Aetna’s commercial experience to date and their view of the situation moving forward.
    • COVID-19 presents a complex and moving picture when it comes to assisting the commercial impact on the International Health Insurance market.
    • Firstly, in a pandemic situation there is ultimately a finite exposure as there is only a certain number of private beds and treatments available. There are a few factors that vary the impact seen as the pandemic rolls through over time and in difference regions;
      • Chronic conditions – it is still unclear which chronic conditions will develop and linger on after the initial illness and we are unlikely to fully understand this impact for a year
      • How long the pandemic lasts for – clearly the longer the situation goes on for, the higher the commercial exposure
      • Government support – This varies greatly by region and can also fluctuate, however good levels of government support allows firms to maintain benefits and staffing levels, holding up the revenue line.
    • The claims experience has varied significantly between countries with some markets experiencing significantly depressed claims for the first half of 2020, but others less so. Elective treatments have had the largest drop in March and April and are now returning to normal levels in markets initially heavily impacted.
    • Asia and the EMEA (Europe Middle East & Africa) regions have experienced the largest impact in H1 and this has driven some key learning;
      • Between March and May Aetna were seeing the stockpiling of medicines, what would usually be a 30 day prescription was coming in as a 90 day prescription,
      • The claims mix changes with less small claims, however more serious, high cost claims were less suppressed, particularly for cancer, heart conditions, strokes etc.
      • There has been some evidence of providers looking to recoup some of their losses via overcharging, an example given was a Russian hospital looking to charge for a CT scan for routine dental work. Their teams are now particularly vigilant to ensure they pick up this type of behaviour.
      • Evacuation benefit is included in all of Aetna’s International Health Insurance plans and these costs have been the main unplanned increase. Usually evacuations would be a mix of commercial flights and specialised medical transport which is much more expensive. Due to the lockdown of main countries, medical transport has been one of the only ways to move patients driving a significant increase in the use of private jets and a spoke in claims cost.
    • Aetna hasn’t experienced any bad debt yet, however if there is a second wave them government support will play a large pat in if that continues to be the case.
    • While claims have been lower, they aren’t as low as they had expected due to the reasons outlined above.
    • In the 2nd half of the year there is an increasing financial risk as delayed treatments catch up, although this may be a fairly smooth increase as people will still be anxious about going to some hospitals.
    • Supporting the increase in claims in H2 will be the adjustments that private hospitals have made in the last few months are initially being caught cold by the virus. They have now successfully introduced social distancing and introduced safe practises to be able to reopen within the current rules and well as significantly increase virtual client support.
    • Aetna expect there will be a significant increase in testing this winter as symptoms of common cold and flu are confused with COVID-19.
    • Aetna’s V health Virtual Doctor solution has, as you would expect seen an increase of almost 800% since global lockdown’s were put in place. This is partly fuelled by their decision to offer this to all of their members, whether it was originally included in their International Health Insurance plan.
    • Aetna expect this to drop off as lockdown’s ease, however they expect this to stay much higher than it was previously as the NPS score and feedback from the service has been so positive, so they foresee a behaviour change moving forward.
    • In EMEA Aetna have been providing premium credits to community rated SME clients to reflect the reduction in claims between April and June. They are committed to dealing with this as fairly as possible and pass back any profits they were not planned to make.
    • Aetna is focused on long term pricing sustainability and supporting their client relationships at this time.
    • For larger experienced rated groups they will be deducting April – June form the experience for that year and looking tin introduce profit shares to pass back unplanned profit.

     

    To round off…

    The experience has varied by country and Aetna haven’t experienced the drop in claims that they would have expected to, given the lockdowns in place, this has been driven by the broadly stable serious health claims and a spike in evacuation cost. Aetna are committed to not making any financial gains from the pandemic and will pass back any additional profits they make.

    Engage International is the specialist International team at Engage Health Group, supporting expatriates and high net worth clients with International Health Insurance, as well as offering a full range of broking and consultancy for businesses with an international footprint. 

    If you have any International health Insurance needs or which to discuss this article, or the broader International Employee Benefits market in further detail please get in touch.

  • Improve Your Health at Work

    Improve Your Health at Work

    According to a recent report Britons spend 12 years of their lives working (plus eight years shopping, 30 hours crying and 368 days in the pub). It’s no wonder time spent at work can take its toll on our mental and physical well-being – from eye strain to back problems to piling on those extra calories each time a birthday comes around. Here are some tips to help you stay healthy and well whilst at work.

     

    Conscious Snacking 

    Whether it’s the communal table that houses the office treats or that week in July when everyone seems to have been born, the treats on offer in the workplace can soon add a couple of hundred calories to your daily intake. Snacking regularly on healthier options can help you to stay full in between meals, keep your metabolism up and dissuade you from reaching for the Maltesers every time you pass by on your way to the loo.

     

    Staying hydrated

    Eight to 10 glasses of water a day can help you to keep hydrated and many foods are a good source of water too; watermelon, oranges, grapes and apples can all keep you healthy and your hydration up. Bring a water bottle into work and try to fill it up at least once before lunch, then fill it again and finish it before 3pm and then again before you leave for the day. Set your computer or phone alarm to remind you. Drinking more water may also help you to feel more awake and alert.

     

    Keep Moving

    Not only will this help burn the calories, getting out for a walk at lunchtime can also help you to de-stress and mentally take a break from the workplace. Take the stairs rather than the lift, park further away from the office (or cycle/walk/run in!) and remember to get up and move around regularly throughout the day.

     

    Workspace Assessment

    Ask your employer for a review of your desk or work area to ensure that everything (including you) is positioned as it should be. This is also very important if you’re in a job that requires heavy lifting or demands any physical activity. The damage you do now could last well into your retirement so make sure you start as you mean to go on.

     

    Take a Holiday

    They say a change is as good as a rest, but a rest it also pretty good so make sure you take the annual leave allowance you’re entitled to and switch off completely. With wifi on planes now and Smartphones constantly in our hands it’s becoming increasingly difficult to take a mental break from work and studies show that not doing so makes us less productive overall. Don’t feel guilty for taking a break (and don’t worry too much as we also spend 13 years listening to music, which sounds rather lovely).

     

    At Your Service

    Investing in the right health insurance policy for you, your family or your employees is a great way to ensure that you’re prepared should anything negatively affect your health, which could be out of your control.  At Engage Healthcare, we work with the UK’s leading health insurance providers to find the best policy for you, at the right price. Get in touch for a no obligation quote.

  • Choosing the Right Employee Benefits for Your Team

    Choosing the Right Employee Benefits for Your Team

    Whether you are considering the introduction of Employee Benefits for the first time in your business, or you’re taking the time to review your current arrangements, it’s important to remember that one size doesn’t fit all.

    A good Employee Benefits strategy is a great way to make your team feel engaged and cared for, as well as helping to attract and retain the best people.

     

    Factors to consider…

    Understand your workforce

    It’s easy to make assumptions around which benefits will be most welcomed by staff; however, acting alone could see under-utilisation, low perceived value and a minimal return on investment.

    Conducting a short employee survey to seek out your team’s views and help them to feel included in the decision will demonstrate that their opinion is valued, and generate a stronger connection with management when the “call to action” is delivered upon.

    Blend your approach

    Placing all of your focus in just one camp can leave your benefit provision lacking.  An insurance heavy approach (health insurance, death in service etc.), whilst excellent to provide, can leave staff disengaged, as these type of benefits are only realised when you are unwell or the worst happens.

    A wellness heavy approach is proven to make staff feel more engaged as the benefits can be utilised more frequently, however, they aren’t much use if someone needs physiotherapy or an urgent diagnostic scan. Taking a more blended approach in this area can really deliver the best of both worlds.

    Promote and communicate

    Once you have decided upon your benefit strategy and selection, it’s important to ensure people know what they have and how to use it. If you are using an independent intermediary to assist you with sourcing, devising and implementing your benefits provision, do ask them to assist in how best to communicate the finished article to employees.

    Any good intermediary/benefit consultancy will be happy to deliver employee presentations, develop bespoke literature and spend time at your premises to answer employee questions and promote the value being provided.

    Line up your ducks

    For some organisations it can often still be the case that the insurance mechanisms such as Group Medical Insurance and Income Protection are managed by a Finance department, whereas wellness provision such as Health Cash Plans and Health Screening are managed by HR. Compartmentalising benefits across different area of the business often inhibits a joined-up approach and reduces the opportunity to drive cost efficiencies.

    If your business is working with multiple service providers via different internal stakeholders, it’s likely you will pay more overall and find it increasingly difficult to achieve your overall objective.

    Measure success

    Even if you are spending a small percentage of gross payroll on benefits, continuous review should be a priority.

    What are we getting from our current benefit provision? Is it still valued by staff? Do our partners/providers align with our company culture? Are we paying too much? Is it being effective?

    These are all questions that should be asked on at least an annual basis to avoid stagnation, remain relevant and to ensure businesses get the best possible return on their investment.

     

    Benefit Selection

    Private Medical Insurance

    If you ask any person what the most important thing to them in their universe is, the top two answers never change:  Number one is “My family’s health” and number two is “My health”. If an employer sets out to support a staff member in these two areas, which are of most importance to them, they’re more likely to be appreciated and encourage loyalty.

    Health Insurance plans provide specialist consultations, speedy diagnostic tests and cover high cost treatments such as oncology, heart and psychiatric conditions. Furthermore, if an employer is able to get an unwell key member of the team treated and back to work quickly, they reduce the amount of downtime suffered and keep the business running smoothly.

    Health Cash Plans

    Cash Plans have become extremely popular over the last decade, offering an affordable alternative to full health cover. Covering everyday healthcare costs such as routine dental, contact lenses, physiotherapy, chiropractic and chiropody, Health Cash Plans can deliver a greater perceived value to employees than most other benefits as they are used more frequently.

    Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP’s)

    EAP’s provide a 24/7 confidential employee helpline and face-to-face counselling where advice and guidance can be sought for a range of issues such as debt, drug and alcohol abuse, violence in the home, stress, legal support and more. Employee Assistance Programmes are a low cost option and, if promoted in the right way, they can be of real value to staff that mightn’t have another avenue to discuss the difficulties they’re facing.

    Death in Service (Group Life Assurance)

    This benefit ensures that upon the death of an employee, their dependants (spouse/children) will receive a lump sum payment which is usually a multiple of the employees’ annual salary.

    Why is this benefit more important now? The first time that anyone ever discusses a Life Assurance policy is usually when they purchase their first home as once they have an asset to protect, the appropriate advice around ensuring it’s paid off if something happens to them duly follows. However, an increase in UK house prices, an increase in the age at which people buy their first homes and ultimately fewer people purchasing homes altogether means that this conversation isn’t happening as and when it once did. As a result, there are many more working people with no Life Assurance cover at all, but still with financial dependents who rely on them.

    The thought of an employee in their early thirties with young children and no life assurance cover should be enough to send shivers down the spine of even the least risk averse amongst us. We can’t force staff to seek personal financial advice and plan for the worst, but with Group Death in Service being such a low cost benefit to provide, it should be a consideration starting point for any conscientious employer.

    Group Income Protection (GIP)

    GIP provides an income to an employee when they are unable to work as a result of an illness or injury. The amount paid is typically a percentage of the employee’s salary (75% for example) and payments begin after a set waiting period and can continue until the employee returns to work, or their state pension age (SPA). Unlike some other employee benefits, with Group Income Protection the employer is the beneficiary of any claims, and this enables them to pay the absent employees’ salary through payroll as normal.  Employers can also elect to insure the cost of National Insurance and Pension contributions in order to truly minimise their financial outlay in the event of a long-term absentee.

    But it’s not all doom and gloom and contemplating the worst case scenarios of prolonged employee sickness. Early intervention and rehabilitation techniques which support employees and get them back to health and back to work as quickly as possible make GIP one of the most commendable and helpful benefits a business can provide. Early notification of potential claims (by employer to insurer) is key to helping the affected member of staff in being assessed and assisted on the road to recovery as quickly as possible, as well as giving the employer the best possible chance of stopping a potential claim before the waiting period is up, and therefore containing future premium increases.

    Health Screening

    Prevention is better than cure! Well, that’s partially true but as highlighted above, cure is pretty important too.

    A decade ago the only health screens that were provided were to senior staff in large corporate organisations. Thankfully this is no longer the case and we have seen a significant increase in the number of employers willing to fund health screening initiatives for their wider workforce. The higher end of health screening can be very expensive with full well-man/well-woman MOTs ranging between £300 and £900 for a three-hour detailed assessment. These types of screens are often still reserved for the higher echelons of business personnel and that is understandable, although lots of employers now make these available on a discounted voluntary basis for those willing to fund the health screen themselves. However, where the biggest breakthrough has come is with basic “know your numbers” health screens. These low cost (£20 – £30 per assessment) checks are becoming ever popular and measure the key clinical indicators such as blood pressure, cholesterol, blood glucose and Body Mass Index. These basic measures should ideally be taken once per annum with a GP. However, life gets in the way and this seldom happens, leaving many people unaware of the potential health risks, which could exist beneath the surface. Many health screening providers can now send a clinician to an employer’s premises for the day to deliver these checks and provide immediate results.

    Discount Platforms

    Providers in digital platform market have done very well over the past few years in offering a relatively low-cost employee benefit that aims to save people money in areas where they already spend their disposable income. This includes, but is not limited to:

    • Discounted breakdown cover
    • Mobile phone insurance
    • Gym discounts
    • Discounted cinema tickets
    • Cycle to work schemes
    • Childcare vouchers
    • High street savings

    These platforms can be a great way to engage with your workforce and many of the better providers have developed Apps which help drive utilisation and importantly, make it simple for people to access. Many Private Medical Insurance and Cash Plan providers will offer similar benefits as part of their standard products so it’s important that businesses don’t “double up” and that implementing a discount platform is complementary to other benefits currently in force.