Mercer's Top Six Action Items For Benefit Managers

Mercer, one of the top benefit consulting firms, shared their top six recommended action items to manage costs.

The Mercer Top Six

In a two-part blog series, Mercer highlighted six action items to manage and contain healthcare spend:

1. Have a strategy to manage specialty costs
2. Protect yourself from high-cost claims
3. Help plan members understand the cost of care at various access points
4. Explore strategies to help individuals juggle competing financial priorities
5. Take a detailed look at how paid time off benefits are administered and managed
6. If you are not sure what your workforce wants, find out

How A Dedicated Clinic Helps

We agree with Mercer that these six priorities are vital. Our clinic model can be a central element of your benefits strategy that addresses items 1-4 on their list. Let's take a look.

1. Have a strategy to manage specialty costs: The majority of the specialty costs Mercer speaks of are drug costs. A recent study of the impact of the Vera on-site clinic at Seattle Children's Hospital showed that per-patient pharmacy costs were $817.53 less on an annual basis for any patient who used the clinic at least once.
2. Protection from high-cost claims: Avoiding high-cost claims begins with a managed care approach. Dedicated clinics become a patient's medical home. By managing referrals and coordinating follow-up treatment plans with patients, the clinic team drives down overall healthcare costs and increases quality of care.
3. Help plan members understand the cost of care at various access points: Because a dedicated clinic is free to the individual, they will naturally be more likely to visit it first rather than other higher cost options. Our data shows significant reductions in ER costs for patients who are engaged at a clinic.
4. Explore strategies to help your workforce juggle competing financial priorities: Dedicated clinics are free to individuals, making it possible for them to use the clinic often, regardless of their financial situation.

As you focus on cost containment by building an innovative benefit strategy, consider the impact a dedicated clinic could have.

Read part 1 and part 2 of Mercer’s blog series in its entirety.