Options Supporting Preconception Care in the Workplace

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Options SupportingPreconception Care in the
Workplace

• Mary Stranger,
• Director of Benefits

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Synovus - Who We Are

• Diversified financial services holding company
  based in Columbus,Georgia
• Publicly traded (NYSE SNV)
• Provides banking, financial management, mortgage,
  insurance and leasing services
• Provides electronic payment processing through
  81.1 ownership of TSYS

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Synovus (cont.)

• TSYS processes more than 358 million cardholder
  accounts world-wide
• 41 banks in five southeastern states
• Fortune Magazine 100 Best
• 64 female team members

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Health Plan Trends

• Average healthcare premiums estimated to increase
  10 for 2006

Source Watson Wyatt Survey, 2005
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Current Trends for Employers

• Increased emphasis on analysis of quantitative
  health care data
• Reevaluating health-care vendor relationships
• Account-based plans gaining ground (e.g. High
  Deductible plans)
• Emphasis on individual accountability
• Encouraging employees to look at how lifestyles
  affect health

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Other Considerations

• Business competition
• Access to service providers
• Plan eligibility design options
• Geographic location

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Preconception Health Care

• Absence of accepted billing code
• Clear definition of what this includes
• Consensus among practitioners
• Maintaining health and wellness

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Considerations for Plan Changes

• Literature
• Accepted medical standards
• Claims experience
• Specific state / federal laws
• Future impact on the plan

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Establishing Coverage for Services

• Established CPT code
• Data to demonstrate effectiveness, track
  long-term outcomes
• Greater emphasis on measurement to better
  understand and manage health care delivery
• Consumer education
• Take advantage of momentum to encourage employees
  to be better consumers and make healthy lifestyle
  changes

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Emphasis on Health Status Before Pregnancy

• Health plan design
• Wellness visits
• Disease managementprograms
• Stress Management
• Employee Assistance Programs
• Ongoing education programs

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Perinatal Care Options

• Focus on prenatal care
• Promote compliance with prescribed treatments
• Workplace educational programs
• Baby talk program
• Access to Web-based applications and programs
• Health information
• Provider links
• High-risk case management

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Educational Materials

• Given to team members at workplace education
  programs

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Workplace Health Promotion

• Annual Health Assessments
• Health risk appraisal
• Body mass index
• Weight
• On-site lab tests
• Work/life library
• Internet links

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Future Health Care Challenges

• Increasing utilization of services
• Chronic disease state management
• Encouraging employees to become more efficient
  consumers
• Consumer driven health care
• New health plan designs

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Future Workplace Trends

• Cost sharing by increasing health plan
  deductibles, co-payments, monthly contributions
  and prescription drug costs
• Increase use of data to identify targeted
  interventions
• Emphasis on prevention
• Emphasis on consumerism