For 25 years, technology consultant and implementor solutions4networks made it a priority to provide its workforce with topnotch healthcare benefits with minimal expenses out of their pockets.
When solutions4networks faced a whopping 25 percent increase in its benefits costs, Founder and CEO Michele McGough immediately knew what to do.
As a long-time Pittsburgh Technology Council Member and a member of its board of directors, McGough decided it was time to look at what the Tech Council’s Benefits Group had to offer her fast-growing company through My Benefit Advisor.
“It was like a three-alarm fire, and we only had six weeks to figure this out,” exclaimed McGough.
“A lot of companies are facing dramatic rate increases. Our goal was to try to figure out what's really driving your costs, specifically, if you were outside the Affordable Care Act (ACA),” said Craig Pritts of My Benefit Advisor. “As we went to market, we learned some things from different carriers about the risk of solutions4network’s group. We ended up finding a solution with The Difference Card for the medical coverage. But through that process, we also talked about a lot of other things like dental, vision, life and disability coverage. And it was amazing to be able to create some savings in some areas, add some additional lines, or some additional coverage… things that maybe employees could get really excited about!”
The Difference Card set up an account that helps employees save money on medical costs. It's funded by the employer and works with your medical insurance provider. With the new plan, solutions4network employees with family coverage would have a $9,400 deductible, but the first $8,000 is covered by The Difference Card which is literally like a credit card to pay for medical expenses. The Difference Card also covers all of the employees’ copayments resulting in almost no out of pocket for our employees.
“I had never heard of the company ‘The Difference Card’ before,” said McGough “Here's the good news. We had started out 25 years ago paying 100%. And now we're down to 70%. But we still pay 100% of eye and dental insurance and long-term disability, because it's really important that we provide good benefits to our team. But The Difference Card was almost like giving my team a raise.”
“And the reason that this was doable is, in general, only some of your employees are going to use all your deductible…Based on everything you put together -- which was amazingly, excessively great -- the worst case was an increase of 10%,” said McGough. “The best case was we actually saved a little bit. We’re growing more than we've ever grown in 25 years. This, in itself, is amazing. And it’s huge when we're adding 20 people!”
“We were able to keep digging into that toolbox to find the right solution, and we were able to generate some really nice savings,” said Pritts. “But I think the most important thing is what we were able to do for the employees. I can imagine you got a line out the door right now for people who want to work with you because of the benefits that you're offering at this time.”
Learn more and connect at: https://ptc.mybenefitadvisor.com/