Discount medical and lifestyle benefits are elegant in their simplicity and unlike insurance; typically, there are no forms to complete (with the exception of a patient profile for mail order pharmacy and Consult A Doctor™), no claims to file and no pre-existing condition exclusions. Virtually anyone and everyone can take advantage of the savings offered by using a discount card. Members take their card to a participating provider and pay the discounted price at the point of service. Although any organization may choose to private label their card program, it is the network or vendor name on the back of the membership card that triggers the discount.

The landscape is shifting and employers are evaluating the ever-changing needs of the workplace.  HR managers need the tools and resources to increase productivity, morale and attendance.  Offering assistance in balancing work/life pressures is a central factor.  While millions of consumers already use discount cards to reduce out of pocket costs on healthcare expenses, now the trend is to include products and services people use every day – like financial help lines, discounts on legal services, movie and theme park tickets, auto maintenance, hotel/motel, and so much more.  Adding lifestyle benefits allows employees to save money in all areas of their lives.

Supplemental benefits are typically a voluntary purchase.  But because discount benefits are so inexpensive, many employers have discovered it makes sense to pay for certain benefits that address their unique workplace concerns.  To keep employees healthy and at work, benefits such as Consult A Doctor™ have proven to save time while attacking the ailment early on before other employees are exposed and possibly infected.  This benefit lets the employee call the doctor to describe the symptoms, and the physician then prescribes the appropriate medication to treat the condition.  Roadside assistance and legal services also help decrease absenteeism.  Among its many features roadside assistance includes towing service, flat tire repair and help with dead batteries.  This is a “no excuses” program which virtually eliminates calls from employees saying their car won’t start and they can’t come in to work.  Discount legal services have become a mainstream benefit.  Employees can obtain affordable, capped hourly rates in addition to preparation of a simple will, review of documents and many other services at no cost.  Companies offering this benefit will be less likely to have employees taking time off to find an attorney to help tend to pressing legal matters.  But one size does not fit all.  Flexibility to customize benefit packages is germane to a holistic solution.  Because consumerism is forcing employees to take control, become better educated and assume responsibility for a portion of their healthcare expenses, offering a menu of benefits allows employees the freedom to select the options that best fit their family’s needs and budget.

There should be no confusion about the role discount benefits play in a consumer driven market.  They are not an alternative to health insurance, but one part of the solution to lower healthcare costs.  The discount industry continues to grow and be vibrant as it has evolved from a cottage industry to a viable and essential piece of the healthcare puzzle.  When program participants know exactly what they will pay for their prescription drugs or a pair of eyeglasses for example, it is transparency at its finest.  The consumer knows what is owed at the point of service, versus waiting for the claim to be filed and processed to see what portion is still left to be paid.  Today the consumer is being asked to make buying decisions based on what they need, not what they want.  Unlike insurance where premiums increase with additional dependents and over utilization, discount programs thrive on and encourage consumption.  Discount cards are low cost with high value and can easily pay for themselves with just one prescription, eyeglass purchase or visit to the dentist.  When you consider only 1 in 10 people ever meets their health insurance deductible, discount benefits are a perfect fit for the other nine.