Rising Costs Have Employers Focusing on Preventive Medical Services

Employers are not only asking the employees to pay more of their medical insurance costs, but are also focusing on preventive services in hopes of saving money. A growing number of businesses are offering medical service such as free check-ups, screening exams, and prescription drugs that can possibly save employees hundreds of dollars a year. Companies are looking for way to reduce their overall health-care spending by putting more attention on preventing illness. Many are offering on-site clinics believing that employees will be more productive if they don’t have to leave the workplace to seek medical treatment. Intel Corp, Walt Disney Co., and Toyota Motor Corp., are a few of the businesses that have fully equipped on-site medical centers staffed by doctors and nurses that offer primary-care-type services. Often these clinics are fee free for simple annual physicals or blood-pressure and cholesterol screenings. To treat the common cold or flu could cost between $5 to $10, below the average co-payment for a doctor’s office visit. Marriott International Inc., provides insured employees free generic prescription drugs for controlling chronic conditions like diabetes or asthma, to ensure people take their medications. The amount of money a worker pays towards medical premiums and co-payments have doubled since 2002. Some company’s workplace clinics have helped reduce the overall medical expenses and helped contain employee premiums.