With health care costs rising and health outcomes still mixed, Dallas small group business health providers may begin offering additional food-based benefits with their plans.
Dallas small group health insurance recipients may begin to see plans offering more food-based benefits, including meals and healthy groceries.
Health professionals have long addressed the link between food and physical health, particularly as Americans are consuming more fast-food and processed foods. Now insurers are introducing new ideas that they hope will place food as a prevention-based option to good health, similar to exercise.
Even the federal government is jumping on board. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced they are considering approving insurance plans with additional components that may include food-based benefits. Although the language has not been fully defined, federal insurance plans may begin to include benefits such as the inclusion of healthy groceries and home-delivered meals. Providers of small group health insurance in dallas are already taking steps to modify plan details once more clarity has been provided.
An interesting consequence of these changes could be more consumers switching from traditional Medicare to Medicare Advantage. Medicare Advantage is usually run via private insurers offering CMS-approved plans. How small group insurance providers handle these changes will be vital as there are distinct coverage differences and limitations between the two plans. Also, health care professionals caution that food-based benefits could reduce more traditional ones currently provided in Medicare.
Nevertheless, food-based benefits opens up a new pathway for providers and beneficiaries alike. Insurance providers certainly may experience health care costs fall while consumers could improve their health through better nutrition. For example, according to a recent study those in a medically-tailored meal program had a sixteen percent decrease in overall medical spending as well as lower numbers in inpatient hospital admissions, ER visits and transports. Rick Thornton, a Dallas small business health insurance agent, agrees. “My clients are looking for ways to offer cost-effective plans with great benefits. And improving the health and well-being of the members is the ultimate objective.”
As health care costs continue to rise, the introduction of food-based benefits should find their way into both group and individual health plans. If early data is any indication, group insurance providers and consumers may experience positive outcomes because of it.
Insurance4Dallas, (I4D), helps insure all of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Arizona, Louisiana, New Mexico, Alabama, Virginia and Florida. Insurance4Dallas provides consumers with detailed information on health insurance with the ability to purchase health insurance online. Insurance4Dallas provides a full spectrum of health, dental, vision, life and ancillary insurance products, providing a diverse selection of price and benefit options complemented by personal customer service. Available via phone, email or fax, Insurance4Dallas answers consumer questions throughout the purchasing process and during the utilization of its health insurance policies.
