FAQ: What Companies are Asking About COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted every aspect of our lives. We’re asking ourselves significant questions, like how many people will be impacted, how long we’ll be practicing social distancing and what the economic impact will look like. We’re also thinking about how to simply get through each day.

Answers to these questions remain uncertain and employers – now more than ever – play a pivotal role in helping their employees through their day-to-day. These three questions have been most frequently asked in our conversations with customers, and may also be helpful in supporting employers as we navigate this situation in real-time: 

Q: How will COVID-19 impact the health care costs for my employees and company this year?

The pandemic has put a tremendous financial strain on individuals, businesses and our economy, as a whole. The good news is that, from a health care benefits perspective, many insurers continue to take measures to ensure people get the care they need when they need it, without having to worry about cost.

We understood early on that the potential cost of health care related to COVID-19 would be significant, both to individuals and their employers. That’s why, over a month ago, we waived co-pays for all diagnostic testing related to COVID-19 and offered zero-dollar co-pay telemedicine visits for any reason. As the situation has evolved, we made the decision to also waive cost-sharing and co-pays for inpatient hospital admissions related to COVID-19.

Our teams are partnering closely with our plan sponsors in consultative ways to help them evaluate the underlying cost implications of COVID-19. Employers are working hard to better understand what their current health plan offerings are providing specific to COVID-19 so that they can help their employees understand these benefits.

Q: How can we keep employees informed about the resources available to them?

Employees are looking for peace of mind that they’ll be able to receive the care they need should they get sick with COVID-19 or another health condition. As a company, you can help your employees feel like they have an action plan in place should they, or a member of their family, start experiencing symptoms.

First and foremost, it’s important to continuously keep employees informed around the latest guidelines from the CDC, including how everyone can play a role in slowing the spread, how to recognize symptoms and how to approach testing and health care if you believe you do have the virus. For some companies, this may mean keeping employees up to date on local testing centers, physicians and hospitals that are in-network.

Telemedicine services can also play a significant role right now in helping people access care, both for their safety and the safety of others. Carefully review the telehealth services – such as Teladoc? – offered within your plan and communicate these options to your workforce.

Q: How can we address the productivity and mental wellbeing of our employees right now?

Whether an employee is adjusting to working remotely, juggling family and professional priorities or meeting high demands as an essential worker still on-site, all of your workers are facing a great deal of stress and anxiety right now. While we want to keep our employees physically healthy by taking precautions to avoid contracting COVID-19, it is equally important that we’re prioritizing employees’ mental health. Promoting connectedness among teams – through virtual team video calls, transparent dialogue and company town halls – will boost workplace morale and ensure employees feel supported, even while we are physically apart.

In addition, Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) are one of the first lines of defense for employees struggling to navigate their new COVID-19 routine and manage stress. If you haven’t already, continue to make your employees aware of EAP resources, including mental health care, stress management and financial planning. Aetna’s EAP Resources for Living? (RFL) has launched a suite of materials designed to support people with stress and anxiety around COVID-19, and the support is currently available to all individuals and organizations, regardless of their benefits plan.

We’ve all been impacted significantly by COVID-19. However, keeping your employees informed on this evolving situation and the resources they have available to them demonstrates that you are facing this together. This situation is temporary, and we’ll eventually get back to our normal routine, but for the time being, employees are leaning on their employers for resources and support.