Feeling sick? Employees are skipping the doctor due to cost

HEALTH INSURANCE: Forty percent of Americans admit they have delayed care due to costs, while one in six say their work has suffered due to a health issue they couldn't afford to address, according to a survey from Paytient . While employees pay an average of $8,435 per year out of their paycheck to cover their healthcare plans, according to KFF , where that money is going is a mystery to most workers. As such, Americans now have $220 billion worth of medical debt, and uncertainty around just how much their care will cost and whether it's worth it to seek care.??

"The task before employers and benefit plan designers is how to ensure the plan comes with the certainty of affordability," says Brian Whorley , founder and CEO of Paytient. "How do they make sure employees are secure to make good decisions and not harmful ones? There's a social compact here where you bring your best self 40 hours a week, and [your employer] takes care of you."

Here's what to consider when offering a healthcare plan: 40% of Americans are delaying healthcare visits despite having insurance

MENTAL HEALTH: While it's important to acknowledge the strides society has made in accepting and discussing mental health, it's critical those conversations are paired with actionable solutions so employees can actually reduce the impact stress has on their well-being, says Edward J. Beltran , CEO of Fierce Conversations , an employee training and development platform.?

"People are able to talk about [mental health], but you have to be able to talk about it in an actionable way," he says. "We have grown accustomed to just accepting aggregate stress. We're trying to help empower employees to become self-aware around what their distinct stressors are: My workload is too much, or I'm dealing with workplace conflict. Then you can move into action."

Here's how to move from thought to action to reduce work stress: Why chronic work stress doesn't have to be the norm

REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH: In 2022, Wisp began offering medication abortion services in nine of the states that currently allow it, so that women less than 10 weeks pregnant could seek guidance and medicine to terminate a pregnancy without going to a clinic. The cost is $200 — about $300 less than a medication abortion done at a facility. The platform also offers same-day online consultations and 24/7 follow-up communication with a licensed medical provider, as well as prescription medications and wellness products for a variety of sexual and reproductive health needs. Services are currently on an individual, cash-only basis.

"We are looking to expand our coverage area to additional states where medication abortion is legal," says Monica Cepak, MBA , Wisp's acting CEO. "Abortion access is healthcare access, and as a brand that's what we stand for."

Here's why advocacy is an important part of reproductive healthcare today: How this reproductive healthcare company supports employees and patients with abortion care