- Some employees can't access COVID vaccines. Insurance companies are working to resolve billing and coding issues. But in the meantime, some people are being turned away for vaccines or being asked to pay for them.
- Put pressure on insurance companies. As the customer base for insurance providers, benefits professionals can reach out to providers to urge them to solve billing issues quickly
- Communicate with employees often. Even if a solution is still being developed, frequent and early communication with workers will help maintain trust.
- Re-examine workplace health and safety. Employers should take a fresh look at the work environment to ensure it is as safe as possible for employees, particularly those who are immunocompromised.
With return-to-office mandates taking effect, work travel once again sending employees around and out of the country, and the holidays approaching, many workers are seeking out the next COVID booster.
But now that the boosters are being offered for the first time as a commercial product rather than being distributed by the federal government, some people are being told their insurance won't cover the shot, while others are being charged up to $200.
The vaccine should be available at no cost to those with health insurance plans, insurance providers have reiterated, noting that the issues are due to system and billing problems because the booster is a new commercial product.
“Health insurance providers are united in their commitment to ensuring that Americans have the access to vaccines they need and deserve, including COVID-19 vaccines and boosters,” stated AHIP, a political advocacy and trade association of American health insurance companies, in a press release.
Employers should reach out directly to their health insurance companies, said Mary Kay O'Neill, MD, MBA, partner, senior health consultant at MercerWELL, who has a background as a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician.
“The role of the employer, from an HR function, is that they need to pivot to their pharmacy benefits managers and tell them, 'Get this fixed,'” she said. “Businesses are their customers, and they'll listen to them.”
Addressing Workplace Health
If employees who are seeking the new booster are not yet able to get it, now is a good time for employers to ensure their offices and policies are geared toward employee health and safety.
“Employers need to think about workplace safety and duty of care,” O'Neill said. “Workplace safety is not just a good thing to have. It's a responsibility.”
Potential steps employers may choose to take include:
- Permitting some employees to work from home for the time being, particularly if they are immunocompromised or live with someone who is.
- Taking another look at how employees are spaced out throughout the workplace.
- Examining and improving office air quality.
- Reiterating that employees who want to wear masks can do so.
- Investigating the latest COVID case and hospitalization statistics for an area prior to sending employees there on a business trip.
Communicate with Employees and Remove Barriers
Benefits professionals should stay in regular contact with their employees about the delays in vaccine billing, what exactly their health plans cover and steps they are taking to address the issue in their own workplace
Communication with employees should include information about Americans with Disabilities Act accommodations when relevant, resources from the employer's health insurance company or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about where to access vaccines that are covered by the business's health plan, and contact information such as a hotline number that employees can reach out to if they run into barriers.
Early and regular communication is key to maintaining employee trust, said Jenna Bishop, senior management consultant with Helios HR.
“Even if you are still developing a solution, make sure to communicate regular updates to your employee population,” Bishop said. “This shows you are aware of the issues and working on their behalf to get them resolved.”
She added, “Given the uncertainties facing employers and employees, knowing that your employer will go to bat for you will go a long way in building loyalty and trust with your employee base.”
As a general rule, employers should effectively, and regularly, communicate with their workers about all the benefits offered through their employer-sponsored health plans, said Katy Johnson, senior counsel, health policy with the American Benefits Council.
“There are tremendous benefits to employees understanding their benefits,” Johnson said. “I'm always impressed with how they (employers) consider the demographics of their specific workforce. It's not necessarily one-size-fits-all with communications approaches. I think employers are more successful when they think about their specific workforce, and how they can work with their unique demographic.”
Businesses may also want to look into offering on-site clinics for both flu and COVID vaccines offer convenient access for their workers.
“One of the things we know about health activities and health behaviors is that they take time and energy and organization on the part of the individual,” O'Neill said. “Making something easily accessible during working hours is really a problem solver, It's not just about the cost of the vaccine, it's about the cost to the individual of actually making it happen.”
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