Versa-Tags, a printing manufacturer in Cuba, Missouri that specializes in promotional products, prides itself on cultivating an employee-first culture. They care deeply for their 110 employees and believe employee medical care should be affordable and comprehensive. Versa-Tags was experiencing extreme health benefits cost increases annually, while their leadership had limited visibility into the claims data and was never provided data-driven information about the reason for their annual increases. In a highly competitive labor market, Versa-Tags could not pass on any cost increases to their employees and needed to stand out by offering additional program enhancements without increasing benefits costs.

“Historically, we paid up to 90% of the monthly premiums for our employees’ medical coverage, and we paid up to 75% of the premiums for their dependents,” said Vice President of Versa-Tags Bri Garden. “We never wanted our medical coverage to be something that our employees would have to decide if they could afford, and we believe coverage should be robust in the services it covers with low out-of-pocket expenses beyond the monthly premiums.”

However, each year, Versa-Tags’ insurance providers would share that its plan designs were being reduced while premiums were being increased. According to Garden, “We felt trapped in a cycle of increasing costs and lesser coverage for our employees and their families.”

“For years before we transitioned, our leaders held our breath at each insurance benefits renewal meeting, anxious to hear how much the year’s increase would be,” Garden said. “Rarely did we see a renewal proposal decrease with the same carrier. We’d have little-to-no control or visibility into our claims data and simply had to trust that the reason for our increases was justified.”

The search for a solution

With health insurance already being the most expensive employee benefit outside of salaries – and having increased an average of 22% over the past five years for employers across the U.S.  – Versa-Tags began looking for a solution that aligned with their values to give employees affordable and comprehensive health insurance. In their search, they discovered BJC HealthSolutions, which offered a self-funded plan and an innovative approach to employer-sponsored health care benefits. Recognizing the potential value and savings in this option, Versa-Tags transitioned from a fully insured medical benefits plan to a self-funded benefits plan through BJC HealthSolutions.

Now, Versa-Tags has visibility and can better control its financial spending. The business leaders created a plan that aligned with their values and offered better benefits alongside affordable and comprehensive medical care to employees, while delivering better control over financial spending through access to data and trends. Employees engaged in the BJC HealthSolutions Wellbeing Program began receiving on-site biometric screenings, health fairs and company campaign challenges.

“We understand how important the healthcare provider is in our lives and communities,” Garden said. “With BJC HealthSolutions, we found what we were missing before, a health care provider that is with us, at the table, working to provide the best experience for our employees.”

All the pieces come together

Successful implementation of a self-funded benefits plan comes through regular collaboration between partners. Versa-Tags works closely with BJC HealthSolutions and its broker throughout the year to provide the best solutions to its employees. Where Versa-Tags previously felt an “us versus them” experience when working with its insurance providers, it now collaborates closely, meeting with the team to improve and expand affordable, accessible health care for employees.

“BJC HealthSolutions offers an unprecedented ability to partner with the local clinics and hospital to find solutions to our employees’ health needs,” Garden said. “We work together to access care, and the BJC care team is an excellent resource when questions arise.”

Versa-Tags employees and covered family members are encouraged to build a close relationship with their primary care physicians through benefits like $0 copays for using the BJC HealthSolutions Tier 1 network in addition to 24/7 Virtual Visits. Plus, the group is engaging with their primary care physicians at a high rate — wellness visits are 15% higher than average, and participation in the Wellbeing Program was greater than 55% in the first year.

“Perhaps more importantly, the emphasis on preventive medicine is unmatched,” Garden said. “We believe serious illness is best treated when preventive medicine is frequent and easily accessible. BJC shares this outlook and is quick to provide resources, education materials and expertise for the health needs of our employees.”

Measuring success

For Versa-Tags, the results cannot be overstated. “A large and often overlooked impact on our employees is the potential for seamless benefits and open enrollment,” Garden said. “The frequent carrier changes are eliminated, and employees no longer need to worry about having to change or completely update their providers. This allows employees to build long-term relationships with providers they trust.” Additionally, we have seen so much participation in health offerings that BJC has brought to our facility, such as on-site screenings, flu shots, health and wellness expert visits and more.”

According to Garden, “We have seen a decrease in our total annual cost of about 15%. We know however, this may fluctuate depending on the year and any critical illness/injury that arises, but by having a strategic partner and access to trends we are prepared for those years to come.” Not only did Versa-Tags see this 15% estimated decrease in annual health benefits cost, it came at a zero dollar increase in employee health plan contribution.

To learn more about BJC Health Solutions, visit BJC.org/healthsolutions.