What are healthcare navigation benefits?

Remember when you were learning to drive a car? Going for that first drive was a bit overwhelming, but you knew that the open road in front of you lead to capability, freedom, and opportunity for the taking.

Lucky for you (and the other drivers on the road), you probably had a driver's ed teacher riding shotgun. As a bonafide expert on the rules of the road, they acted as your guide, support system, and mentor as you embarked on the new and intimidating task of navigating roads for the first time.

Once you got the hang of the basics, driving came easily to you. But that doesn’t mean you didn’t need help getting around sometimes. At that point, you turned to your trusty GPS.

That’s essentially what healthcare navigation services are. They’re your co-pilot in the vast world of healthcare services, helping guide employees through the otherwise intimidating world of healthcare. And when you’re “behind the wheel” on a new healthcare plan, you’ll be glad to have them in your passenger seat.

With healthcare navigation, employees can access support to help them choose and use their benefits. Whether it be through, phone, email, or virtual consultation, personalized guidance is at their fingertips through every step of the benefits process.

Regardless of whether you’re a seasoned healthcare expert in a long term relationship with your plan, or a newbie who can’t tell a deductible from an out-of-pocket max (we don’t blame you, TBH) – your healthcare navigation team meets you where you are to help you get the most out of your plan.

Need help choosing a plan during open enrollment? They can help. Need to know what to do with that surprise bill? They’ve got you. What about finding a therapist that’s both in your network and your neighborhood? Yep, you got it. And sitting on hold with the insurance carrier to understand the items listed in your EOB (Explanation of Benefits)? They’re there.

Common healthcare navigation services include:

• Step-by-step guidance and explanations of coverage options
• Personalized support in completing eligibility and enrollment forms
• Unbiased, expert plan recommendations during open enrollment and year-round
• Assistance in finding in-network providers and booking appointments
• Answers to all your medical billing questions

How do employees use healthcare navigation?

Let’s be real: healthcare is super complicated. Even just choosing a plan is a daunting task. No matter how many times they’ve been through open enrollment, too many people are unsure where to even begin.

And even after they’re enrolled, understanding their plan can feel like learning a new language. With so much information thrown at them about coverage, costs, and access — all shrouded by layers of jargon — putting that plan to use can be an overwhelming experience.

Employees use healthcare navigation services as a free resource within their benefits packages to maximize their plans and gain a better understanding of this complex, confusing, confounding system. Using these tools, your team can get personalized answers to all their healthcare questions with the click of a button.

Here are some examples of questions you can ask your healthcare navigation concierge:

• Which of my employer’s healthcare plans would be best for me?
• My doctor prescribed me a new medication — is it covered by my plan?
• Can you help me find a therapist in my area who accepts my insurance?
• I received a surprise bill and I’m not sure why. Can you help me investigate?

How does healthcare navigation impact employees?

Healthcare navigation tools make choosing and using healthcare plans easier, so your employees can focus on what’s important: staying healthy.

And when a healthcare navigation emergency strikes, they can get the help they need ASAP. That’s because many healthcare navigator vendors offer 24/7 support. So even when employees have a question at, say, 3 AM, a healthcare expert can quickly provide them with an answer.

In addition to support calls, healthcare navigation can help your employees manage all the little chores and hassles that come with healthcare: from booking appointments, to refilling prescriptions, to finding nearby locations for lab services.

The best part? These healthcare experts will talk to you like a human. That’s right — they’ll share actionable guidance in simple terms, no jargon necessary.

Why should employers offer healthcare navigation?

Better decisions, lower costs

Here’s the truth: your employees are probably choosing the wrong healthcare plans. Most folks end up selecting a plan that they think will save them money, but end up costing more in the long run — both for themselves and their employer. Giving your team this extra support, both during open enrollment and year round, will help them make better informed choices.

Employee hiring & retention

You work hard to build your team and you want to keep them. 56% of employees reported that whether or not they like their healthcare plans is a factor in determining whether they stay at their jobs.

The key to offering healthcare plans your employees will love? Making sure they choose the right one — and know how to use it.

What are the best healthcare navigation benefits providers?

We got you. Let Nava's benefits experts do the heavy lifting. Contact us here for a personalized vendor recommendation.