16 Nov KOBE Aluminum Alloy Products Partnership Controls Costs
KOBE Aluminum Alloy Products ( KAAP) is a picture of financial health. KAAP expanded its facilities and added employees in recent years to keep up with its tremendous growth. Something else grew – health care costs. As the KAAP leadership met with its health insurance broker and insurance carrier to look at 2016, they wanted to accomplish two goals; supplement benefits to employees and contain costs. One area that stood out was the use of hospital emergency rooms. “We knew employees were using the hospital ER for conditions that didn’t require emergency treatment,” said Chris Boggs, General Affairs Manager for KAAP. “But sometimes, that was their only option,” Boggs added. That’s when their broker made a suggestion. He had a similar situation in another state, where the company partnered with a local clinic to give employees access to the care they needed at a reduced cost. That’s when SouthernCare Walk-In Clinics entered the picture. “We already have a great relationship with KAAP, performing their pre-employment drug testing and physicals,” said Charles Fortney, President of Administrative Services for SouthernCare. “We were eager to explore ways to expand that relationship,” he added.
KAAP and SouthernCare entered into an agreement whereby KAAP pays a fixed annual fee for SouthernCare to treat various acute and chronic illnesses of employees and their dependents. “Studies support that a significant percentage of cases that go to emergency rooms for treatment can be effectively treated at clinics like ours for significantly less cost,” said Jase Pinerola, SouthernCare President of Clinical Services. “By partnering with employers and their employees to utilize our clinics, we can effectively drive down medical costs without a significant change in utilization of services,” Pinerola added. “With our three locations and longer operating hours, we know SouthernCare is a convenient option for KAAP employees and their families,” said Fortney. “It’s a win/win for us and our employees” said Boggs. “We know it’s a fraction of the cost to have these illnesses treated at SouthernCare as opposed to the ER. “And they usually can get into one of the SouthernCare clinics much faster and closer to their homes,” Boggs concluded.
“We can tailor the service to fit the needs of the employer and are eager to talk with other area businesses about setting up similar agreements,” said Fortney. Contact either Charles Fortney at [email protected], or Jase Pinerola at [email protected] to learn more.