What Are Wellness Benefits In Group Health Insurance?

“Wellness is gaining prominence in India” is an understatement! With the rise in the adoption of holistic health practices, dietary shifts, mental health awareness, and wellness wearable tech, it is more than safe to say that healthcare is no longer comprehensive without the wellness element. And India’s corporate workforce agrees. According to a joint report from the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Medibuddy, 72% of job seekers care about wellness as a component of employee benefits while prospecting for jobs.

The rising adoption of wellness has led organisations to incorporate comprehensive healthcare plans that address various aspects of their employees’ health. According to a study from Aon, almost eight out of ten companies in India have increased their spending on employee wellbeing. Additionally, the same report shows a 51% increase in companies that have added outpatient coverage as part of their employee benefits plans.

The reason why these corporates are meeting the need for a healthier and holistic approach to the healthcare of individuals in India is because a comprehensive benefits package benefits them as well as it does the employees. So, if you are wondering whether adding wellness benefits to your organisation’s group health insurance plan is a good idea, then this blog is for you.

Importance of Wellness Benefits In Group Health Insurance

Wellness benefits as part of a group health insurance policy are an optional service that the employer can choose to provide to their employees at an additional cost. It makes the medical coverage holistic and lucrative for the policyholder. Wellness features can include but are not limited to – discounted or complimentary health checkups, mental health support, fitness services, and dental care.

These benefits not only ensure a well-rounded healthcare but also have the potential to lower claims made during the policy period and thereby reducing the premium costs.

In addition to making group policy premiums affordable, wellness perks are becoming increasingly relevant in workplaces. They are being deployed to enhance productivity and employee satisfaction while also improving business outcomes.

Additionally, availing them as a group health insurance inclusion can be cost-effective compared to buying it as a separate employee benefit. To add more context, we have enlisted a few attractive benefits of adding wellness benefits to a group health insurance policy.

Also read: 10 Reasons Why Companies Should Offer Health Insurance To Employees

Benefits of Purchasing Group Health Insurance With Wellness Perks

1. Reducing Healthcare Costs

Wellness perks offer a proactive approach to healthcare. Individuals can leverage preventive care to detect and manage chronic diseases like hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular illnesses, and mental health conditions like depression and anxiety. This early detection can prevent hospitalisation and lower claims, resulting in lower insurance premiums over time.

2. Boosting Employee Productivity & Engagement

Lack of proper healthcare is the biggest reason for absenteeism and low employee morale at workplaces. By offering your employees a comprehensive healthcare program, not only can you improve their wellbeing but also ensure continued business growth.

Healthy employees are more productive and engaged at work. And when they get value-added wellness perks like gym memberships and complimentary mental health support, they are twice as likely to be motivated and loyal.

3. Lowering Absenteeism & Presenteeism

Absenteeism at work has often been linked to physical and mental health issues among employees. Medical coverage combined with wellness perks can cater holistically to these issues and ensure that employees take fewer sick leaves and perform better at work. Additionally, when employees are both physically and mentally sound, they are more engaged and present at work.

4. Enhancing Employee Retention & Attraction

Attrition and recruitment can be a severe cost to companies. Specially if they are in a competitive industry, attrition or an unsuccessful hiring can cost over Rs. 20 lakhs. As we mentioned earlier, job seekers place great importance on the benefits offered by their employer.

By offering a well-rounded health and wellness perk, you can not only reduce attrition at work but also attract highly skilled professionals without having to spend a fortune on recruitment.

5. Supporting Mental Health

Burnout, stress, and anxiety are becoming commonplace in corporate India. By providing mental health support to employees, businesses can create a culture-defining moment in the workplace. Not only does this initiative promote a healthy work environment, but it also improves productivity levels. Additionally, mental wellness benefits are easily accessible with most group health insurance policies in India.

In addition to this, there are various ways that you can incorporate wellness perks to generate ROI-positive outcomes. Yes, you heard that right! If you think that a comprehensive healthcare plan is a cost-intensive addition then think again because adding wellness to a group health insurance plan can save you lakhs in future costs. Let’s understand the cost benefits of adding wellness to the health insurance mix.

Relevant read: 14 Best Employee Perks to Attract and Retain Top Talent

Understanding The Cost-Benefit Of Employee Wellness

While a comprehensive health benefit is an immediate cost to your business, various findings showcase how effectively it can save your business from potential operational costs. Some of those findings are listed below:

• According to an Assocham study from 2018, corporate wellness programs, if implemented effectively, can save corporate India nearly $20 billion each year.

• By implementing employee wellness, companies can also bring down the rate of absenteeism. And if reports are to be believed, absenteeism in India cost employers $14 billion in the year 2022 alone.

• Furthermore, for every Rs. 1 that is spent on employee wellness, employers can save Rs.132.33 on absenteeism costs, and Rs. 6.62 back as reduced health care costs.

• In India, studies suggest that for every Rs. 1 spent on wellness, companies can save up to Rs. 3 – Rs. 6 as productivity gains.

Creating a highly inclusive and comprehensive health and wellness benefit can be an intensive task. It is specially cumbersome for small and medium businesses, as there are several budget and operational constraints. If you apply an enterprise-level solution to your small business, you won’t be able to generate ROI-positive outcomes.

Fortunately, you can customise and configure these benefits to match your organisation’s specific goals and requirements. Before we dive into how to customise health and wellness perks, let’s first identify the top 5 wellness benefits that you can easily offer along with the group health insurance policy.

Top 5 Wellness Benefits Customisable With Group Health Insurance

Many insurers in India are providing employers with the option to integrate wellness benefits into group health insurance plans to promote a healthy and productive workforce. Here is a detailed breakdown of the top 5 wellness benefits that can be clubbed with your company’s group health insurance plan:

1. Health Checkups

Common Inclusions:

• Free or discounted annual health check-ups
• Preventive screenings for diabetes, cholesterol, and heart disease
• Comprehensive tests (CBC, ECG, thyroid, LFT, KFT, etc.)
• Specialised tests like Cancer screening, mammogram, bone density, and vitamin deficiency tests

Why It Matters:

• Helps in early detection of diseases and reduces long-term medical costs
• Encourages a culture of preventive care at work
• Lowers claims and insurance costs for employers

How Onsurity Can Help: Employees protected with Onsurity benefits get up to 60% discounts on lab tests.

2. Fitness Programs

Common Inclusions:

• Discounted or free gym memberships
• Yoga, Zumba, or fitness training sessions
• Step-count and activity-based rewards & incentives
• Corporate wellness challenges and weight management programs

Why It Matters:

• Encourages regular exercise; lowers obesity and lifestyle-related diseases
• Boosts employee energy levels, focus, and productivity
• Lowers risks of chronic illnesses, leading to fewer medical claims

How Onsurity Can Help: Onsurity offers exciting discounts on Cult memberships and various fitness workshops from trainers and fitness experts.

3. Mental Health Support

Common Inclusions:

• Counseling sessions (virtual & in-person)
• Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) for stress, anxiety, and burnout
• 24*7 access to mental health helplines
• Mindfulness, meditation, and work-life balance workshops

Why It Matters:

• Addresses work stress & burnout
• Improves employee morale and job satisfaction
• Helps in managing depression & anxiety at work

How Onsurity Can Help: Onsurity provides complimentary mental health sessions and various types of workshops for empaneled employees.

4. Discounted Medicine & Diagnostic Tests

Common Inclusions:

• Discounts on prescription medications at partner pharmacies
• Discounted rates for lab tests and imaging (MRI, CT scans, etc.)
• Free home delivery for essential medicines
• Access to teleconsultations with doctors at reduced costs

Why It Matters:

• Reduces outpatient healthcare expenses for employees
• Ensures timely access to necessary medications
• Saves employers money on medical claims in the long run

How Onsurity Can Help: Telemedicine is one of the most lucrative benefits offered by Onsurity. Employees can get up to 15% off on 1mg medicine orders and up to 60% discounts on lab tests.

5. Dental Care

Common Inclusions:

• Free or discounted dental check-ups
• Coverage for cleaning, scaling, fillings, and root canals
• Orthodontic (braces) and cosmetic dentistry discounts
• Access to a network of dental clinics at special rates

Why It Matters:

• Prevents costly dental procedures by promoting early care
• Reduces work disruptions due to dental pain and emergencies
• Encourages better oral hygiene habits among employees

How Onsurity Can Help: Onsurity has partnered with Clove Dental to provide empanelled employees with dental care subscriptions for 12 months at just Rs. 399.

Also read: The Importance of Regular Health Checkups for Employees

How To Customise Wellness Benefits With Group Health Insurance?

1. Assess Employee Needs

In order to implement the most viable health and wellness program at your workplace, you should conduct an employee survey to identify wellness goals and common health issues. Consider certain demographics like age, job roles, and work stress levels. You can make this exercise more effective by taking into account the historical data of medical claims of your employees.

2. Incorporate Digital Wellness Solutions

Partner with insurers that easily integrate mobile apps and wearable tech to help your employees utilise various wellness services like – fitness, telemedicine, and mental health support. Digital integration not only improves employee experience but also ensures maximum participation.

3. Incentivise Participation

Lack of employee participation is a common challenge organisations face in implementing wellness programs. In order to boost participation, provide specific incentives such as gift cards, additional paid leaves, or additional platform discounts. Partner with an insurer who can deploy highly engaging and rewarding wellness and health camps.

4. Make Wellness Programs Inclusive

Inclusive wellness benefits can cater to employees of all age groups, fitness levels, and health conditions. The most effective way to do this is by offering a few core wellness benefits that can be utilised by all employees alike. Additionally, you can offer a few optional benefits that employees can avail based on their preferences. Customisation is the key.

5. Regularly Evaluate and Adapt

Monitor participation rates and collect feedback to improve wellness initiatives over time. Partner with an insurance provider who can offer valuable insights on membership usage and affinity.

Why Onsurity Health and Wellness Benefits Are A Cut Above The Rest?

When it comes to offering wellness benefits with group health insurance, Onsurity goes above and beyond to provide highly customisable and flexible benefits that suit the specific needs of every workplace. Let us walk you through some exciting platform features that Onsurity has in store for you and your team:

1. Effortless Claims With Good Doctors

When it comes to managing claims and raising requests, businesses don’t have to worry about spending tedious hours filling out paperwork. Employees that use the Onsurity app can easily raise a cashless claim or request reimbursement via the app and get assisted by the Good Doctors team for all their health and claims-related enquiries.

2. Highly Customisable Plans

Be it a small remote team or a large enterprise, Onsurity can customise plans for teams of all sizes. This is particularly relevant for employers who wish to customise and introduce wellness perks along with the group health insurance policy.

You can cherry-pick and customise common wellness perks like mental health support, wellness workshops and camps, fitness memberships, discounted telemedicine, and health checkups as required.

3. Tech-Driven Experience

Your employees can make the most of their Onsurity membership via the Onsurity app. It is a seamless integration that lets your team raise and manage insurance claims, order lab tests and medicine, get mental health support, participate in wellness workshops, and avail exciting discounts on Cult membership. Furthermore, the TeamSure admin dashboard from Onsurity helps you effortlessly manage your team and gather valuable insights to make the employee experience fruitful.

To sum it up, Onsurity is the new-age digital alternative to the traditional insurance provider that doesn’t offer you the same flexibility and accessibility. The cherry on top is the monthly subscription model, where you can opt for monthly billing on a health and wellness membership, with plans starting from just Rs. 145 per employee.

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