Self-Insured Benefits Through Scott County
Here at Scott County, we are self-insured group health and dental plan. This means that we assume the financial risk of providing health and dental benefits to our employees. Self-insured employers pay for each out-of-pocket claim as they are incurred instead of paying a fixed premium to an insurance carrier, which is known as a fully-insured plan.
Benefits of being self-insured:
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Scott County can customize the health and dental plans that we offer to meet the specific health and dental needs of our workforce, as opposed to purchasing a 'one-size-fits-all' insurance policy.
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Scott County maintains control over the health and dental plan reserves, enabling maximization of the interest income (income that would be otherwise generated by an insurance carrier through the investment of premium dollars.)
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Scott County does not have to pre-pay for coverage, thereby providing for improved cash flow for our health and dental plans.
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Scott County is not subject to state health insurance premium taxes, which are generally 2-3 percent of the premium's dollar value.
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Scott County is free to contract with the provider network best suited to meet the health care needs of our employees.
Prevention:
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A comprehensive approach to prevention results in less disease, lower costs, improved health outcomes, and higher productivity. Prevention is particularly important as we age. Members, especially men, over age 40 have the greatest opportunity to improve preventive care.
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Here at Scott County, 20% of members over age 45 did not see a primary care doctor last year. Also, 25% of eligible members are overdue for a colon cancer screening and 20% of eligible members are overdue for a mammogram.
Below is a list of care options and the costs associated with those visits to our health plan.
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CareLine $0
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Virtuwell $49
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Convenience Clinic $100
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Urgent Care $175
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Urgency Center $340
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Emergency Room $750
Pharmacy Tools:
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Did you know that prescription costs can differ from pharmacy to pharmacy?
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HealthPartners has an RX Shopping Tool that can help you find the lowest-cost prescription. Just log into your myHealthPartners account, click on the My Prescriptions link, and then you will see your prescription information.
Finding a High-Value Network
Did you know the cost of care varies depending on the doctor you see and the clinic you go to?
A high-value network uses an active strategy to optimize patient care while holding down costs for our employees and the County.
Where you go to see the doctor is important
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A high-quality experience at a lower cost is possible. Choosing where to go is easy. HealthPartners has done the work for you. The HealthPartners network hospitals and clinics are rated on the quality of care they give, and their overall cost. Make the best decision for your health and wallet. Visit healthpartners.com/costandquality.
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Quality Ratings: These scores are based on many different measures of care quality, including how people feel about the care they received. Quality ratings are shown from 1 to 4 stars.
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Cost Ratings: Lower-cost providers are more efficient in finding and treating conditions, charge a lower fee for care, or both. Cost ratings are shown on a scale of 1 to 4 dollar signs.
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You can choose your care based on cost and quality, compare doctors, estimate your annual medical expenses and see how much you might spend on a variety of treatments. Just visit your myHealthPartners account.