Why Preventive Care Deserves More Attention

When businesses review healthcare costs, they often focus on premiums, claims, and renewals. Yet one of the most effective cost-control strategies isn’t a new insurance product; it’s preventive care.

Encouraging employees to take advantage of screenings, annual physicals, and immunizations can dramatically reduce long-term healthcare spending. Chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease account for the majority of claims costs, and many are manageable or preventable when caught early.

The Employer’s Advantage

When employees skip preventive care, small issues can become expensive ones. That leads to more hospital visits, more missed work, and higher claim costs that affect your renewal rates.

By promoting preventive care, employers can:

• Lower long-term healthcare costs by catching conditions early

• Reduce absenteeism caused by preventable illness

• Improve morale and retention through a culture of wellness

• Boost productivity with healthier, more engaged employees

Keeping your employees healthy also means keeping your organization running smoothly.

Simple Ways to Encourage Preventive Care

You don’t need a large wellness program to make a difference. Small, consistent efforts can drive real results:

• Promote preventive services in your benefits communications, especially those covered at no cost

• Highlight annual checkups during open enrollment and company wellness days

• Share reminders through newsletters or your intranet

• Reward participation with incentives such as gift cards, wellness challenges, or extra time off

The more you normalize preventive care, the more employees will view it as an expected part of their benefits experience.

Swift Kennedy’s Perspective

At Swift Kennedy & Associates, we help employers design benefit strategies that do more than respond to costs. We focus on preventing them. Our team partners with clients to analyze claims data, identify trends, and create tailored wellness approaches that align with their company culture.