That’s the age-old question, isn’t it? How do you maximize your benefits? Well first you have to define what your benefits mean to you.
To some, benefits mean health, dental and vision coverage. To others, they mean retirement savings and life insurance policies. To your coworker they could mean work perks and holidays. To your boss they could mean team building seminars and trainings. What do they mean to you? I can help you narrow it down!
First things first, you should set up an appointment with your benefit specialist to see what you, your spouse or your parent’s employer has to offer. They will be able to break down what is covered under each medical, dental and vision plan. They can also lay out what supplemental/voluntary benefits are offered and any other perks included under their employment.
By setting up this meeting you are starting a relationship where you can get comfortable asking questions and building trust which can help further maximize your benefits later on. You may not have a question now, but I guarantee you will down the road.
After finding out the basics and if they are affordable for you and your family, look into any additional perks that are not only beneficial to you, but are at zero cost!
Ask what discounts your employer offers! Here at Wildwood, we offer our employees discounts for Bj’s Wholesale Club memberships, auto/home insurance through Liberty Mutual, pet insurance through Nationwide, cell phone contracts and more! Have you asked your employer what discounts they offer? Don’t hold out, find out today!
Along with discounts, check to see what reimbursement options there are for you as well. Thinking of joining a gym? Through Wildwood’s CDPHP medical plan you can get reimbursed up to $600 per family for gym memberships.
If you dig a little deeper into the CDPHP medical plan, you will learn that you can earn life points for gift cards by completing wellness activities through Cafe Well. These activities can include personal health assessments, getting annual physicals, flu shots, webinars and more!
Sound familiar? Our wellness plan at Wildwood has the same idea! However, instead of redeeming gift cards, you receive a discounted rate for your medical premium. Don’t have CDPHP? Don’t fret! You may be able to access similar benefits with your insurance.
You may be reading this article as a supervisor looking for counseling services, trainings and self-help tools for your employees. See if your employer offers an employee assistance program or EAP! Wildwood provides EAP to all of our employees, free of charge. The EAP includes not only the services listed above, but legal assistance, financial coaching, educational planning and that is only scratching the surface. See if your insurance includes EAP, you will not regret it!
After briefly touching on a few notable options, do you feel ready to take the next step? How will you maximize your benefits?