GiftCard Partners Blog

The pandemic has been tough for everyone, but it has been particularly difficult for healthcare workers. For those on the front lines of the pandemic, the experience was and continues to be, traumatic. In the beginning, they faced the unknowns of a new disease and over time, having to treat patients through various surges in infection across the country.

Prior to March 2020, telemedicine was a rarely used service. It wasn’t common to video chat with your doctor or receive medical care over the phone or via email. However, since the COVID-19 pandemic began, more doctors are turning to telemedicine in order to stay engaged with patients and provide health care services.

As the mass vaccination effort continues to ramp up across the country, Medicare and Medicaid payers and accountable care organizations are looking for ways to ensure their members get vaccinated as soon as they are eligible. Many Medicare members fall into vulnerable populations due to age, while Medicaid members can be more susceptible to comorbidities, and more making it essential that both populations get vaccinated quickly. Member populations may also require a greater level of education around vaccination due to hesitancy of the vaccine or because they may encounter logistical obstacles as they schedule and travel to their appointments.

For most organizations, the largest benefit expense is employer-sponsored health insurance plans. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, the average annual premium for employer-sponsored health insurance in 2019 was $7,188 for single coverage and $20,576 for family coverage. 

International Women's Day (IWD) is a global holiday celebrating the achievements women have made socially, economically, culturally, and politically around the world. IWD is an acknowledgment of the progress women have made as well as a call to action to keep pushing for equality for future generations.