Voice of Business Blog

The following is Part I of a 5-part Voice of Business Blog member post series from Excellus BCBS.

At Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, we understand the pressures small businesses face in today’s economic climate. Rising costs and growing demand for health care - especially for hospital services and prescription drugs – are driving up premiums, making it harder for employers to feel confident in their health plan decisions. But you don’t have to navigate this alone.

As a local, nonprofit Health Plan in our region, we’re committed to helping small businesses find meaningful ways to manage costs while improving the quality of care for employees.

In the coming weeks, we’ll share educational and informative content designed to support employers and their employees as they navigate this complex environment.

To kick off the series, we’re highlighting three practical ways small businesses can help manage rising health care costs.

These programs can help your business, and your team, get more value from your health plan.

1. Virtual Physical Therapy: Expanding Access and Reducing Costs
   Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions—like back, neck, and joint pain—are among the leading drivers of rising health care costs. Virtual physical therapy offers a convenient, cost-effective way for employees to get the care they need without unnecessary imaging, specialist visits, or time away from work. This service can be the first step in addressing MSK conditions to support traditional physical therapy but does not replace your local Physical Therapist.

   Kelly’s story demonstrates the value of virtual physical therapy. “It has really helped. I’m back to walking and I don’t have pain anymore,” Kelly shared.

   Download our Musculoskeletal Conditions Savings Toolkit to learn how this program can benefit your team.

2. Personalized Case Management: Support That Makes a Difference
   Managing chronic or complex health conditions can be overwhelming—for employees and employers alike. That’s where case management comes in. Case managers provide one-on-one support to help members navigate their care, coordinate treatments, and avoid unnecessary costs. Last year alone, more than 33,000 members received personalized support through Excellus BlueCross BlueShield’s case management program.

   Judith’s story is a powerful example. “She’s more than just a voice on the phone,” Judith said of her case manager. “She’s a friend, a mom—everything a person could hope for.”

   Explore our High-Cost Conditions Toolkit to see how employees can take advantage of case management.

3. Smarter Pharmacy Choices: Lowering Costs Without Sacrificing Care
   Prescription drug costs continue to rise, but there are ways to help your employees make smarter, more affordable choices. Our pharmacy programs offer guidance on things such as generic alternatives, lower cost brands, biosimilars, mail-order options, and medication management strategies that can lead to significant savings.

   Download our Pharmacy Savings Toolkit for tips and tools to share with your team.

What You Can Do Today

Here are simple steps you can take right now to help control rising health care costs:

• Visit excellusforbusiness.com to download our cost-saving toolkits, which include resources and prewritten emails to share with employees.
• Share this file with your team to help them feel more in control of their health care decisions.

At Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, 92 cents of every premium dollar we collected in 2024 went directly to medical care for our members. We’re proud to be your partner in navigating rising health care costs and are here to support you in building a healthy workforce and a healthy business.