With focuses on affordability and local engagement, Health Net presents an individualized approach to healthcare insurance for Oregonians and local employers.
Almost all business owners want to provide quality healthcare coverage for their employees, but it’s no secret that the cost of insurance often puts employers in difficult positions. And in the era of “The Great Resignation” — a time when employees are leaving jobs in droves — the challenge of keeping employees happy and productive can be even more challenging.
“Many employers using health insurance benefits not only see benefits in hiring new employees, but also in retention,” says Health Net Account Executive Dwight Stegner. “We are seeing richer benefits being offered to attract and retain employees.”
Since 2000, Health Net of Oregon ― a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Centene Corporation, which insures over 25 million Americans ― has prided itself on providing that value to employers, but it is perhaps most proud that it has maintained affordable coverage options for employees. And while many providers try different methods to bring costs down, Health Net approaches affordability with a variety of cost-effective measures in how it operates.
“We are consistently working to ensure we are offering the most affordable coverage for our members,” Stegner says. “In 2019, we saved our members an average of $23 a month through increased focus on care coordination, utilization management, and member education.”
With a vast portfolio of products that covers over 170,000 lives across the state and with partnerships with 50 Oregon hospitals (including Salem Hospital), Health Net of Oregon and its parent company, Centene, are one of seven primary providers offering health insurance for employers. So, what sets Health Net apart? Stegner says part of the company’s winning formula is its healthcare philosophy.
“We want to treat the whole person, not just the physical ailment or the physical body,” Stegner says. “We focus on individual care and make sure we treat each individual with respect and dignity.”
Dwight Stegner, Account Executive at Health Net
Stegner says Health Net’s holistic approach to healthcare is more than a company slogan; it’s a mindset behind everything Health Net employees do. By treating the whole person and by making individuals healthier, one at a time, the larger aspirational idea is that the entire community becomes stronger and healthier, too.
In his role as an Account Executive, Stegner gets the opportunity to work directly with community members in the Willamette Valley. Much of that work involves connecting with and educating brokers in the area about Health Net’s offerings, but it also includes local community engagement efforts with organizations like the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce. Stegner says the company’s focus on local communities also helps set it apart from the other large healthcare providers in the state.
“Our involvement with the Salem Chamber and participating in the Friday morning Greeters events — along with sponsorship of Chamber events, such as the First Citizen Awards Banquet — have been meaningful ways for us to actively engage with Salem residents.”
Along with its engagement with the Salem Chamber, Health Net recently sponsored the 11th Annual Salute to Veterans Car & Motorcycle Show in Hillsboro, with proceeds supporting veterans organizations.
Stegner says one of the company’s goals is to continue expanding opportunities for local engagement and education, and one opportunity quickly approaching on the calendar is Health Net’s Paid Leave Law Webinar. Hosted as part of the company’s Wellness Webinar Series, the informational event is designed to help employers prepare for the Oregon Paid Leave Law, which goes into effect in January of 2023.
Salem Chamber members are invited to attend the webinar. Here are the details:
Event: Paid Leave Law Webinar
Host: Health Net
Date & Time: Friday, September 30, 10:00am to 11:00am
Sign up: Contact Health Net Account Executive Dwight Stegner at dwight.stegner@healthnet.com
As far as what’s next for Health Net of Oregon, Stegner says the plan is to remain as active as possible while staying true to the company’s mission of serving Oregon’s communities and the individuals within it.
“Health Net is always looking to expand our products to best fit community and employer group needs. We are focused on remaining price-competitive and active in Marion and Polk Counties in coming months and years, and I hope to be very active with my own community involvement and engagement in the Salem area and with the Chamber.”
To learn more about Health Net of Oregon and about what it offers, visit HealthNetofOregon.com.