With 2022 fast approaching, how can you prioritize your health before the end of the year?
The last two years have taught us that putting the health of ourselves and our loved ones comes first, however, many of us may forget to make time for appointments or to take advantage of wellness benefits, especially during the busy holiday season.
In fact, a recent 2020 On-site survey revealed how some people haven’t had their annual health exams yet this year. In a poll of about 200 patients, almost 31% have not gotten an annual physical exam, 28% have not had an annual eye exam, and 32% have not been to the dentist.
Before the rush of holiday dinners, family gatherings, and last-minute shopping, check out these four ways you can put your health first before the end of the year.
Take advantage of your flexible spending account.
Does your employer’s flexible spending account (FSA) plan expire by the end of the year? If so, you need to put your funds to use or you could lose it forever!
Fortunately, there are plenty of creative ways to use your FSA, such as:
- Purchasing cold and flu medicine
- Getting reimbursed for travel to doctor’s appointments
- Buying a new pair of sunglasses
- Restocking your contact lens prescription
An FSA is a great way to incentivize you to prioritize your health because money is on the line. Research shows about 8% of FSA owners leave an average of $172 in their accounts at the end of the year. Avoid throwing your hard-earned money away and take advantage of this great health and wellness benefit.
Communicate with your employer about any benefits questions.
In our health benefits survey, almost 38% of people surveyed said they would be more likely to use their health benefits if they were easier to understand. Premiums, deductibles, out-of-network — what does it all mean?
Now is a great time to raise your questions to your benefits coordinator. Some questions you can ask include:
- Does our FSA plan expire at the end of the year?
- How many vacation days do I have left and what happens to unused days at the end of the year?
- How does getting married or expanding my family in 2022 impact my health plan?
- What other benefits do we have besides standard health coverage?
When chatting with your benefits coordinator, you can even suggest new ways of delivering health benefits for the year ahead, making it easier to access the care you and your family need.
In the same benefits survey mentioned above, over 61% of patients said they would be more likely to participate in their health benefits if they were offered on-site. 2020 On-site is a great example of how you can bring on-site health care directly to your company. Share our employer contact form with your team and you can have convenient on-site eye exams in no time!
Make it a family affair.
When you make your health a priority, your family will be inspired to do the same! There are many things you can do together to focus on health and wellness before the year ends.
For example, you can plan your holiday dinners together by looking up healthier recipes to make. You can also make it a habit to take after-dinner walks, create bedtime routines, and encourage open communication for mental health.
You can also include your family in any upcoming exams, if possible. Did you know you can bring children eight years old and older onboard our mobile vision clinic for an eye exam? Now you can cross annual eye exams off your to-do list for your entire family — make an appointment with us today.
Make a health plan for 2022.
When it comes to your health, preparation is key. As we head into the new year, make it your goal to prepare a health budget and schedule critical wellness appointments ahead of time because certain appointments can take months to secure, especially as coronavirus is still present throughout the country.
For example, the average dermatology appointment wait is over 32 days. In family medicine, it can take anywhere between 2 and 175 days to make an appointment, depending on your location.
We make it easy to schedule your next eye exam. Check out where our mobile vision clinic is rolling next and make your next appointment with us!