COLUMBUS, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sidecar Health, a transformative health insurance company, has announced expansion of its ACA-compliant major medical employer health insurance plans into Georgia following a year of strong growth in Ohio.
Bringing positive disruption to health insurance
Sidecar Health provides innovative health insurance plans that deliver unparalleled choice and access. The company has re-wired health insurance to strip away complicated restrictions while adding much-needed price transparency. It offers leading major medical coverage for mid and large size employers that finally puts consumers in the driver’s seat of their care.
“Typical insurance models pass cost to consumers by way of prior authorizations, restrictive formularies, and narrow networks. By removing these obstacles, we are making a meaningful impact on how members access care. Sidecar Health is the only health plan that deepens access to quality care by aligning incentives and providing complete transparency for employers, employees and providers alike,” said Patrick Quigley, CEO.
More access, better care
The Sidecar Health model removes traditional barriers to getting quality care. “You can go anywhere you want… You don’t have to ask for a referral or ‘is this in network?’ You just don’t even think about it,” says a Sidecar Health major medical member on the unique access her Sidecar Health plan provides.
One excellent example of this is mental health. Today, nearly 80%1 of mental health providers do not accept insurance, significantly limiting access to critical mental healthcare. Sidecar Health group members are not only unconstrained by networks, but they also have unlimited mental health office visits, so they can get the mental healthcare they need. Sidecar Health major medical plan members access healthcare at a rate almost twice that of other major medical health insurance plans.
When it comes to consumer protections, Sidecar Health members enjoy all the protections inherent in a major medical plan and more. Sidecar Health members can rest easy knowing they have access to all healthcare with no out-of-pocket costs beyond their deductible. Additionally, once their deductible is met, Sidecar Health members will never see a bill for charges arising from emergency care and air ambulance services. And, unique to Sidecar Health, members are also protected from balance billing arising from unplanned events that occur during a planned procedure. Given Sidecar Health has first-of-its-kind benefit transparency, members can know before they get care exactly how much their plan pays for any given covered service and can compare that with the price charged by their provider for that service. The result is no unexpected healthcare costs.
Proven success in Ohio
Past success in Ohio demonstrates that Sidecar Health is a win-win for employers and employees alike. Members love the access and quality Sidecar Health offers and have become advocates for the game-changing impact of the model. One group’s Human Resources lead flew to Washington, D.C. to testify at a legislative hearing focused on price transparency and the impact of Sidecar Health: “It’s no secret employers pay the highest rates for healthcare in the U.S., but these investments often do not result in better benefits for employees. Not anymore. Sidecar Health does not compromise quality or access,” said Kendy Troiano, HR manager and Sidecar Health member.
On average, employers switching to Sidecar Health are saving 20% on premiums versus their prior plan. And employers aren’t drawn in with low premiums that ultimately sky-rocket - renewal rate increases are low, coming in at just 4%2 on average for the 2024 plan year. Here’s how one Ohio employer put it, “I knew we were doing the right thing for the employer by saving on premiums… and once we jumped in, things have been going great for the employees.” At the time of this release, the first Georgia-based employers have made the switch to Sidecar Health, starting on 10/1. In addition to groups and members, brokers are also embracing the innovative Sidecar Health model, recognizing its potential to revolutionize the way employers approach healthcare. “Brokers are tired of raising the deductible to the point that healthcare is unaffordable. And, this allows brokers and groups to reset that deductible and make healthcare affordable again,” said Roger, General Agent, health insurance brokerage.
Delivering better health insurance to a bigger audience
“At Sidecar Health, we believe everyone deserves access to quality care,” said Quigley. “With an unwavering focus on delivering the highest quality coverage available in the market, our expansion into Georgia builds upon the success and learnings from our experience in Ohio. The strides we've taken aren't merely progress; they represent a significant leap toward a healthier, brighter future for individuals, families, and businesses.”
About Sidecar Health
Sidecar Health insurance plans deliver industry leading major medical coverage for mid-size and large employers. Based in Ohio, we insure members in 36 states and our benefits are available everywhere providers accept VISA or cash payment. Our mission is to make quality healthcare affordable and accessible to everyone in the US. We believe in a world where patients have the freedom to choose any provider, and pricing is understandable and clear. So, we’ve rewired health insurance with a modern, intuitive, and tech-forward approach that removes obstacles to excellent care and empowers our members with the information they need to make smart decisions about their care. More at sidecarhealth.com.
*Sidecar Health Group Fully Insured Health Insurance Plans are underwritten by Sidecar Health Insurance Company.
1 Treybig, Davis. Here’s Why Mental Healthcare Is So Unaffordable & How COVID-19 Might Help Change This. Harvard Medical School Primary Care Review. https://info.primarycare.hms.harvard.edu/review/mental-health-unaffordable
2 Rates for the 2023 – 2024 plan year as of August 2023.
