Extended health care providers generally appear open to adding coverage for RSWs’ services to health benefit plans if requested by plan administrators. Promoting the inclusion of RSWs services in benefit plans to employers and employees can help include RSW services in standard benefit packages. Consider the following strategies to increase awareness of employees, employers and extended health care providers.
- Learn what your regulatory organizations or association are doing to encourage insurance companies, employers and unions to recognize social work counselling as a valuable and needed benefit in group health plans;
- Develop relationships with local human resources professionals and benefit plan administrators. Explain what social work practice has to offer (beyond what they know about Employee Assistance Programs) and encourage them to consider adding RSWs to group health plans;
- Provide potential and current clients with pamphlets to give to their employer when they ask for coverage;
- Collaborate with other RSWs in private practice to come up with and execute strategies to promote coverage of RSWs in employee benefit plans;
- Inquire with extended health care providers on current coverage of standard plans and optional add-ons, and explore their readiness to add RSWs to the mix of benefits.
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British Columbia |
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Alberta |