Pay BillSummer 2025 Insight Employer Newsletter
Your employees can get rewarded by taking charge of their health
Independent Health is rewarding your employees for taking positive steps towards a healthier lifestyle. Beginning on your group’s 2025 plan renewal or effective date, your employees may be eligible to earn up to $30 in RedShirt RewardsSM by completing three of the following health actions:
- Annual Checkup
- Flu Shot*
- COVID-19 Vaccine/Booster*†
- Breast Cancer Screening
- Colon Cancer Screening
- Enrollment in Diabetes Prevention Program
- Diabetic Retinal Eye Exam
- Diabetes Care – A1C Test
- Statin Medication Received (for people with heart disease or diabetes)
Your employees can earn a $10 RedShirt Reward* for each eligible action – up to $30 each plan year. Plus, they can make it a family affair, because each member covered under your group’s plan that is 18 years of age and older (subscriber, spouse and dependents) is eligible to earn their own rewards just for completing the actions that are right for them.
How it works
- Eligible members can activate the program through their MyIH account online or in the app. They’ll need to activate the program each new plan year, even if they have previously participated.
- They must complete an eligible action listed above.
- Rewards will be issued when Independent Health receives notification of a claim for each activity, which may take up to 90 days for a provider to submit the claim(s). Members will receive a secure message through their member account that will allow them to choose a gift card from a wide range of participating retailers. Please note: The gift card redemption link expires 90 days after being issued. The member will forfeit their reward if they have not selected a gift card. However, once they choose a gift card, the gift card itself does not expire.
- They can track their progress and reward totals through their MyIH account.
As always, benefits vary by plan. If you have any questions, please contact your account manager.
*For members who do not have pharmacy coverage through Independent Health or Pharmacy Benefit Dimensions, these actions must be provided in a medical facility, such as a doctor’s office, hospital or urgent care center. Pharmacies or community centers do not qualify.
†Members are eligible for one COVID-19 vaccine/booster per plan year.
Independent Health offers exclusive member discounts
Independent Health's Wellness Discounts Program provides our members with a variety of ways to save money on staying fit and having fun – every season and every day of the year.
More than 500 community partners and local businesses currently offer exclusive discounts for our members, from “Freebies” and “Buy One, Get One Free” offers to savings of up to 30% off of health and wellness-related items, services and experiences. Here is a sample of what your employees can save on:
- Fitness-related adventure activities at Buffalo RiverWorks, including kayaking, paddle boarding and roller skating
- Reddy Bikeshare rentals at more than 125 stations throughout the cities of Buffalo, Niagara Falls and Tonawanda
- An annual membership to the Buffalo Museum of Science and the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens
- Instructional and recreational sports programs and lessons for children and adults
- Fitness equipment, bike tune-ups and outdoor recreational activities
- Weight loss programs, healthy prepared meals, vitamins and herbs
- Fitness center memberships, acupuncture and massage therapy
- Dental care and hearing aids
To take advantage of these valuable discounts, all your employees need to do is show their Independent Health member ID card. Plus, if your group’s plan includes Independent Health’s Health ExtrasSM benefit, your employees can also use their prepaid Health Extras debit card at many of our community partner locations throughout Western New York.
Visit our website to view the latest selections of wellness discounts and participating locations.
Our Case Managers can provide one-on-one specialty care and support
At Independent Health, we’re dedicated to finding ways to help your employees live healthier lives. Our Case Management team of experienced and highly-trained nurses and other care specialists – including behavioral health, physical therapy, respiratory therapy, and certified diabetes educators – partner with our members and their providers to make sure they’re getting the care they need.
The overall goal of our Case Management program is to help individuals regain optimum health or improved functional capability, in the right setting and in a cost-effective manner. It involves comprehensive assessment of the member’s condition; determination of available benefits and resources; and development and implementation of a member centered case management plan with established performance goals, monitoring and follow-up.
How the program works
If you have employees who have been in the hospital with a serious health condition, are living with multiple health conditions and/or are finding it difficult to manage their daily activities due to their health, one of our Case Managers may contact them by phone or e-mail to help them:
- Understand their diagnosis and treatment options
- Coordinate their care with their primary care physician, specialist(s) and other health care providers
- Avoid hospitalization and re-hospitalization
- Understand their medications and how to take them as prescribed
- Address barriers they may have with obtaining their medications or medical services
- Connect with our Member Services team who can explain their plan benefits
Our Case Managers also educate and coordinate care and services for our highest risk members by providing linkage to needed community resources and evidence-based programs. Case Management programs include complex chronic conditions, behavioral health, high-risk maternity and HIV/AIDS.
Our Case Management program is provided as part of your group’s plan coverage at no additional cost to your employees. Eligible members can contact Independent Health to speak with a case manager about medical conditions at (716) 635-7822 or behavioral health conditions at (716) 529-3945. Please encourage your employees to share their e-mail address with us so that our Case Managers can outreach to them electronically.
Independent Health Foundation continues to make a difference in Western New York
For more than 30 years, the Independent Health Foundation has been providing our community with the services, tools, resources and education they need to improve their quality of life. By partnering with local community centers, schools, parks, businesses and organizations, the Foundation offers a variety of free or low-cost programs and events that reach more than 225,000 individuals in Western New York each year.
Among the Foundation’s signature programs and events include:
- Healthy Options Buffalo – This popular initiative has been helping people make informed decisions when eating at home and dining out since 2004. As part of the Healthy Options program, the Foundation collaborates with local restaurants and food trucks provide healthy food choices to the public, while also delivering meal kits to 600 families every year. In addition, healthy recipes, cooking videos, dining tips and other helpful resources are available at the Healthy Options website.
- Kids Run – An annual event that encourages families to exercise and stay active together through a 1.8-mile walk/run perfect for all ages. More than 5,000 people participated in this year’s Kids Run, which was held in Delaware Park in early June.
- First Night® Buffalo – A family-friendly New Year’s Eve celebration with fun and healthy virtual activities for all to enjoy, including entertainment from local performers and a talent show.
- Fitness for Kids Challenge – Introduced in 2008, this elementary school-based program is designed to combat the rising rates of childhood obesity by challenging youngsters to increase their physical activity and make good nutrition choices. The top participating schools and classrooms win grants to purchase fitness equipment or enhance health and wellness programming for their school.
- Good for the Neighborhood – A community-based wellness program that connects families with resources that address social determinates of health, such as health screenings, fresh produce and more. The program is held throughout the year in neighborhoods where access to health care is limited.
- Soccer for Success – Created by the U.S. Soccer Foundation, Soccer for Success uses soccer, along with nutrition education, to engage kids in their health and reduce childhood obesity. The program guides youth away from negative influences by providing them with safe places to play during after-school hours and having them work with dedicated coaches and mentors.
- Growing Up Strong – An early childhood program that starts children on the right path to a healthy future by supporting families and pediatricians in meeting their developmental needs from birth to age 3.
To learn more about these programs and events, visit the Independent Health Foundation’s website. All of these efforts are made possible thanks to the generous support of local businesses and philanthropic organizations.
Insight Newsletter Archive:
Bringing healthy to your employees this summer
Independent Health is proud to partner with a variety of local organizations to offer Western New Yorkers healthy ways to enjoy the summer weather. Encourage your employees to get active with Fitness in the Parks, explore Buffalo and Niagara Falls with Reddy Bikeshare, sample Healthy Options during Food Truck Tuesdays, travel the Independent Health Wellness Trail by bike at Outer Harbor Buffalo and participate in watersports and adventure activities at Buffalo RiverWorks. Find a full list of our community partnerships by visiting our website.
It’s never too late to add an HSA to a qualified High Deductible Health Plan
If you currently offer a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP), you may be able to combine it with a Health Savings Account (HSA). An HSA is a tax-advantaged way for your employees to pay for qualified medical expenses while also saving for their future. Plus, employers can realize savings through lower FICA taxes and tax-deductible contributions to their employees’ HSAs. Check with your account manager to see if you’re eligible to add an HSA through our partner, HealthEquity. It’s something you can do at any time during your plan year.