A gift card for healthcare

Dennis Tolman, CEO of Mountain River Healthcare Management, has created what amounts to a medical gift card that gives employees something to draw from when they need care. And the Mountain View Partner program appears to be the only one of its kind in the nation. Here’s how it works:

Qualified employees receive a restricted card, which can only be used for medical care at participating businesses. Each paycheck, employers put a certain amount of money on the card, based on hours worked, which is combined with a minimum employee contribution. The employees, and anyone they authorize, can then use the money to pay for doctor visits.

“I believe that this program represents a really creative alternative for people across the country who are uninsured,” Tolman said. “It’s not insurance. It’s just direct retail healthcare services.”

He came up with the idea after being contacted by Channel Blend’s CEO Jeff Neiswanger and human resource director Julie Rae, who were looking for a way to provide healthcare that both employees and Channel Blend could afford.

“We wanted to be able to provide some sort of benefit for employees that would be useful for them and beneficial for the employer as well,” Rae said.

Email Dennis Tolman 208-403-3847

Although the cards don’t cover visits to the emergency room, there are other advantages. For instance, there are no deductibles or time limits for using the money on the card — even if the employee leaves the company.

Although it’s only a few months old, the program is also helping Channel Blend retain its employees. In the past, about 17 percent of employees stayed with the business for at least a year; now it’s up to 40 percent, Rae said, adding that she believes the cards have contributed to that increase.

The Mountain View Partner program also benefits small businesses because there is little paperwork involved and the cards are straightforward and easy to use, Rae said.

The restricted gift card can be used at any of the Mountain View Redicare facilities as well as Rosemark WomenCare Specialists, Tolman said. He plans to work with dentists, optometrists and pharmacies in the future as well.

At this point, Channel Blend is the only business using the card, which Tolman wanted to test before making it available to others. But after a six-month trial with relatively no problems, he is now hoping to get other businesses involved.

“The financial formula is able to be tailored to the financial needs of each employer and employee,” he said, adding that he is pleased with what he has been able to accomplish with the program so far. “Universally, this has been a good experience for everyone.”