2020 is a defining year for healthcare. The COVID pandemic showed no mercy, attacking all communities and the population. Among the worst-hit are communities of color composed of minorities, immigrants, veterans, and more. 

Getting infected with the coronavirus means going to the hospital, an additional cost for already financially struggling families. 

If they have health insurance, good for them, they have less to worry about. 

Having insurance is certainly an advantage. It offers health benefits critical for health, provides coverage in case of unexpected medical cost, and many more. 

But what about those that do not have insurance? What happens to their health and pockets? Do they have to choose between their life and their health?

It is not that they do not want to have insurance. Many people want the freedom and security that health insurance offers. They just cannot afford it. 

In the U.S., the average individual health insurance plan ranges from $300 to $450. The cost doubles, triples, and quadruples for families. Of course, the companies and employers shoulder part of the premium. 

In 2018, an estimated 27.5 million people did not have health insurance. According to the Commonwealth Fund Biennial Health Insurance Survey, many of those who did not have insurance were working-age adults with disproportionately low-income Latinos under the age of 35. Their low income makes it difficult to access and receive care. (Gunja & Collins, 2019)

A Cost-Effective Solution

To help solve the healthcare problems of his fellow Latino American’s, Mario Anglada put up Hoy Health, a cash-based solution focused on the needs of Hispanic medically underserved consumers operating across North, Central, South America, and the Caribbean. 

But the beauty of the company is it does not just apply to the Hispanic population. It can go beyond that. It works for any population.

“So, what we do with Hoy health, the simplest way to describe it is that it takes a clinic and the services that they provide and then virtualizes them. So, we created a virtual clinic that gives you access to a doctor. We provide a full ecosystem to the patient.” Mario explained. 

Prioritizing Affordability

Another stellar feature of Hoy Health is its payment scheme. There is no need for insurance. 

“We’re starting with chronic condition management at around one hundred dollars. So, if you are a patient with diabetes, we can include chronic condition management, including medication, access to a physician, your medications, and all your devices for $99 dollars today. You can get chronic condition management, medication, access to physicians, and all devices needed for $99.”

That is a fantastic price point! Consider how much savings you can get for a very affordable price. 

Pushing Telehealth

One of the common concerns of visiting the doctor in this coronavirus season is “Is it safe?” That is a valid question as safety is always a priority. 

Hoy Health is an online-based solution, making it ideal for telemedicine. 

With Hoy Health, you do not have to go to the doctor’s office. You do not need to be absent from work. You do not need to drive, and you can save on gas.

You can access your healthcare provider anytime, anywhere, whether it is through the phone or online. 

All the materials are in both English and Spanish to help any bilingual patient understand everything. 

Increase Customer Engagement

Part of the reason why a good portion of Latino Americans does not have health insurance is that they cannot afford it. 

To increase customer engagement, Mario presented a solution. Instead of letting a client go through the help process alone, this team guides the patients. 

“So, what we said is, let us start with this consumer. Let us take them through a journey, a hand-held journey. And this is part of our approach. Our goal is to get a consumer engaged with his or her care. If they have a healthcare professional, great! We will help their health care professional drag down costs, drive up behaviors that are positive. Drive-up engagement, adherence, and compliance, which are the key metrics for any health care professional when they look at a patient. If you are a patient, you need somebody to take you through a journey and that journey could start as simply as well.”

By helping clients in their healthcare journey, the team ensures that he or she does not fall through the cracks and is optimizing the healthcare experience. 

Hoy Health’s innovative approach ensures that everyone has decent healthcare that is affordable and accessible. It presents a great answer and an opportunity for many Hispanic American communities. 

Listen to my full conversation with Mario here: https://outcomesrocket.health/hoy/2020/06/

(Munira Z. Gunja and Sara R. Collins, August 28, 2019, Who Are the Remaining Uninsured, and Why Do They Lack Coverage?, https://www.commonwealthfund.org/)