Health literacy is more than the ability to read medical information. It is a person’s ability to understand their health options, evaluate treatments, ask good questions, and make decisions that support long term wellbeing. When employees have strong health literacy, they navigate care with less confusion and feel more confident managing their health.
Yet many people struggle to understand medical jargon, interpret benefits, or know where to go for care. This creates avoidable stress for employees and potentially avoidable claims for employers. Health literacy is foundational to better outcomes, lower costs, and stronger health equity.
Health literacy shapes almost every interaction a person has with the healthcare system. It affects how well someone can:
When employees lack clarity, they may delay care, overuse emergency services, discontinue medications, or misunderstand follow up instructions. These gaps can worsen conditions that could have been managed earlier and more affordably.
An employee with a sinus infection visits the emergency department because they are unsure if urgent care or primary care is appropriate. A simple thirty dollar copay becomes a two thousand dollar bill.
A patient cuts a prescribed medication in half to “make it last longer,” not realizing the dose will no longer be effective. Their symptoms get worse, leading to more visits and higher costs.
Some employees avoid screenings because they are unsure whether their insurance covers preventive services. They assume exams will be expensive and wait until symptoms appear.
Patients often leave appointments feeling overwhelmed. Without a clear understanding of their condition or instructions, they may not follow through on care plans.
These situations are common, and they disproportionately affect people with limited access to primary care, limited English proficiency, or communities that have historically been marginalized in healthcare.
Improving health literacy is also a step toward improving health equity. People with lower income, limited education, or limited English proficiency face greater barriers to understanding medical information and navigating the health system. This can lead to poorer outcomes even when high quality care is available.
Health equity requires more than coverage. It requires that coverage is understandable, accessible, and usable. Employers play an important role by offering benefits that are communicated clearly and by ensuring employees have support in using them.
One of the most effective ways to improve health literacy is through a primary care provider who knows the patient well. Continuity matters. When employees have a trusted clinician, they are more likely to ask questions, get clear explanations, and feel supported in their decisions.
Strong primary care improves health literacy by:
Models like Direct Primary Care can amplify this benefit by giving employees easier access to their clinician, longer visits, and more opportunity to understand their care.
Misinformation is everywhere, which makes it essential to guide employees toward reliable health resources. Trusted sources include:
Offering employees a curated list of reputable sites reduces confusion and strengthens confidence in their decisions.
Many insurance products (like Karias, Level Health, and High Plains Health Plan) include robust navigation tools that include a real human to help find the appropriate care.
And, always remember the value of advocacy programs! Our friends at freshbenies offer advocacy services to help employees navigate care proactively and negotiate for appropriate pricing and application of benefits after the fact. We've seen great success with their program.
Use plain language. Avoid acronyms or explain them. Offer short videos, one page guides, or examples of when and how to use specific benefits.
Employees who have a reliable primary care provider, whether through traditional plans or membership based models, develop better understanding and trust.
Give employees resources to help them interpret bills, find in network providers, understand cost differences, or compare treatment settings.
Town halls, text reminders, printed guides, and digital tools reach different learning styles.
Reassure employees that no question is too small. The more comfortable they are asking, the better their outcomes.
Health literacy empowers employees to take control of their health. It leads to better decisions, fewer avoidable costs, and stronger outcomes. It creates a more equitable benefits experience where every employee, regardless of background, has the information and support they need to thrive.
For employers, investing in health literacy is one of the most effective ways to create a healthier workforce and a more sustainable benefits strategy. And it starts with clear communication, trusted primary care relationships, and access to reliable information.
If you would like help strengthening health literacy within your benefits program, Generous Benefits would be happy to support you.