How Employers Can Address Social Determinants of Health
August 25, 2022
How Employers Can Address Social Determinants of Health

Efforts to improve health outcomes have traditionally focused on expanding access to the health care system. Recently, there has been an increased focus on improving health outcomes by taking a broader approach due to the challenges of affordability and access in the health care system. This more holistic approach to health and well-being includes examining and addressing the social factors, such as income, access to food and neighborhood location, that may well be linked to an individual’s health and well-being. These factors are known as social determinants of health (SDoH) or social drivers of health.


SDoH can often impact employees without their employers’ knowledge. Understanding SDoH and how they affect employees’ health and well-being can help employers take steps to better address their employees’ needs, improve health outcomes and build a reputation as a people-first organization.


What Are Social Determinants of Health?

SDoH are the conditions in which people are born, live and work that can impact their health, well-being and quality of life. The main SDoH are economic stability, education access and quality, health care access and quality, neighborhood and environment, and social and community context, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.


Some examples of SDoH may include:


  • Income and job opportunities
  • Education
  • Housing, transportation and neighborhoods
  • Access to nutritious food
  • Opportunity for physical activity
  • Quality of air and water


SDoH tend to affect the health outcomes of individuals with lower incomes and from historically marginalized groups. Additionally, communities with poor SDoH tend to experience worse health outcomes and increased inequities. For example, experts have linked lower income and social disadvantage to:


  • Higher probabilities of obesity, heart disease and diabetes
  • Lower life expectancy
  • Higher occurrences of preventable disease
  • Delayed recognition and treatment of disease
  • Difficulty navigating the health care system and following self-care routines
  • Increased likelihood of receiving medical treatment in more expensive, less effective settings


Understanding the broader barriers to health and well-being can help employers identify the social conditions that may be impacting their workforce’s health, well-being and quality of life. Considering SDoH can allow employers to more effectively and holistically improve employee health outcomes, which may lead to a more productive and loyal workforce.


How Do SDoH Impact Employers?

SDoH have recently become an important area of focus for employers. Many employers are starting to reconsider their approaches to employee health and well-being by understanding the nonmedical factors influencing their employees’ health outcomes. A recent survey from Willis Towers Watson found that approximately 67% of employers believe SDoH are increasingly important to their health and well-being strategies.


Industry experts have observed that low-income workers tend to approach health care similarly to uninsured individuals, according to research from Aetna; they delay needed medical treatment and often grapple with medical bills and debt. When these employees receive treatment, they tend to select more expensive options, such as visiting the ER, instead of cost-effective alternatives. These employees may do this because they lack transportation, child care resources or flexible work schedules. Additionally, the vast majority of employees tend to lack knowledge of their health plan and the health care system generally. Employees who resort to high-cost, out-of-network or unnecessary medical treatment tend to increase overall medical plan expenses.


By understanding how their employees interact with the health care system, employers can better understand how SDoH impacts their employees. With this information, employers can identify areas where they can reduce overall health care expenses and provide benefits employees need and can utilize. This may improve the health and well-being of their employees and increase health equity among their workers.


How Some Employers Are Addressing SDoH

With the knowledge of how SDoH can affect employees, employers can determine if their employees are receiving suitable health benefits. Employers can collect data to find SDoH affecting their employees so they can identify gaps in their current benefits offerings. Potential sources of SDoH information include:


  • Health risk assessment tools
  • Anonymous employee surveys
  • Payroll or HR information systems data
  • Health claims data from insurers and third-party administrators


By assessing their health benefits designs with SDoH in mind, employers can determine which core and ancillary benefits best align with their employees’ needs and desires. This may include nontraditional benefits aimed at increasing their employees’ knowledge or access to health care resources. Such benefits may include health care benefits education, financial counseling, tuition reimbursement, flexible work schedules and caregiving resources.


Conclusion

Employers are uniquely positioned to aid their employees in being healthier by making health care more accessible; they can do this by taking a holistic approach to the health and well-being of their workforce. Considering the potential social factors that may be affecting their employees may enable employers to not only improve their employees’ health outcomes but also lower overall health care expenses.


For more information on health care resources, contact SimcoHR today.

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The Employer's Guide to 2026 Minimum Wage Updates

November 5, 2025
As we move into 2026, employers across many states and localities are preparing for significant minimum wage increases. Nearly 20 states and more than 40 local jurisdictions will raise their wage thresholds effective January 1, 2026. This poses important planning, budgeting, and compliance considerations, especially for mid-sized employers like those that partner with Simco, where payroll, HR, benefits and advisory services intersect. Below we’ve summarized key state and local minimum wage updates and outlined the steps you should take now to stay ahead of the changes and mitigate risk. State-Level Minimum Wage Increases (January 1, 2026) The table below highlights selected state increases scheduled for January 1, 2026.

The Benefits of Outsourcing HR: Save Time, Cut Costs, and Boost Engagement

October 24, 2025
When HR Is Overloaded, Your Business Feels It For many small to mid-sized businesses, HR is one of the most critical (and most overextended) functions. From payroll and benefits to onboarding and compliance reporting, administrative tasks can quickly consume your team’s time, leaving little room for strategic work that actually moves the business forward. Sound familiar? You’re not alone. A recent survey from Champions of Change: isolved’s Fourth-Annual HR Leaders’ Research Study found that 51% of HR leaders spend four or more hours a day answering repetitive questions. This time could be better spent on employee engagement, culture, and growth initiatives. When HR teams are pulled in too many directions, the consequences ripple across the entire organization, resulting in missed deadlines, frustrated staff, compliance risks, and ultimately, higher turnover. Why HR Leaders Consider Outsourcing Outsourcing HR isn’t just for businesses without dedicated HR teams. In fact, a survey of 1,000 HR decision-makers found that 76% could benefit from outsourcing certain tasks, even though only 54% currently have plans to do so. HR outsourcing allows organizations to offload both core and strategic tasks, including payroll, benefits administration, recruitment, onboarding, compliance support, performance management, employee relations, and workforce analytics, without adding headcount. This augmentation provides a multiplier effect: a small HR team can function like a much larger one, accomplishing more in less time. By leveraging experienced HR professionals through outsourcing, organizations can free up internal HR teams to focus on initiatives that directly impact business growth, such as talent development, employee engagement, and culture-building. Routine administrative tasks, when handled externally, no longer distract from these high-value priorities. The True Cost of Administrative Overload Overburdened HR teams don’t just affect your internal operations; they impact your employees’ experience. Inconsistent onboarding can create a rocky first impression for new hires. Delayed payroll or benefits questions lead to frustration and decreased trust. Compliance oversights expose your business to fines and legal risk. Even small inefficiencies add up. According to the National Association of Professional Employer Organizations (NAPEO), organizations that leverage an outsourced HR model achieve an average ROI of 27.2% per year, saving around $1,775 per employee while paying $1,395 per employee for outsourced services. That’s not just cost savings, it’s a reinvestment in your team and your business. The Power of Strategic HR Outsourcing Outsourcing doesn’t mean giving up control or handing HR off to a faceless provider. Done strategically, it’s about extending your team. Administrative tasks like payroll, benefits, onboarding, and reporting can be handled efficiently by experts, while HR teams gain confidence that compliance requirements are being met. Most importantly, it frees internal HR to pivot from reactive, day-to-day tasks toward engagement, culture-building, and retention strategies. Outsourced HR support can scale with your business, providing additional expertise during busy periods, leaves of absence, or rapid growth phases. The impact is clear. Teams feel supported, employees feel heard, and the organization operates smarter, not harder. With the right outsourcing partner, a small HR team can act like a team of 10, and a team of five can perform like a team of 25, all while maintaining compliance and efficiency. Retention Starts With the Right Employee Experience When administrative burdens are reduced, HR teams can focus on creating meaningful experiences for employees. Transparent processes around pay, benefits, and policies build trust. Faster, more organized onboarding leaves a strong first impression. Access to modern self-service HCM tools empowers employees to manage their own information, reducing repetitive questions and improving engagement. By leveraging experienced HR professionals to handle gaps in internal processes, organizations can enhance overall employee satisfaction, ensuring every interaction, from onboarding to open enrollment, feels seamless and supportive. A Smarter Approach to HR Means a Stronger Business Across industries, companies are recognizing that HR outsourcing is no longer a luxury. It’s a strategic advantage. Organizations that adopt a blended model of technology and advisory support report measurable reductions in administrative workload, cost savings compared to maintaining fully in-house HR teams, and improved engagement for employees. Strategic HR outsourcing allows internal teams to shift from transactional tasks to big-picture initiatives, creating a more resilient, efficient, and high-performing workforce. At the end of the day, HR isn’t just a function; it’s the backbone of your organization. When it’s overextended, the entire business suffers. But with the right support, HR teams can focus on meaningful initiatives, employees feel more valued, and the business benefits from measurable ROI. Strategic HR outsourcing isn’t about replacing your team, it’s about empowering it. Your people, your culture, and your bottom line all benefit. Curious how Simco's HR Advisory services can help your business? Let's talk today.

Your Medicare Plan Is Discontinued: What’s Next?

October 14, 2025
If you recently received notice that your Medicare plan, or Medicare Advantage plan, is being discontinued, you’re not alone. Across the country (and right here in New York), insurers are scaling back or exiting less profitable markets ( Kiplinger ). While this can feel stressful, there are steps you can take to make sure your coverage doesn’t lapse and to find a better plan for your health and budget. Why Are Plans Being Discontinued? A mix of financial pressure, federal reimbursement changes, and rising health costs is driving insurers to reduce their Medicare Advantage footprints: Some major insurers are cutting back or exiting entire counties. For example, UnitedHealth announced it will discontinue its Medicare Advantage presence in 109 U.S. counties in 2026, according to Reuters . Local carriers in New York are also making changes: MVP is dropping several plans, and CDPHP is eliminating certain drug-coverage options, the Times Union explains . These shifts are happening alongside tighter government funding and increased regulatory strain. Because insurers must absorb the extra cost of covering benefits while meeting regulatory caps (for example, on prescription drug out-of-pocket limits), some plans become financially unsustainable and are discontinued ( the Kaiser Family Foundation ). Steps to Take if Your Plan Is Discontinued Here’s how to act so you don’t lose coverage: 1. Review the notice you received carefully Your insurer is required to send you a non-renewal or discontinuance notice. It often includes deadlines, whether you can enroll through a Special Enrollment Period (SEP), and what options you have. 2. Note the relevant enrollment period The Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) runs October 15 to December 7, 2025 , during which you can switch Medicare Advantage or Part D plans. If your plan was discontinued, some notices allow you to select a new plan until December 31 without penalty. In limited cases, you may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) following the discontinuation. 3. Research your options early Don’t wait until the last minute. Compare plans available in your area. Key things to look at: Provider networks: Will your doctors still be covered? Drug formularies: Does the plan cover your medications and at what cost? Premiums, deductibles, and out-of-pocket max: These can vary significantly. Benefit trade-offs: Some plans reduce supplemental benefits (vision, dental, wellness perks) when trying to maintain financial viability. 4. Enroll in the new plan Submit your enrollment by the relevant deadline (typically December 7 for the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP). However, If your plan was discontinued, you may have until December 31 to choose a new one without penalty). Make sure the new plan starts January 1 to avoid coverage gaps. 5. If your plan wasn’t discontinued, still review Even if your current plan remains active, benefits, networks, and costs often change each year. It’s wise to compare alternatives anyway, especially after insurer shake-ups. Why Timing & Support Matter Delays cost you: Failing to enroll by deadlines could mean losing drug coverage or being locked into a less ideal plan. Support can ease the burden: Licensed agents can help you compare side-by-side, explain trade-offs, and guide you through enrollment. You deserve the best match: Everyone’s health and financial needs differ. Don’t settle for the first available option unless it truly fits. How Simco Can Help At Simco, we understand the stress of sudden plan changes. Our licensed insurance advisors are ready to: Help you interpret your discontinuance notice Compare plan options available in your area Assist with enrollment paperwork Explain benefit trade-offs and cost implications You don’t have to navigate this alone. Whether your Medicare Advantage plan was discontinued or you’re simply exploring your options, our team is here to support you. Contact us today to schedule a 1-on-1 consultation, and let us help you find the plan that keeps you covered and confident in 2026 and beyond.

Have a question? Get in touch.