Genius NY finalists to begin competition at the Tech Garden in January

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SYRACUSE — The five finalists selected to take part in the fourth round of the Genius NY will move into the Tech Garden in Syracuse to begin the competition. Empire State Development (ESD) announced the five finalists on Dec. 11. Genius NY is a business accelerator program administered at CenterState CEO’s Tech Garden. Genius NY […]

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SYRACUSE — The five finalists selected to take part in the fourth round of the Genius NY will move into the Tech Garden in Syracuse to begin the competition.

Empire State Development (ESD) announced the five finalists on Dec. 11.

Genius NY is a business accelerator program administered at CenterState CEO’s Tech Garden. Genius NY stands for Growing ENtrepreneurs & Innovators in UpState New York.

These startup drone and Internet of Things (IoT) companies will participate in the year-long program and will compete for a total of $3 million in direct investment, including a grand prize of $1 million and four $500,000 awards.

Throughout the program, teams will have meetings with community leaders, mentors, and advisors from leading companies in Central New York while also participating in tourism activities. The goal is to encourage all participants to put down roots and stay in the region following the conclusion of the program.

“We are excited to welcome these innovative entrepreneurs to Central New York for round four of Genius NY,” Eric Gertler, acting commissioner and president & CEO-designate of Empire State Development, said in a statement. “This unique competition supports UAS startups and IoT companies developing the next-generation technologies that will accelerate Central New York’s growing drone industry and ensure the region continues to rise.”

The five companies will move into the Tech Garden in January to begin competing for $3 million in investments. The companies were selected from a pool of more than 400 submissions.

The year-long competition is the largest business accelerator competition for the drone industry in the world.

All five of the round-four teams will begin the program in January, focused on enhancing their business plan and will pitch their technologies at an event in April to a panel of judges and audience of more than 300 people, where the grand prize and runner-up awards will be decided and announced.

The finalists

ESD provided the following description of each Genius NY finalist:

Eget Liber of Syracuse uses an autonomous, semi-submersible remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) to mitigate the life-cycle of cyanobacterium, also known as blue-green algae, in freshwater lakes. The ROV is designed to receive command coordinates from an aerial drone, which is configured to identify algae blooms via spectral analysis.

BotsAndUs of the United Kingdom automates customer service and operations tasks across the retail, hospitality and travel sectors with a fleet of fully autonomous robots that work with employees to serve more customers as well as capture real time data. They provide a full stack solution of hardware, software, support, and data manipulation.

DroneSeed of Seattle, Washington seeks to make reforestation scalable and “make a dent” in carbon emissions. Using drone swarms, DroneSeed plants trees at a rate that is “six times more efficient” than manual labor planting. Their process decreases the response time to reforest and increases the total acres of reforestation that can be done per year by simplifying the supply chain.

Geopipe of New York City creates instant, immersive virtual copies of real cities for gaming, simulation and architecture. Their machine learning algorithms generate 3D maps and models with every tree, building, road and window labeled and realistically reproduced. These images are then licensed monthly, annually or via revenue sharing.

Skyy Network of Australia has a flight information management system that uses an open source data exchange network built on blockchain. It allows UAS (unmanned aircraft system) service suppliers and air navigation service providers to share and verify safety critical airspace data to allow drones to operate beyond visual line of sight.

A UAS includes a drone and equipment used to control its flight. A drone is also referred to in the industry as an unmanned aerial vehicle, or UAV.

Fix It Before It Breaks

Business Mentors, Subscriber Only

Many of us are familiar with the phrase: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” That philosophy can seem really tempting — especially at the end of the year when we’re scrambling to get everything done before holiday breaks and year-ends. But a much wiser man, the late PR powerhouse Al Golin (1929-2017), said: “Fix

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Start by taking a few extra minutes as you analyze month-end, quarter-end or year-end reports. Don’t just go through a rushed process of checking the same facts and figures that you check every month, quarter or year — instead, look closely at the details. Is there a slight increase or decrease in one number? If so, why? Look at changes in both numerical quantities and percentages to ensure you’re evaluating the whole picture. Then look for statistics, trends, reports, and other information about competitors and your overall industry. How does your organization compare to them?

Even if you believe you are performing better than the rest of your competition, and even if you’ve had the best year in your company’s history, pay attention to anytime that you or someone else on your team utters phrases like: “Yeah, but that’s no big deal,” or “Yeah, but everyone is going through that right now,” or “Yeah, but we’re still within an the industry average.” This is what I call a yellow flag. You’re not at the red-flag stage yet, but the whole point of fixing something before it breaks is that you never want to get to the red-flag stage.

The yellow flag tells you to pay attention, analyze why something is happening, and start planning how your company can evolve right now. This gives you ample time to be thoughtful, exploratory, and deliberate with how you address current or anticipated needs. You end up with a better result, and it may give you an innovative advantage in your industry. This could mean something as complex as incorporating artificial intelligence or other automations, or it could be as simple as identifying a previously overlooked market for your product or service.

This philosophy of “fix it before it breaks” urges the importance of constant environmental scanning, as well as being proactive with internal communications and external public-relations efforts.

Remember all that time you gain to be thoughtful and exploratory before making a change? This also gives you an opportunity to involve myriad stakeholders throughout different phases. It gives you a chance to communicate with your employees — to get input and/or gain support. It allows you to develop powerful messages about the changes you’re making, create new marketing materials, and garner news coverage for your insights and innovations.

Most importantly, though, the “fix it before it breaks” approach to business will keep your organization healthy and successful. And by incorporating a communications strategy into this forward-thinking way of doing business, you’ll also reap the benefits of earning a strong positive reputation.

Crystal DeStefano is president and director of public relations at Strategic Communications, LLC, which says it provides trusted counsel for public relations, including media strategy, media outreach, monitoring, and analysis. Contact DeStefano at Crystal@stratcomllc.com.

Renovations nearly complete, Genesee Grande gets new name: Scholar Hotel

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SYRACUSE — After a year of renovations, including new heating equipment, a new fitness center, new décor, and new technology, Scholar Hotel Group is ready to put its name on its Syracuse property. On Jan. 7, the Genesee Grande Hotel will be renamed a Scholar Hotel. The change affects both portions of the property on

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The change affects both portions of the property on East Genesee Street.

First opened as a hotel in the 1950s, the facility became the Genesee Inn 30 years later and the Genesee Grande following extensive renovations in 2003.

The new name comes 13 months after the hotel was purchased by Scholar Hotel Group from Norm Swanson for $16.6 million.

The new décor is “classic modern,” says Scholar Hotels President Gary Brandeis. Speaking from the company’s headquarters in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, he says renovations have been extensive and are continuing.

Overnight guests will notice rooms now each feature a 55-inch flat-screen TV and upgraded Wi-Fi. The hotel also has added a “Brewed by Starbucks” café in the lobby and a new reservation system.

Diners will also find a new restaurant. Brandeis says the new dining option is called Salt, and it features a new chef and new menu.

Those visiting the Scholar Hotel for a business meeting or social event will see the common areas have been updated, again in a “classic modern style.” The change has made the space “a little more modern,” Brandeis says, and allowed a bit of local color. “We do have some orange in the lobby.”

The décor updates are more modern, but Brandeis quickly points out that the ambiance is “very warm; it’s not like a high-tech night club in New York City.”

Changes to the property include extensive updates to infrastructure, including upgrades to the HVAC system; new fire alarms, smoke and carbon-dioxide detection system; and a new, more efficient boiler system. “It’s more green,” Brandeis says.

The square footage of the property and the number of rooms will remain the same. After renovations are complete, some 45 percent of the 158 rooms will be set up for extended stays, he says.

Some renovations are continuing. About half the rooms in the taller section of the hotel have been renovated, he says. The rest should be completed by the spring. Still in the works, Brandeis says, is an app for use by guests across the chain.

Brandeis would not discuss how much Scholar Hotels Group has invested in the renovations. But, he did explain the business model for the company.

The chain has four properties, each near a university. In addition to the Syracuse hotel, there is one in Morgantown, West Virginia, a couple of blocks from West Virginia University, and two close to Penn State University in State College, Pennsylvania.

Being close to a college or university allows a hotel to tap into “a much more consistent or reliable market,” Brandeis says. The Scholar Hotel in Syracuse is just yards away from Upstate Medical University, with its four colleges, and nearly as close to Syracuse University with its thousands of students.

With visits from potential students, parents, alumni, researchers and the many vendors and consultants employed by large universities, these academic markets, “soften or alleviate some of the market risk,” Brandeis says.

“A great hotel convenient to those demand drivers can generate above-average occupancy and at above-average rates.”

While a commercial lease can last years and a residential lease a year, renting a hotel room is, in effect, “a one-night lease,” he says. When the economy softens, longer-term leases can protect property owners from some risk, but for those renting hotel rooms, the fall-off in occupancy can be dramatic. Having a hotel close to a major university, “helps us manage our risk a little better,” Brandeis says.

Being near a university, particularly one with Division I athletics, means taking on a little team spirit in the décor. That means some orange — but not so much to run afoul of Syracuse University’s intellectual-property attorneys — at the Syracuse Scholar Hotel, but a different look at the other hotels.

“When you’re at the Scholar Hotel at West Virginia University, you know you’re in Morgantown,” Brandeis says. “We really create a product that feels like part of the community.”

Looking to the future, Brandeis sees the chain expanding, and soon. There are four or five projects “in the pipeline,” that could see the firm’s footprint double in 2020. Naming off other college communities across upstate New York, Brandeis says the Scholar Hotel in Syracuse could become “a regional headquarters” if the company is able to expand elsewhere in the region.

Noting there are more than 300 college markets, Brandeis sees plenty of room for growth. “We want to have more hotels near great colleges and universities.”

Oneida County hotel occupancy rate increases almost 8 percent

Regional News, Sports, Entertainment & Tourism, Subscriber Only

UTICA — Hotels in Oneida County were significantly fuller in November than in the year-ago month, according to a recent report. The hotel occupancy rate (rooms sold as a percentage of rooms available) in the county rose 7.7 percent to 52.7 percent in November, according to STR, a Tennessee–based hotel market data and analytics company.

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12 tips for 2020 email marketing

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I’m gonna sit right down and write myself a letterAnd make believe it came from youI’m gonna write words, oh, so sweetThey’re gonna knock me off my feet —Fats Waller, American jazz pianist, composer, singer, and comedic entertainer America may run on Dunkin’, but business runs on email. Planning out your email marketing missives for

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Without Customer Trust, Nothing Else Matters

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When the contractor didn’t deliver the proposal as promised, the homeowner called to find out when to expect it. “Sorry about that,” was the reply, “You’ll have it later today or tomorrow.” When it arrived, what passed for a proposal was a “cost estimate” and a hand-drawn layout lacking specifics. It appeared to have been dashed off

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Hands down, customer experience is today’s number one marketing hot-button issue — and for good reason. Up to 82 percent of customers who leave do so because of a bad experience. While businesses keep trying to plug up the customer-experience holes, it’s never enough.

There is a lesson here: it’s over and done if trust isn’t established as early as possible. Without a reservoir of goodwill available to recover from a bad customer experience, customers bail.

Even though winning sales is the goal, the first objective is winning customer trust. Credibility matters since the doubt meter is always running with prospects and customers. This is why bulletproofing customer relationships is the number one task. Today’s customers don’t automatically trust brands, businesses, or salespeople. It’s earned by actions, experience, and attitudes that develop over time. And here are ways to establish it.

Follow through

When contacting a business, a lack of follow-through may customers’ greatest fear. Allay their worries by acknowledging how they feel. You could say: “I know how important this is to you … I’ll be back to you about 3 p.m. today,” or “You have my word … but should you want to contact me, here’s my email address and cell number.”

Solve problems fast

“Will-they-or-won’t-they take care of it?” is what customers are thinking when they have a problem. What they’re looking for is a clue on how a business will respond. Surprise them by letting them know you understand and will take care of it now. If you can’t do it, change the policy.

Be candid

“Why didn’t you tell me?” are words that no salesperson wants to hear from a customer. It happens because there’s often a wide gulf between what customers think they want to buy and what’s going to best serve their needs. Be candid with them to make sure they will be satisfied.

Encourage feedback

Companies may say they want to hear from their customers, but make it difficult, at times nearly impossible, to do so. If you’re serious about getting feedback, make it easy for customers to contact you and then respond promptly.

Personalize content

It’s important to tailor content to the customer, and not by just dropping in the customer’s name a couple of times. Imagine having a cup of coffee with someone and keep that picture in your mind as you write. It’s how you say it — with empathy, openness, and understanding that makes it personal.

Make relevant recommendations

Let customers know you “get it” by giving them specific ideas and suggestions that fit them. General offers have a negative effect; they make customers feel you don’t know them.

Test ideas and initiatives first

Before making changes affecting customers, ask them to comment and express their views. Don’t bother if you’re afraid you’ll learn something you don’t want to hear. Taking customers into your confidence avoids mistakes — and creates trust.

Respond quickly

When customers contact businesses today, they either don’t expect a response or assume it will take a day or longer. This is no way to build trust. Response rule: best within 15 minutes — repeat, within 15 minutes.

Acknowledge mistakes

Desensitize tense situations by offering an apology and do it in a way so customers know you care — and not just trying to appease them. Then, resolve it to customers’ satisfaction.

Keep your promises

Many “one star” customer comments, those that inflame customers the most, have to do with “broken promises.” Solution: do what you said you would do when you said you would do it. If you don’t, be prepared to suffer customers’ wrath. In their mind, you have disrespected them.

Give meaning to “valued customer”

These two words are useless unless they translate into value for customers. Examples: a higher credit limit, loyalty options, a direct phone number, an assigned CSR, or some special service.

Find out what they expect

Even though trust is the critical component of customer relationships, its meaning can be highly individual. To avoid customer dissatisfaction and disappointment, ask clients what they expect from you.

Be up-front

Bad customer experiences make consumers wary and doubtful. They’ve heard it all before so they’re ready to do battle when someone says, “We put customers first.” Being transparent in dealing with customers helps boost their trust.

Is it worth the effort to build customer trust? It is worth it if you believe that new customers come with built-in skepticism, waiting for the other shoe to drop This won’t change unless trust is the basis of the customer relationship.

John Graham of GrahamComm is a marketing and sales strategy consultant and business writer. He is the creator of “Magnet Marketing,” and publishes a free monthly eBulletin, “No Nonsense Marketing & Sales Ideas.” Contact him at jgraham@grahamcomm.com or johnrgraham.com

City of Syracuse to choose new leader of Department of NBD

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SYRACUSE — The City of Syracuse is working to finish its search for a new commissioner of the City’s Department of Neighborhood and Business Development (NBD). NBD is a provider of housing, human services, and economic-development programs in Syracuse. The previous commissioner, Stephanie Pasquale, took a newly created position with the Allyn Family Foundation as

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SYRACUSE — The City of Syracuse is working to finish its search for a new commissioner of the City’s Department of Neighborhood and Business Development (NBD).

NBD is a provider of housing, human services, and economic-development programs in Syracuse.

The previous commissioner, Stephanie Pasquale, took a newly created position with the Allyn Family Foundation as director of neighborhood advancement. The role is focused on “delivering place-based housing and neighborhood-redevelopment strategies.”

“Stephanie has played a critical role in supporting the recent growth in Syracuse, with a focus on creating inclusive housing and economic opportunities. Her work has laid a strong foundation for continued success and has helped make this NBD leadership position highly desirable,” Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh contended in a Dec. 11 news release.

In her new role with the Allyn Family Foundation, Pasquale is serving as a development liaison between the foundation, the city, and Syracuse Housing Authority in the development of larger scale, mixed income, and affordable-housing projects, including Blueprint 15.

Blueprint 15 is a partnership between the Syracuse Housing Authority, the Allyn Family Foundation, the Syracuse City School District, and the City of Syracuse to undertake a “holistic revitalization” approach in the East Adams neighborhood on the city’s near south side.

Commissioner position

In announcing the NBD commissioner opening, the city said it is seeking a leader to “direct, advance, and manage” the work of the various divisions of the Department of Neighborhood and Business Development. They include neighborhood development, business development, code enforcement, fiscal, central permit office, and minority/women business enterprise compliance.

The NBD commissioner will be at the center of “major transformative” initiatives in Syracuse that are being “recognized nationally.”

In addition to Blueprint 15, they include the City of Syracuse’s designation as New York State’s flagship Smart City by the New York Power Authority; and Syracuse Surge, an “expansive strategy to create inclusive growth in the New Economy.”

The NBD commissioner oversees a group of 76 people within five divisions.

The department works to “preserve and enhance” Syracuse neighborhoods and commercial centers by administering federal, state, and local funding programs; encouraging residential development and economic growth; and leveraging resources to “create thriving” neighborhoods, communities, and business districts.

Aviation company to create 100 new jobs at Griffiss

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Manufacturing & Engineering, Regional News, Subscriber Only

ROME — Strategic Global Aviation plans to create at least 100 new jobs as it begins operations at Griffiss International Airport in Rome. The company has signed a 5-year, $1.96 million lease to occupy Building 101 at the county-owned airport that was scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente, Jr. announced on

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ROME — Strategic Global Aviation plans to create at least 100 new jobs as it begins operations at Griffiss International Airport in Rome.

The company has signed a 5-year, $1.96 million lease to occupy Building 101 at the county-owned airport that was scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente, Jr. announced on Dec. 18.

The lease includes an option to renew the agreement for an additional five years at a cost of just over $2 million ($2,019,000).

Strategic Global Aviation will occupy 61,440 square feet of Hangar Bay 3 of Building 101, along with 5,500 square feet of office space in the administrative offices section and 29,538 square feet of back shop space in the building’s center core.

Strategic Global Aviation is a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business (SDVOB) formed in 2017. It performs aircraft maintenance, modification and inspection predominately to military aircraft, and also provides aviation consulting and management.

“Bringing aircraft maintenance and services back to the hangars at Rome is a huge win for Oneida County and is important to maintaining our workforce and facilities for the future,” Picente said in a statement. “The work Strategic Global Aviation performs is not limited to simply maintenance. It provides a range of services and specializes in exclusive contract work to modify military aircraft that truly sets it apart from others in the industry.”

Defense contract jobs

Once operational in early 2020, Strategic Global Aviation will begin work on a contract with the U.S. Department of Defense to modify C-130 aircraft.

The company will create 50 jobs in the first phase of this contract. It will then create another 50 jobs in the later work phases as additional contracts come online. The jobs will carry an average wage of $35 per hour, plus benefits.

The federal government has established goals to award at least 3 percent of all contracting dollars to SDVOBs each year. New York State has established its own goal of 6 percent of procurement expenditures to be made with SDVOBs by state agencies, public authorities and public-benefit corporations.

“The SDVOB program is important in that recognizes those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces and sustained injuries associated with that service, and assists them in achieving the American dream they have selflessly volunteered to protect,” Picente added.

County energy work

Building 101 has been unoccupied since Premier Aviation closed in the summer of 2018. Oneida County recently assumed ownership of the building from the 394 Hangar Road Corp., and has implemented a $15.3 million energy “overhaul of multiple buildings” at Griffiss, including Buildings 101 and 100.

The project is converting the facilities from steam to natural gas in an effort to make operational costs more affordable.

“Transitioning from steam to natural gas has made these facilities a more attractive option to potential tenants, and was a key factor in securing a lease with Strategic Global Aviation in Building 101 as it significantly reduced what the cost of its utilities would be,” Picente said. “With the renovations in the hangars, the construction of the Open Innovation Campus and our growing work with drone companies, Griffiss International Airport is in the midst of a transformation. Strategic Global Aviation is another important part of our future success.”

New health-insurance mandates for mental health & addiction coverage take effect

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Insurance & Financial Services, Subscriber Only

Health insurers are facing new mandates for expanded insurance coverage for New Yorkers seeking treatment for mental-health conditions and addiction. In addition to new guidelines for insurers, the New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) has issued a list of frequently asked questions to help New Yorkers understand their rights under these new requirements,

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Health insurers are facing new mandates for expanded insurance coverage for New Yorkers seeking treatment for mental-health conditions and addiction.

In addition to new guidelines for insurers, the New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) has issued a list of frequently asked questions to help New Yorkers understand their rights under these new requirements, which went into effect on Jan. 1, 2020, the office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced.

“These new measures will help ensure people get the help they need and break down some of the most common barriers to treatment by limiting co-pays and educating consumers about the options available to them,” Cuomo said in a statement.

DFS issued guidance explaining insurers’ new responsibilities regarding New Yorkers seeking treatment for mental-health conditions and addiction. These mandates include improved consumer disclosures; limiting the amount of co-pays or coinsurance for outpatient mental-health treatment and treatment for addiction; expanding existing protections related to medical-necessity review of inpatient and outpatient treatment for addiction by health plans; and enacting new prohibitions on preauthorization requirements for certain inpatient mental-health treatment.

DFS also issued guidance advising insurers that they must cover costs associated with medically necessary peer-support services as part of outpatient addiction treatment programs authorized by the Office of Addiction Services and Supports.

Addiction mandates

New requirements related to addiction prohibit preauthorization or concurrent review during the first 28 days of an inpatient admission for addiction treatment and during the first four weeks of outpatient treatment for addiction treatment.

They also require policies that cover prescription drugs for addiction treatment to provide immediate access to such drugs without prior authorization.

In addition, the requirements prohibit large group policies from imposing co-pays or coinsurance that exceed those of a primary-care office visit for addiction treatment. They also limit co-pays to one co-pay per day for all services provided in a single day by addiction-treatment facilities.

Mental-health condition requirements

New mandates related to mental-health conditions have insurers and utilization-review agents using evidence-based and peer-reviewed clinical-review criteria appropriate to the patient’s age. The criteria is also approved by the commissioner of the Office of Mental Health in consultation with the commissioner of Health and the Superintendent of Financial Services.

The new requirements also prohibit insurers from imposing co-pays or coinsurance for outpatient mental-health treatment in authorized facilities that exceeds those of a primary care office visit.

They also prohibit preauthorization or concurrent review during the first 14 days of an inpatient admission for treatment of a mental-health condition for patients under age 18.

In addition, they ensure clinical peer reviewers have experience in delivering mental-health treatment.

Updating New York law

New requirements also update New York law to have insurers provide consumers the most recent comparative-analysis performed to assess the provision of covered services in accordance with the “Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008.”

DFS says it will be prepared to investigate insurers’ compliance with the new requirements, including market-conduct examinations.

Survey finds differences between HDHP, traditional health-plan enrollees

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Insurance & Financial Services, Subscriber Only

The percentage of the population with a high-deductible health-care plan (HDHP) has continued to rise, according to a new survey report. In 2019, 15 percent of privately insured adults had a plan that was associated with either a health reimbursement arrangement (HRA) or health savings account (HSA), collectively known as consumer directed health plans (CDHP).

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The percentage of the population with a high-deductible health-care plan (HDHP) has continued to rise, according to a new survey report.

In 2019, 15 percent of privately insured adults had a plan that was associated with either a health reimbursement arrangement (HRA) or health savings account (HSA), collectively known as consumer directed health plans (CDHP). The figure is up from 14 percent in 2018 and 13 percent in 2017, per the survey data.

At the same time, another 13 percent had a high-deductible health plan that was not associated with either an HRA or HSA. That number is up from 11 percent in both 2018 and 2017.

The numbers come from the annual Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey (CEHCS). The Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI), a private, nonpartisan, nonprofit research group, and Greenwald & Associates, a full-service market research firm, released the survey report on Dec. 20. Both EBRI and Greenwald & Associates are based in Washington, D.C.

CEHCS is aimed at examining consumer engagement in health care and health-insurance decisions. Now in its 15th year, the annual CEHCS provides “reliable national data on the growth of consumer-driven health plans and high-deductible health plans and their impact on the behavior and attitudes of health care consumers,” according to EBRI.

HDHP vs traditional plans

When it comes to choice of health plan, most people focus on the network of health-care providers, easy access to health care, low out-of-pocket costs, prescription-drug coverage, low premiums, and simple to understand, and specific coverage included in the plan.

The provider network and access to health care were ranked higher in importance than lower cost of premiums or low out-of-pocket costs.

Generally, traditional health-plan enrollees and HDHP enrollees rank these aspects of health care in the same order, with one exception: Traditional plan enrollees report that low out-of-pocket costs for doctors’ visits are more important, EBRI said. Of lesser importance is low cost of premiums when selecting a plan. However, HDHP enrollees report that low premiums are more important than low out-of-pocket costs when selecting a plan.

“It is clear that HDHP enrollees value low premiums over low out-of-pocket costs, while traditional plan enrollees value low out-of-pocket costs over low premiums,” said Paul Fronstin, director of EBRI’s health research and education program and co-author of the report. “It is therefore not surprising that traditional plan and HDHP enrollees behave differently when it comes to their health care.”

Consumers enrolled in an HDHP were more likely than those with traditional health-insurance coverage to say that they had checked whether the plan would cover care or medication; checked the quality rating of a doctor or hospital before receiving care; checked the price of doctor’s visits, medication or other service before receiving care; talked to their doctors about other treatment options and costs; talked to their doctors about prescription options and costs; used an online cost-tracking tool provided by the health plan; and developed a budget to manage health care expenses; or declined a medical procedure because of costs.

In addition, when it comes to prescription-drug use, those in an HDHP were more likely than those with traditional coverage to have asked for a generic drug instead of a brand name or asked their doctor to recommend a less costly prescription drug.

Generational differences

Attitudes toward health care differ by generational cohort as well, the survey found. Baby Boomers were more likely than Generation Xers and Millennials to have a primary care provider.

Baby Boomers are much more likely than Millennials to strongly agree that they are comfortable telling their primary care provider about any health issue that they may have, that it is important that their doctor knows them and their medical history personally, that it’s important that their primary care provider is aware of all of the other medical care that they receive, and that they see their own primary care provider at every visit.

About the survey

The 2019 survey of 2,068 individuals was conducted online using Dynata/ResearchNow’s online research panel between Aug. 26 and Sept. 20, 2019. All respondents were between the ages of 21 and 64, EBRI said.

The national sample is weighted by gender, age, income, ethnicity, education, and region to reflect the actual proportions in the population. The CDHP and HDHP samples are weighted by gender, age, income, and ethnicity.

The survey was underwritten by Benefit Wallet, Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, HealthEquity, Inc., National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Prudential Financial (NYSE: PRU), and UMB Financial (NASDAQ: UMBF).

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