Employers in Massachusetts could save $50 million a year if they can convince their workers to go to the doctor instead of the hospital for minor conditions like hives, neck pain, and coughs.
A coalition of large businesses in the state will spend next year taking on the challenge of cutting ER use.
The Massachusetts Employer Health Coalition, a group of large businesses aiming to reduce the cost of health care, and the Associated Industries of Massachusetts, the commonwealth’s largest trade association, set a goal of shaving employee emergency room use by 20 percent. That would eliminate $100 million from...