“Benemax’s third-party coverage of this service is a tremendous advance in employer-funded health benefits,” said Joseph C. Kvedar, M.D., director of Partners Telemedicine. “Second opinions regarding medical diagnosis and treatments have long been essential to achieving quality health care. Benemax’s recognition of this fact though its coverage for this service is a great step towards better medical care,” added Kvedar, who is also president-elect of the American Telemedicine Association.

Employees covered under the Benemax plan can arrange, through their doctors, for a second opinion from more than 4,000 specialists in the Partners HealthCare network, including the Harvard-affiliated teaching hospitals Massachusetts General, Brigham and Women’s, and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. There is no cost to employee or employer.

“Employers can provide this exceptional service without increasing premiums. In fact, we believe this program will improve health care efficiency, thereby reducing employers’ health benefit costs over time,” said David Cowles, executive vice president of Benemax. “Physician and patient can consult with top-flight specialists regarding a complex diagnosis—without traveling thousands of miles.”

Typically, within five days of submitting a request, the local physician receives a detailed consultation and treatment plan based on symptoms presented. Partners Telemedicine has found that in 90 percent of cases, specialists from the Partners system recommend a significant change in treatment, often resulting in a better outcome.

“Patients and their families who are dealing with a life-altering illness want to uncover every stone,” said Kvedar. “It’s often overwhelming to find the right specialist and navigate the system. A second opinion through Partners Telemedicine removes these obstacles. Care remains personal and local as the doctor takes advantage of the expertise of specialists who treat many patients with the same condition.”

About Benemax
Benemax, based in Medfield, Mass. (www.benemax.com), was founded in 1975 and manages employee benefits for more than 200 corporate clients ranging from start-ups to divisions of Fortune 500 companies. Benemax designs and administers attractive yet highly cost-effective employee benefit packages, including consumer-directed health and dental plans. The company has grown by an average of 30 percent annually for the past four years.