Jiff Inc., which launched its health benefits platform in 2012, is in the process of implementing an affiliate program so the Mountain View, Calif.-based company can more easily partner with brokers.
Jiff CEO Derek Newell shares some background information about the startup which primarily serves large, self-insured employers the role data analytics plays in reducing health care costs as well as the companys relationship with benefit brokers.
What services do you offer?
Jiff helps companies reduce health care costs by providing health benefit programs customized for each employee that combine smart analytics, beautiful design and the best digital health technology and services. Our products include:
- Navigator: A home screen for every employee to see and access their health benefits.
- Incentives: A digital incentives program that enables employers to shape incentives and rewards options in an advanced way.
- Challenges: A social, gamified, and deadline-driven tool that makes establishing the right healthcare habits irresistible.
- Mission Control: A web-based platform for benefits managers that takes the guess work out of managing benefit programs by offering real-time insights into employee engagement.
Why did you enter the benefits industry?
Half of all Americans get health insurance through their employer. These companies spend too much on health care north of $620 billion a year and get too little for it.
Theres a huge and growing number of apps, wearable devices and digital services from Fitbit to Doctor on Demand that are available to employers to help improve employee health and reduce cost-drivers like ER visits or chronic disease. But contracting with dozens of these point solution vendors is unmanageable, and getting employees to engage with the rights ones, at the right time, is near impossible.
Jiff entered the benefits industry to address this need. Jiff is an enterprise health benefits platform that helps companies reduce their health care costs. We bring together the best of digital health technology and services in a beautifully designed, data-driven platform that allows employers to deliver personalized benefit programs for each employee.
What is your relationship with brokers?
We currently work with several national and regional brokers in a reseller capacity.
How do you see that relationship growing?
Were in the process of setting up a formal affiliate program so that we can more easily partner with brokers.
How can data analytics help reduce employers health care costs?
The more companies know about their populations health and health care needs, the better they can address those needs, improve employee health, and reduce health care costs. At Jiff, we use data to direct the right employees to the right solutions at the right time. The key is to tailor benefit programs and incentives to each employee: the smoker needs to be directed to smoking cessation programs; the expectant mother to prenatal health apps; and the pre-diabetic to step challenges and other weight loss efforts.
In order to help employers do this, Jiff built Mission Control, which comes included in every Jiff implementation. Mission Control is a live web dashboard that offers real-time insights and program administration that takes the guesswork out of managing benefits programs. No more static reporting. Administrators can log in to our web-based tool at any time to see whats happening with participation, behaviors, and outcomes across all of their programs. They can learn what works for their populations and constantly evolve programs and incentives to optimize for the outcomes that save them money.
Whats the future of data analytics in the health care industry?
Were in the midst of a digital health care revolution. Were probably the last generation to visit our doctor on the corner of Emerson and Main Street. All the new digital services now available offer rich, real-time data that can be used to make more informed decisions.
What that means for enterprise health benefits is that the days of one-size-fits-all benefits are over. Now we can give employees a personalized set of benefits and incentives, along with a customizable marketplace of apps, wearables and health programs that allow employees to get the most from their benefits, save money, and reach their health goals. Employers are able to see what works and make adjustments with the click of a button.
