Some employers offer great incentives that include lower health premiums and wellness programs to help with individual’s health resolutions. Whether it is making a resolution to quit smoking or lose weight, some employers will offer incentives to help with these goals that are known as “wellness programs.” The program offers either free or discounted rates for gym memberships, quit-smoking classes, and programs that assist with weight loss. The main goal of the wellness program is to help improve individual’s health and in relation lower medical costs that would both benefit the individual and employer for the costs associated with health insurance.
To find out further information for employers that offer wellness programs the human resource department would be most beneficial. There is a health risk assessment that is required. This is to get a better reading on medical history and health habits. Some tests are physical and others are labs to test cholesterol, blood pressure, and body mass.
All the information that is given from the employee to sign up for the wellness programs is confidential. If there is a high medical risk that involves costly health insurance, than the employer cannot discriminate and drop an insured from the policy. Most of the time there is a third party administers that keep records and files on the wellness program information, so that legally an employer cannot be at fault for breach of confidentiality. Also, it is important for one to assess if they are a smoker or non-smoker for clarification so that their health insurance premiums are correct for specific medical conditions due to tobacco or non-tobacco usage.
A great incentive for wellness programs is not only to help with health insurance costs, but also premium discounts and lower deductibles are offered for goals that are met. From recent surveys most companies have found that wellness programs have improved health and health insurance costs.