Does Your Company Offer Wellness Incentives? Do They Work?

[PeterPan09]

A year ago our company proposed incentives for people to get biometric screenings and reach a healthy BMI. I noticed a lot of people at the screenings, but I don't see too many people working around me that look like their body mass has changed much in 12 months. (myself included)

Has your company tried this? What happened?

 

[Planogirl]

Our company offers a reduction in yearly premiums if employees go through annual wellness screenings. They don't have to be in any particular condition or anything to get those discounts but it appears that most people don't take part.

 

[Goofyluver]

My employer offers discounts on certain life insurance programs if you participate in a well visit with a physician. Most people don't do it, because they offer alternatives. Of course, you also get a non-smoker discount on your life insurance.

Our benefits (health insurance especially) are incredibly expensive. I wouldn't participate unless there was a significant reduction in cost. Negligible discounts on REALLY expensive benefits just wouldn't be worth it.

 

[*pixie*dust*]

Yes, we have a wellness program. But no, it isn't very effective. There is low participation and I would bet that they will eventually discontinue it. It seems most people (at my work) feel a certain feeling that work should not have a say on how they live their personal life outside of work, health wise. Many have stated that it feels invasive.

 

[tvguy]

Our company started this this year. Participation must be low, because HR sent out an email with the subject line "DO NOT DELETE THIS WITHOUT READING".
Our health insurance is pretty pathetic. I am in the group of folks who get my coverage through my spouses work. Some have actually found private coverage cheaper while offering more coverage.
Our plan does cover you anywhere in the world, but even at home won't pay for Pap Smear, one of the most basic preventative procedures.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Husband's company offers $400 per year towards excercise equipment or gym membership.

No idea if it works. It is only for the employee. I can't even get my husband to go to Planet Fitness let alone the fancy gym with much better facilities. He is looking at a treadmill that has wifi to buy. We already have a treadmill. I am not sure what is magical about the wifi. It cost more than the incentive so it is on the back burner.

 

[Conservative Hippie]

We have a wellness program with monetary incentives for things like biometric screenings, a "bonus" if your BMI is already within the "healthy" range, and a "bonus" for reducing your BMI by 10% in 12 months. We always do the biometric screenings, and I do really appreciate that, but I have tried and tried to reduce my BMI by 10% and it is not happening.

 

[DebbieB]

My company has a discount for Weight Watchers and when you hit a 10% loss, you get reimbursed for what you paid. If you hit another 10%, you can get reimbursed for the additional fees. Up to 1 year of membership.

 

[Boston Tea Party]

I am a teacher. Our wellness program consists of things like this:

"We have scheduled a speaker at the admin building from 12:30 - 1:30 on (insert topic here)."

I supposed that from so high up in the ivory tower they can't see that those of us down here are in class at that time. What do they suggest that we do with our students?

It is simply lip service and it is ridiculous.

 

[DeaverTex]

Nope. Nothing like that here. Just the opportunity to work yourself to death.

 

[BabyTigger99]

My company (local goverment) isn't able to offer much, but there are a few things. There are yoga classes offered two days a week over the lunch hour for a small fee. If you belong to a gym and go at least 12 times a month they will reimburse you $15/month. Also, we have a Weight Watchers at Work program, which is $180 for 15 weeks, and if you miss less than 2 weigh ins, you will be reimbursed $50 each session.

 

[bear_mom]

My company offers a 10% discount on your insurance if you participate in the biometeric screening - I only insure myself through them so I usually don't go.

Dh's company puts money into his FSA (he has the high deductible plan) for each of us if we particpate. I usually do this one as he actually sets up an appointment for me and it is worth more (really, I don't want to have blood drawn twice, so I only do one of them). I forget the exact amount though.

 

[ctinct]

My son works for the state, and supposedly they are starting a "wellness" type thing, but it will be run differently than most. Rather than a discount for going to screenings, they will be penalized for not going. I don't know, it seems kind of like an administrative nightmare to me, and my son is concerned about privacy issues. In a nutshell, it is this: You must go for all the recommended health screenings for a person your age, or you will pay significantly more for your health insurance. This includes things like dental cleanings, wellness check-ups, bp screening, colonoscopy, cholesterol checks, etc. I think it is $100 a month more.

 

[PeterPan09]

My son works for the state, and supposedly they are starting a "wellness" type thing, but it will be run differently than most. Rather than a discount for going to screenings, they will be penalized for not going. I don't know, it seems kind of like an administrative nightmare to me, and my son is concerned about privacy issues. In a nutshell, it is this: You must go for all the recommended health screenings for a person your age, or you will pay significantly more for your health insurance. This includes things like dental cleanings, wellness check-ups, bp screening, colonoscopy, cholesterol checks, etc. I think it is $100 a month more.

Wow...

 

[Disneybuckeye]

My company offers you the opportunity to be tested onsite for five different wellness factors. For everyone that you make in their acceptable ranges gives you a monthly discout on your health insurance. I hit the max and save $400 per year on my health insurance.

 

[FireDancer]

Our insurance is very progressive when it comes to wellness programs. We have someone on-site once a month to help employees with nutrition, exercise, diet advice, advice on medical issues they might have like Diabetes. We can get free gym memberships at a lot of local facilities. We have lunch and learn seminars a few times a year, a yearly biggest loser contest, and get a newsletter. Once per year we close for the day and they come in and do a quick check up on everyone. We get our blood values, body fat%, an analysis of our diets, and can speak with some specialists beyond the guy who comes once per month.

We get a reduction on premiums if a certain number of employees participate in the different programs but the discount is across the board for everyone, not the specific employee.

The most exciting thing we have now is an experimental wellness-based PCP model. I signed up for it and it starts on October first. The program was started by a Cleveland Clinic physician and the ideas is instead of having a PCP that you see when you are sick you have a team of doctors that take the place of the PCP. You set up an initial appointment where they get a health baseline and you go back whenever you need to just like a regular PCP but also a few times a year so they can keep track of your overall health. They have sports medicine doctors and nutritionists along with the normal specialties like pediatrics, geriatrics, cardiologists, and so forth.

As for how well the wellness program works, it works as much as you let it. It isn't magic and the employee has to buy into it and participate for it to improve their health. There are a couple of employees that it has really helped. Some are down almost 100 pounds, some have quit smoking, some belong to a gym for the first time in their lives. I think it is great, I even sit on the wellness committee. If the employees do buy into it everyone benefits. They get healthier, the insurance company has to pay out less (it is cheaper to prevent illness than treat it), and the company and employees save a little cash in the process with the lower premiums.

 

[SC Minnie]

Our company started a Wellness program a couple of months ago. I have a feeling its going to be a lot of talk and very little action. At our first building wide meeting one guy on the committee stood up and said 'if you stop eating white sugars and drinking soda you won't have a weight problem'. I'm sure that would help but everyone isn't like him.

We don't have a gym on site so we get a reimbursement for a gym membership. It was asked if we could use it as either a fitness reimbursement OR a weightloss reimbursement. We were told 'No'. In the past we have had Weight Watchers come out and have weekly meetings on site. We had to have a certain number of participants and dues paid up front. We are trying to get that together again but we can't get the minimun # of people due to the cost.

A lot of people think the whole wellness program is a way for them to increase the health insurance premiums for those that have weight issues.

 

[Andtototoo]

My company offers incentives if you (1) wear a pedometer and report its mileage and (2) do wellness screens.

Here is my take on it, FWIW:

1. While I have seen/heard many people talking about their "steps" and the various incentives to increase "steps", I have not seen any evidence of improved cardio-vascular health. I don't do the ped campaign and yet I'm the one who gets roped into lifting, hauling, and walking stuff around.

2. Wellness screens have become very unpopular because although you get $ as a reward, you end up using that money for more screens. Seems as though EVERYONE's screens come back with some major and heretofore unknown problem that necessitates doctor's visits and tests... at which no results are found that are remotely close to the wellness screen results. And by the way -- since those tests found nothing wrong, the insurance company won't pay for them. In addition, once you sign up for a wellness screen the insurance company then assigns you a mentor who calls you at work to "inquire" about your health and make "suggestions" and even better yet -- to argue with you that the wellness screens are "better" than the doctor's office tests and tell you to go back and demand more tests (which they don't cover). These mentor calls are even more unpopular than the screens themselves.

I think it's just a scam to get more info to use to deny claims later on claiming you had a pre-existing condition or were non-compliant.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

We just started really pushing the wellness campaigns. There are financial incentives tied to the programs, but it's more passive than active management.

That said, I'm all for the programs and I'm also for raised premiums for those who choose not to participate or choose not to make decisions that will reduce their health risk profile (ie. fail to maintain a healthy weight, smoke, etc.). IMO, why should I pay, in part of my insurance premiums, for someone elses poor lifestyle choices. I don't pay for it in my life insurance premiums and I shouldn't have to pay for it in my medical coverage.

Now, note, I said lifestyle choices, this is very different from cancer, heart issues, etc. for those who would normally fit a healthy lifestyle.

 

[AnnicaJ]

My employer offers a yearly health screen and follow ups for free. Those of us who take part get a treatment plan and are sent to specialists if needed. All employees get reimbursed $400/year for gym memberships, private trainers or whatever we ourselves find fitting, except scuba diving, riding, ice hockey and golf. The employer also pays the local gym to let us in to cross train, play badminton, soccer or land hockey one hour a day during work hours.

I've only worked for this employer for 2 years but my colleagues, as well as myself, seem much healthier now than 2 years ago. In my opinion most of it is due to all the opportunities to work out rather than the yearly health screen.