Headlines about "Health plan costs - preventive care"

Gathered from the web by the editors at BenefitsLink.com.
[Official Guidance] Text of IRS/DOL/HHS Request for Information on Sections 101 - 104 of Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008
December 9 deadline for comments. Excerpt: "1. To what extent do group health plans and health insurance issuers currently use genetic information, such as family medical history, and for what purposes? For example, is genetic information currently used for group rating purposes, or for purposes of a wellness program that otherwise complies with HIPAA's nondiscrimination requirements? 2. How do plans and issuers currently obtain genetic information (for example, through health risk assessments, the Medical Information Bureau, or other entities under common control)? 3. Under what circumstances do plans or issuers currently request or require an individual to take a genetic test? 4. Under what circumstances do plans or issuers currently ask for the results of a genetic test in order to make a determination regarding payment of benefits? What is the minimum amount of information necessary for a plan or issuer to make a determination under such circumstances? 5. What types of research do plans or issuers currently conduct or support using genetic tests?" (Internal Revenue Service; Employee Benefits Security Administration; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services)

Driving Productivity by Investing in Health 2008: Survey Results
Excerpt: "Hewitt's The Road Ahead: Driving Productivity by Investing in Health 2008 survey found that employers are beginning to develop long-term health and productivity strategies to tackle rising health care costs and improve employees' overall health. Employers are recognizing that their employees' health has a direct impact on the bottom line and it is more than a Benefit/HR issue -- it is a business issue." (Hewitt Associates)

Employers around the Globe Climb on Wellness Program Bandwagon
Excerpt: "The number of employers outside of North America turning to workplace wellness strategies has nearly doubled in the past 12 months to 40% of those in Europe, Asia and Africa. A Buck Consultants news release about its study reported that the wellness programs are still most prevalent in North America where 82% of responding employers have them in their benefits packages." (PLANSPONSOR.com; free registration required)

Employers Wade Into Monitoring Care As Diabetes Cases Grow
Excerpt: "Patients can take steps to control [diabetes] and lower the risk of complications, but many don't. That has attracted attention from employers seeking ways to cut costs and helped an industry spring up that targets prevention and management of the disease. The stakes are huge. One out of every five health care dollars spent last year went to caring for someone with diabetes. The total economic cost -- including medical care, lost productivity, absenteeism and disability -- totaled $174 billion, according to the American Diabetes Association." (Sacramento Business Journal via bizjournals.com; free registration required)

Study Shows Weight Surgery Pays Off for Employers
Excerpt: "In the largest study of its kind, researchers looked at health care costs of more than 3,000 patients who underwent bariatric surgery. They concluded that payers recouped the cost of the surgery -- which varied from $16,000 to $25,000 -- within two to four years." (Workforce Management; free registration required)

The 10 Benefits of Conducting a Personal Health Assessment
7 pages. Excerpt: "Far and away the most significant benefit of offering a personal health assessment at the workplace is the fact that the entire process creates significant levels of engagement for both employers and employees. For some time now, we've been pushing the mantra that health promotion programs are something we do with and for employees . . . not something we do to them." (Wellness Council of America)

[Guidance Overview] New York Municipalities/school Districts: Paid Time Off for Breast Feeding and Prostate Cancer Screening
Excerpt: "On July 21, 2008, Governor Paterson signed into law a bill amending both Civil Service Law §159-b and §159-c, which relate to leave granted to certain public employees for breast and prostate cancer screening respectively. The amendment, which becomes effective on August 20, 2008, clears up a major source of uncertainty for public employers, who in the past several years have become subject to several provisions of the New York State Civil Service Law which entitle employees to excused time off for breast and prostate cancer screening." (Bond, Schoeneck & King, PLLC)

Programs That Target Obesity and Other Employee Behaviors Face Scrutiny, Legal Hurdles
Excerpt: "Employers must consider federal rules when implementing programs aimed at improving employee health. HIPAA, for example, prohibits health plans from discriminating in eligibility or contributions/benefits based on health factors, although there is 'a significant exception' for wellness programs that satisfy specific requirements . . . . But government employers can avoid the HIPAA nondiscrimination requirements entirely by choosing to 'opt out' of those requirements." (AISHealth.com)

Jackson, Michigan, Employers Develop Wellness Program As Crucial Part of Corporate Strategy
Excerpt: "In this factory town in south-central Michigan, hard hit by the decline of the auto industry and home to a population whose health grimly lags well below national averages, several dozen small-business owners have joined forces in a wellness campaign that rivals those of the country's giant corporations." (The New York Times; free registration required)

States Act to Reduce Health Insurance Costs
Excerpt: "In the last two years, at least three states have included health improvement in new programs intended to make health insurance more affordable for small employers. . . . In return for reduced premiums, deductibles and co-payments, participants [in Rhode Island] must select and visit a primary care doctor for a checkup, complete a 15-page health questionnaire and promise to try to adopt healthy behaviors and to abstain from smoking. People with chronic health problems have to agree to follow their doctors' directions on how best to manage the disease." (The New York Times; free registration required)

High Performing Companies Save Millions in Health Care Costs, According to Towers Perrin
Excerpt: "Despite overall evidence of a growing affordability gap in health care, the Towers Perrin Health Care Cost Survey shows that employees at high-performing companies are seeing lower costs than those at low-performing companies." (PLANSPONSOR.com; free registration required)

Corporate Wellness Programs Are All About the Bottom Line
Excerpt: "The American Journal of Preventive Medicine estimates a return of from $3 to $6 in health care cost savings for every $1 invested in a corporate-based wellness program over a two- to five-year period. So far, only about one-fourth of companies that have implemented employee wellness incentive programs have said in recent surveys that they've been able to track and document specific cost savings, but those who have are happy with the bottom line." (The Kansas City Star via NewsEdge via Human Resource Executive Online)

An Aggressive Wellness Approach Based on Incentives, Incentives and More Incentives
Excerpt: "In times of economic crisis, it may seem counter-intuitive to employers to increase spending on wellness incentives. However, that's exactly what Lafarge North America -- a building materials firm headquartered in Paris with 8,500 U.S. employees - did, and the company was rewarded with positive results." (Employee Benefit News; free registration required)

More Employers Offering Wellness-Program Incentives, According to Study
Excerpt: "The number of major U.S. employers offering incentives to promote employer-sponsored health and wellness programs rose nearly 10 percent from 2007 to 2008, according to a recent national report. The report finds the number of companies offering workers wellness incentives increased from 62 percent last year to 71 percent this year . . . ." (The Central New York Business Journal)

Employers Should Focus More Attention on the Health of Younger Workers
Excerpt: "A recent report adds a slightly different twist to conventional wisdom, finding that workers in their 30s are far more neglectful of their health than those in their 60s. The research by ComPsych Corp., entitled Generational Differences in Employee Wellness, shows more than half (52 percent) of the older group studied had healthy diets, compared to only 18 percent of the younger age group. Employees in their 50s and 60s also fared better in level of exercise, outlook on life, social support and stress levels." (Human Resource Executive Online)

Wellness Directors and Advisers Show How Walking the Walk Pays Off
Excerpt: "Top-down buy in is consistently listed as a key component of wellness program success by health and productivity experts. Advocating healthy decisions is a culture change and a challenge. So, anytime an adviser or employer can work shoulder-to-shoulder with employees engaged in wellness programs, they have a better opportunity to inspire, influence and steer behavior." (Employee Benefit Advisor; free registration required)

[Guidance Overview] EEOC Staff Members Provide Informal Views on Benefit-Related Issues
Excerpt: "EBIA Comment: Although the EEOC staff members' responses reflect their unofficial, individual views, the JCEB report raises important issues for employers and administrators to think about. It also reminds us that federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination (such as the ADA) must be taken into account when employers and administrators are designing benefit programs." (Employee Benefits Institute of America)

[Guidance Overview] Are Work-Life Programs a Boon for the Bottom-Line
Excerpt: "While programs offering work-life flexibility for employees have been a staple of public accounting firms' recruiting and retention efforts, other companies could learn from their example -- and not just to shore up their staff. The bottom line may benefit, too." (CFO.com)

Recorded Webcast and Podcast: Health Care Consumerism — Duke Realty's Success Story
Excerpt: "In a Webcast on July 31, Duke Realty Corporation's health plan manager, Teresa Donaldson, and Towers Perrin Principal Tony Garavaglia took an in-depth look at how Duke Realty adopted a culture of health -- and saved nearly $1.5 million last year with an account-based health plan and supporting wellness programs. [Presentation slides are also available to download from the target page.]" (Towers Perrin)

Vaccinate to Reduce Health Costs
Excerpt: "Patients with chronic conditions, such as diabetes, heart failure and asthma are able to reduce instances of hospitalization by obtaining influenza vaccinations, a new CVS Caremark study shows." (Employee Benefit Advisor; free registration required)

Wellness Program Participation Rates Vary by Industry
Excerpt: "According to a new study by Gordian Health Solutions, some industries enjoy more wellness program participation success than others. Those industries less apt to have robust participation may require a more aggressive approach, while sectors more open to wellness and health coaching programs may not. 'Organizations considering implementing or revamping a wellness initiative should look at best practices within their respective industry sector to see what worked and what didn't work . . . .'" (Employee Benefit Advisor; free registration required)

Recently Passed Wellness Plan for Alabama State Employees Draws Criticism and Kudos
Excerpt: "When the State Employees' Insurance Board of Alabama approved a new wellness plan for its employees, it received a heavy dose of national attention. The focus was directed at what some have called a 'fat tax' -- a punitive charge for obese state workers. But a representative from the State Insurance Board of Alabama and some health-plan experts say the attention is misguided, and defend the wellness plan as appropriate and increasingly common among employers." (Human Resource Executive Online)

[Opinion] Return on Investment for Bariatric Surgery
Excerpt: "Bariatric procedures should not be held to a different standard than other medical or surgical interventions, regardless of what the return on investment might actually be. For example, no one asks to see a positive return on investment for treatment of cancer, heart disease, or diabetes mellitus, yet treatments for these conditions are covered in almost every health plan. The coverage decision should be based on whether or not the intervention can improve the condition in a cost-effective manner compared with other potential treatments." (The American Journal of Managed Care)

A Study on the Economic Impact of Bariatric Surgery
Excerpt: "Results: The mean bariatric surgery investment ranged from approximately $17,000 to $26,000. After controlling for observable patient characteristics, we estimated all costs to have been recouped within 2 years for laparoscopic surgery patients and within 4 years for open surgery patients. Conclusions: Downstream savings associated with bariatric surgery are estimated to offset the initial costs in 2 to 4 years. Randomized or quasiexperimental studies would be useful to confirm this conclusion, as unobserved characteristics may influence the decision to undergo surgery and cannot be controlled for in this analysis." (The American Journal of Managed Care)

You Can't Change What You Can't Measure: The Importance of Providing an Opportunity for Health Screening
37 pages. Excerpt: "At the core of any exemplary small business wellness initiative is the notion of providing each and every employee with the opportunity to take part in a personal health screening. In fact, a personal health screening opportunity is such an important component that it is virtually impossible to establish any type of effective wellness program without it." (Wellness Council of America)

Presence in Virtual Worlds Could Help Health Plans Achieve Real-World Behavior Change
Excerpt: "Second Life is a virtual world of avatars, sims and Linden dollars, and CIGNA, Corp., Partners HealthCare System, Inc. and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are among the first health organizations to establish beachheads on its shores. But it's not, they say, because Second Life and other social networking media (e.g., Web sites) are new and flashy. Rather, their ventures are a response to changes in the way consumers are communicating and accessing health information." (AISHealth.com)

Newsweek Examines Whether Preventive Care Programs Proposed by Major Presidential Candidates Can Reduce Costs
Excerpt: "Newsweek on Monday examined whether preventive care programs proposed by Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) and presumptive Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) would reduce health care costs. According to both candidates, preventive care 'makes for healthier patients and lower health care costs,' but a study recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that such programs 'usually result in higher payouts, not lower ones,' Newsweek reports." (Kaiser Family Foundation)

Employers Seek to Gain from Weight-Loss Surgery
Excerpt: "With six in 10 American adults overweight or obese, benefit managers are desperately looking for ways to save money on the long-term costs associated with obesity-related diseases such as heart failure, high blood pressure and diabetes." (Workforce Management; free registration required)

Alabama Fights Fat, Media with New Screening Program
Excerpt: "Alabama's effort to expand its health screening program has taken over the Web recently. And while most outlets pounced on the 'fees for fat' angle, the program's steward says the media frenzy got it all wrong. . . . The state has been screening workers for 15 years and finds that 10% to 15% of at-risk employees are completely unaware of their health threat. The goal . . . is to make sure everyone gets screened. 'It's not a surcharge, it's a premium discount . . . .'" (Employee Benefit Advisor; free registration required)

Wellness Efforts Should Focus on Younger Employees
Excerpt: "A new study suggests younger workers have more unhealthy lifestyles than older workers and are at greater risk for developing long-term health problems." (PLANSPONSOR.com; free registration required)

Extra Pounds Mean Insurance Fees for Alabama Workers
Excerpt: "The state has given its 37,527 employees a year to start getting fit -- or they'll pay $25 a month for insurance that otherwise is free. Alabama will be the first state to charge overweight state workers who don't work on slimming down, while a handful of other states reward employees who adopt healthy behaviors." (AP via The New York Times; free registration required)

DOL Views on Wellness Programs (PDF)
Pages 2-3 of 5 pages. Excerpt: "The American Bar Association, Joint Committee on Employee Benefits recently posed a number of questions to the Department of Labor (DOL), including a question regarding when a wellness program will be considered an ERISA plan. (While an agency staff opinion is non-binding, it often provides useful information as to staff interpretation.) The DOL staff noted that a wellness program is only subject to the HIPAA nondiscrimination rules for wellness programs if it is part of an ERISA health plan as defined in ERISA section 3(1)." (Miller & Chevalier Chartered)

How Obesity Policies Are Failing in America 2008 (PDF)
144 pages. Excerpt: "This report analyzes obesity rates in the United States and finds the epidemic is spreading at an alarming rate in most states, and that the programs and policies designed to reverse the disease have not yet had any significant effect." (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation)

Wellness Programs Pay Off Beyond Lowering Health Costs
Excerpt: "A new survey suggests workplace wellness programs not only help reduce employers' health care costs and employee absentee rates, but can also pay off in the form of more loyal and engaged employees. According to a Maritz press release, its survey found even employees who only occasionally participate in wellness programs are more satisfied with their jobs (20% v. 13% who never participate in a wellness program), more likely to remain with the company long term (27% v. 18%), and more likely to recommend the company as an employer to a friend or family member (32% v. 21%)." (PLANSPONSOR.com; free registration required)

Employers Seek to Gain from Weight-Loss Surgery
Excerpt: "With six in 10 American adults overweight or obese, benefit managers are desperately looking for ways to save money on the long-term costs associated with obesity-related diseases such as heart failure, high blood pressure and diabetes." (Workforce Management; free registration required)

Wellness Programs Can Lower Cost of Health Care Benefits, According to Study
Excerpt: "The most effectual benefits programs reflect employee involvement in determining which benefits to offer. Successful wellness programs also allow employees to tailor programs to fit their needs and continually survey employees on their satisfaction with their benefits . . . ." (Financial Week; free registration required)

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Seeking Public Comments on Its Healthy People 2020 Initiative
Excerpt: "Every 10 years, the department examines scientific data and new trends that are emerging from the health and wellness space. By having the public weigh in on health and wellness issues, officials hope to develop a national agenda that will improve the health and fitness of U.S. citizens." (Employee Benefit News; free registration required)

Corporate Wellness Programs Provide Incentives for Employees to Manage Their Health
Excerpt: "Corporate wellness programs are popping up all over the United States as companies search for ways to lower healthcare costs by encouraging healthy employee behaviors. A survey of 225 major U.S. companies shows the trend continues to catch on. The number of employers using incentives to promote company health and wellness programs rose from 62% in 2007 to 71% in 2008, according to a recent survey from the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), ERISA Industry Committee and IncentOne Inc." (IndustryWeek)

San Francisco Pushes Legislation to Promote Good Health
Excerpt: "Last week, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted to make the city the first in the country to ban the sale of cigarettes in pharmacies such as Walgreens and Rite Aid. And that's only the city's latest effort to make us all healthier. The supervisors also voted to require chain restaurants to post nutritional information, including calories and fat content, on menus." (San Francisco Chronicle)

MGM Mirage's Smoking-Cessation Program
Excerpt: "[The] program provides free telephone counseling and printed support materials, free nicotine replacement therapy including patches and gum, and free smoking-cessation drugs." (Workforce Management; free registration required)

Wellness Programs Reduce Health Costs for Education Institutions
Excerpt: "A Sibson Consulting survey of higher education institutions found that those with lower health care costs were more likely to invest in wellness than those with higher health care costs." (PLANSPONSOR.com; free registration required)

DOL Staff Members Provide Informal Views on Welfare Plan Topics at May 7, 2008, Meeting
Excerpt: "The Joint Committee on Employee Benefits (JCEB) of the American Bar Association has posted a report on the May 7, 2008 Q&A session between JCEB representatives and DOL staff members. Highlights include the following unofficial, nonbinding comments about COBRA premiums, wellness programs, reimbursement of individual health insurance premiums through HRAs, and offers of assistance in a non-English language." (Employee Benefits Institute of America)

Health Plans Support Push from Employers for Early Alcohol Screening and Intervention
Excerpt: "Brief intervention in primary care and other settings typically consists of an initial counseling session lasting five to 20 minutes and one or more follow-up sessions. Studies show that a few sessions with a [primary care physician] or nurse can persuade people who are less dependent to cut down on their drinking and, in some cases, stop drinking altogether." (AISHealth.com)

Making the Business Case: How Engaging Employees in Preventive Care Can Reduce Healthcare Costs (PDF)
19 pages. Excerpt: "This white paper focuses on four leading types of cancer – breast cancer, colorectal cancer, cervical cancer and cancers associated with tobacco use. The paper illustrates how: Cancer costs burden businesses. Offering prevention and early detection health insurance benefits reduce both the direct and indirect costs of cancer for employers. Companies can start offering preventive and cancer-screening services." (C-Change)

Can Incentives Really Maximize Wellness Program Participation? Special Report
15 pages. Excerpt: "In examining workplace wellness programs that have survived over the long-haul, [experience has shown] that successful employers position the programs as a key company benefit -- one that, if embraced, has the power to transform an employee's health status so that they'll not only experience a healthier, happier life now, but for years to come (yes, even well into the retirement years)." (Wellness Council of America)

Working Long Hours, and Paying the Price
Excerpt: "[L]ong days at work take a serious toll. For starters, it is very hard for employees to maintain a healthy lifestyle when work and commuting consume 60 or more hours a week. It is probably not a coincidence that obesity has become more prevalent as work hours have expanded for some. Too many hours at the office can also wind up being counterproductive. Employees who are overtired or preoccupied with neglected personal issues are unlikely to perform at their peak. They fall behind, spend more unproductive time at work to catch up, and so on." (The New York Times; free registration required)

'Wellness' a Healthy Investment for Company
Excerpt: "Lincoln Industries has three full-time employees devoted to 'wellness' and offers on-site massages and pre-shift stretching. Most unusual of all: The company requires all employees to undergo quarterly checkups measuring weight, body fat and flexibility. It also conducts annual blood, vision and hearing tests." (CNN)

[Opinion] Healthy Americans Impose Higher Costs in the Long-Term
Excerpt: "Medical economists agree that cancer screenings and gym classes can lead to physical well-being and longer lives. But in the interests of honest accounting, they add that prevention does not reduce overall health-care spending. On the contrary. Let's put it bluntly: Longer lives cost more money. Those who make it to 90 thanks to exercise and six daily servings of vegetables are more likely to suffer the expensive ravages of old age. Everyone dies of something. So he who avoids a fatal heart attack at 70 is more at risk of cancer at 80. Those extra 10 years can mean extra CT scans, hip replacements and physical therapy, even for those in relative good health." (The Detroit News)

More Employers Move to Integrate Incentives With Consumer-Directed Care Benefits
Excerpt: "'Anybody who implements an incentive program needs to be mindful of discrimination laws, regulations regarding HIPAA and all sorts of tax regulations,' . . . . Employers and health plans considering an incentive program should consult their legal counsel to make sure the proposed program is in compliance with state and federal laws . . . ." (AISHealth.com)

Disease Prevention and Wellness Programs Yield Greater Returns, Report Finds
Excerpt: "The report from the Trust for America's Health, a nonprofit health advocacy group, found that programs encouraging physical activity, healthy eating and no smoking were a better investment than those concentrating primarily on treatment. The results are laid out in a state-by-state breakdown." (The Washington Post; free registration required)

Financial Health Incentives on the Rise, but Design Is Key
Excerpt: "High-deductible health plans are the clearest examples of ways employers are trying to change employee behavior by making them more responsible for the cost of health care. But like other incentives, they are best utilized when employers also provide quality and cost information for doctors, hospitals and other services." (Workforce Management; free registration required)

More Bosses Help Workers Quit Smoking and Financial Savings Are Often Available
Excerpt: "Your company's health plan may lower your monthly insurance premium, provide a coach to help you stop or help pay for prescription smoking-cessation medicines. Many businesses have become more aggressive and creative in helping workers quit." (Detroit Free Press via The Courier-Journal)

Wellness Programs Require More Than Education
Excerpt: "Company programs that encourage weight loss, a healthy diet and exercise are more likely to be embraced by workers if employers motivate them to sign up and give them tools to record their progress, according to a study released in Washington on Monday, July 14, by a major health insurer." (Workforce Management; free registration required)

Blue Cross Blue Shield Wellness Press Briefing
Excerpt: "Large employers like DTE energy and Food Lion LLC are getting hands-on with wellness to help manage skyrocketing health care costs. In conjunction with Blue Cross Blue Shield, a new report, 'Engaging Consumers at Work,' found that workplace education can increase employee participation by 21% and above." (Employee Benefit News; free registration required)

Building a Value-Based Health Benefit Culture - Manatee County, FL As an Example
Excerpt: "Manatee County's Your Choice medical and drug benefit plan designs offer strong financial incentives for healthy behaviors and cost-effective decision making. The medical benefit offers three levels of cost sharing linked to health management activities. Employees and insured family members qualify for the Basic, Better or Best cost-sharing options based on their participation in health screenings, wellness programs and condition management programs." (Pharmacy Benefit Management Institute, LP)

Linking Wellness and Voluntary Funding
Excerpt: "Payroll deduction has proven to be a powerful employee motivational tool in meeting health and wellness goals at Nature's Sunshine Products Inc. . . . . Employees enjoy the convenience and affordability of paying for a discounted membership to their nearest Gold's Gym, which is $18 a month. But there's also a built-in incentive to show up for a workout: They can earn a $1 credit up to $12 applied to the following month's payroll deduction." (Employee Benefit Advisor; free registration required)

IRS and Treasury Officials Provide Informal Views on Health Benefits, Wellness Incentives, and More
Excerpt: "The Joint Committee on Employee Benefits (JCEB) of the American Bar Association has posted a report on the May 2008 question-and-answer session between JCEB representatives and IRS and Treasury officials. Highlights include the following informal, nonbinding comments about post-termination health benefits, wellness incentives, health coverage for non-dependents, and COBRA under health FSAs." (Employee Benefits Institute of America)

Employer Health-Incentive Use Increasing
Excerpt: "Two recent studies found hikes in the number of employers using incentives to encourage workers to participation in wellness initiatives. Lowering healthcare costs and improving productivity are the underlying aims, experts say." (Human Resource Executive Online)

[Guidance Overview] ERISA Claim Regarding Termination for Smoking (PDF)
Pages 4-5 of 5 pages. Excerpt: "A United States District Court of the District of Massachusetts has ruled that a plaintiff who was terminated from employment because he was a smoker could proceed with a claim under Section 510 of ERISA against the employer. See Rodrigues v. Scotts Company, LLC, 2008 WL 251971 (D. Mass.)." (Miller & Chevalier Chartered)

Employers Reach Out to Children With Wellness Programs
Excerpt: "This year, [IBM] introduced the Children's Health Rebate, which encourages families to set 'healthy living goals' for themselves and keep track of whether they are meeting those targets over a 12-week period. Participants are eligible for a $150 rebate on their health insurance premiums. This year, 22,000 of the 52,000 families in IBM's health care plan have signed up for the rebate." (Workforce Management; free registration required)

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