"[I]ncentives and penalties with regard to health insurance premiums are really a matter of semantics and presentation: both are changes relative to a baseline. For incentives, that baseline is high and meeting the requirements begets a discount (a $500 monthly premium becomes $450); for penalties, the baseline is low and not meeting the requirements begets an increase (a $450 premium becomes $500). By either meeting an incentive or avoiding a penalty the employee is taking money the employer has put on the table to participate in a wellness program."  MORE >>