Darrell Moon is the CEO of Orriant, a provider of employee wellness programs.
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Some 74% of U.S. employers already offer employee wellness programs, but these have had only a modest effect so far, because few employees have chosen to participate.
To the surprise of many Obamacare critics, myself included, Washington last week issued new Affordable Care Act rules for employee wellness programs that could mean big savings for employers struggling with the skyrocketing cost of employee health care.
More and more companies are offering financial wellness programs as part of their overall employee wellness programs, and they may actually PAY you to participate or give you a discount on health insurance premiums-knowing that reducing your financial stress ultimately helps your overall health.
Similarly, BJ's lacked employee wellness and weight-loss programs before Ms. Sen became its first female CEO in 2009.
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Unfortunately, they face some unique dilemmas in implementing programs to improve employee health and wellness.
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By focusing on health-contingent wellness programs as a proven tool for improving employee health and reducing costs, the new HHS rules offer employers a viable path to a healthier workforce and a healthier bottom line.
This is especially true when it comes to the new accountability-based wellness programs that offer major financial incentives to motivate employee participation, and then personalized individual health coaching to sustain it.
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While savings will vary depending on the type and plan design of insurance programs as well the demographics of the covered population, there is growing evidence that wellness programs drive employer medical costs down and reduce employee absenteeism for illness.
This hefty differential accounts for the surprisingly high participation rates in such programs 75% or more in many cases as well as for the outsize savings in employee claims costs, which were found to be 35% lower for participants in these wellness programs.
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She's also optimistic that MyPotential online wellness programs there's one for stress management, for instance will be embraced by corporate employee-benefits divisions.
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