title: The impact of the highmark employee wellness programs on 4-year healthcare costs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the return on investment (ROI) of Highmark Inc.'s employee wellness programs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Growth curve analyses compared medical claims for participants of wellness programs versus risk-matched nonparticipants for years 2001 to 2005. The difference was used to define savings. ROI was determined by subtracting program costs from savings and alternative discount rates were applied in a sensitivity analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Multivariate models estimated health care expenses per person per year as $176 lower for participants. Inpatient expenses were lower by $182. Four-year savings of $1,335,524 compared with program expenses of $808,403 yielded an ROI of $1.65 for every dollar spent on the program.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Using sophisticated methodology, this study suggests that a comprehensive health promotion program can lower the rate of health care cost increases and produce a positive ROI.
authors.affiliation: Highmark, Inc., 120 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3099, USA.
authors.forename: Barbara L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Naydeck
authors.forename: Janine A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Pearson
authors.forename: Ronald J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Ozminkowski
authors.forename: Brian T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Day
authors.forename: Ron Z
authors.initials: RZ
authors.lastname: Goetzel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003363:Cost Control; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016555:Matched-Pair Analysis; D008875:Middle Aged; D017059:Models, Econometric; D009786:Occupational Health Services / Q000191:economics*; D010414:Pennsylvania; D017132:Workplace