Health insurers promoting employee wellness: strategies, program components and results.
OBJECTIVE
To examine health insurance companies' role in employee wellness.


METHODS
Case studies of eight insurers.


METHODS
Wellness activities in work, clinical, online, and telephonic settings.


METHODS
Senior executives and wellness program leaders from Blue Cross Blue Shield health insurers and from one wellness organization.


METHODS
Telephone interviews with 20 informants.


RESULTS
Health insurers were engaged in wellness as part of their mission to promote health and reduce health care costs. Program components included the following: education, health risk assessments, incentives, coaching, environmental consultation, targeted programming, onsite biometric screening, professional support, and full-time wellness staff. Programs relied almost exclusively on positive incentives to encourage participation. Results included participation rates as high as 90%, return on investment ranging from $1.09 to $1.65, and improved health outcomes.


CONCLUSIONS
Health insurers have expertise in developing, implementing, and marketing health programs and have wide access to employers and their employees' health data. These capabilities make health insurers particularly well equipped to expand the reach of wellness programming to improve the health of many Americans. By coupling members' medical data with wellness-program data, health insurers can better understand an individual's health status to develop and deliver targeted interventions. Through program evaluation, health insurers can also contribute to the limited but growing evidence base on employee wellness programs.
Murphy
Brigid M
BM
National Institute for Health Care Management Foundation.
Schoenman
Julie A
JA
Pirani
Hafiza
H
D003625:Data Collection; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D006280:Health Workforce; D006801:Humans; D007343:Insurance Carriers / Q000191:economics*; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000191:economics*; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008019:Life Style; D015397:Program Evaluation; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014481:United States