title: Can health insurance improve employee health outcome and reduce cost? An evaluation of Geisinger's employee health and wellness program.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the impact of a health plan-driven employee health and wellness program (known as MyHealth Rewards) on health outcomes (stroke and myocardial infarction) and cost of care.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cohort of Geisinger Health Plan members who were Geisinger Health System (GHS) employees throughout the study period (2007 to 2011) was compared with a comparison group consisting of Geisinger Health Plan members who were non-GHS employees.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The GHS employee cohort experienced a stroke or myocardial infarction later than the non-GHS comparison group (hazard ratios of 0.73 and 0.56; P < 0.01). There was also a 10% to 13% cost reduction (P < 0.05) during the second and third years of the program. The cumulative return on investment was approximately 1.6.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Health plan-driven employee health and wellness programs similarly designed as MyHealth Rewards can potentially have a desirable impact on employee health and cost.
authors.affiliation: Geisinger Health System (Drs Maeng and Steinhubl and Mr Pitcavage) and Geisinger Health Plan (Ms Tomcavage), Danville, Pa.
authors.forename: Daniel D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Maeng
authors.forename: James M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Pitcavage
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tomcavage
authors.forename: Steven R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Steinhubl
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017046:Cost Savings; D005260:Female; D006264:Health Benefit Plans, Employee; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods*; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D007348:Insurance, Health; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000517:prevention & control; D016272:Occupational Health; D055553:Prescription Drugs / Q000191:economics; D012201:Reward; D020521:Stroke / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D055553:Prescription Drugs