title: Huge "wellness incentives" are more about health plan benefit design than health promotion.
abstract: Regulations governing employers' use of financial incentives for employees who participate in health promotion programs or are successful in achieving health goals go into effect today (January 1, 2014). It is important to recognize that huge incentives have more to do with health plan design and less to do with effective strategies to improve health. Comprehensive health promotion programs need to increase awareness of the link between lifestyle and health, enhance motivation to improve health, build the skills important for a healthy lifestyle, and provide an abundance of opportunities to practice a healthy lifestyle.
authors.affiliation: Editor in Chief, American Journal of Health Promotion, Director, Health Management Research Center, and Clinical Professor, School of Kinesiology, University of Michigan.
authors.forename: Michael P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: O'Donnell
mesh_terms: D006264:Health Benefit Plans, Employee / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D009042:Motivation; D058991:Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; D014481:United States; D017132:Workplace