Employee Health and Wellness

Employee Health and Wellness Programs and Health Care Costs

Employee Health and Wellness Programs are important now more than ever. According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, with the troubles in the economy it seems that the costs of employer provided medical care keep continuing to grow and it doesn’t seem like it is going to change. The article states that during the year 2008, United States businesses can expect to see an increase of 10% in medical care costs.

This increase in medical care costs is causing some small businesses to reduce their staff member health benefits or get rid of them altogether.

Employee Health and Wellness Programs for Healthier Lifestyles

Employee Health and Wellness Programs do provide an option for small businesses. The corporations can provide discounted co-pays and deductibles to those employees that fully participate in the provided Employee Health and Wellness Initiative. Full participation means getting health screens, receiving a health risk assessment, and then working with their wellness coordinator to work towards a healthier lifestyle.

The healthier the employees, the lower the overall medical care costs for the corporation. Just one lengthy hospital stay can almost deplete a small business’ medical care budget.

Employee Health and Wellness Programs and Your Bottom Line

Employee Health and Wellness Programs provide many advantages to a corporation’s bottom-line. Health Promotion Statistics from Prudential Insurance show a benefit expense of $312 per individual enrolled in a Employee Health and Wellness Initiative compared to an expense of $574 per staff member that wasn’t enrolled. Coors Brewing Company showed a positive side-effect of participant absenteeism dropping by 18%, thus greater production and less medical care costs overall.