Privacy and Employee Wellness Programs

The focus of this recent post on The Health Care Blog seems to be that there is an ongoing debate on whether employee wellness programs intrude on privacy issues. One reason why companies adopt to these programs is because it saves them costs, both indirect and direct. New employee wellness programs focus on smoking cessation, weight management, and fitness, yet concerns are still arising from employees.

Employees are worried that health risk appraisals could end up in the hands of employers, and that they can use this information to possibly reduce benefits or other purposes. Many employee health plans are now addressing this issue by creating set privacy programs. For now, these programs are voluntary; participants usually get credited for joining by getting cash, gift cards, or discounted gym memberships.

Employers and Health Insurance

In a recent post at Managed Care Matters, Joseph Paduda discusses the link between employers and the health insurance they offer. He thinks that the reason employers offer health insurance is the important link between health and productivity.

In fact, he states this of the topic:

Keeping workers, and their families, healthy and productive is the primary objective of health insurance

There is another reason employers offer good health insurance: to attract and keep good workers. At the end of the article, he points out that if the system were to reform to individuals choosing policies, health care agencies would have no companies would be responsible for choosing a carrier. As a result, insurance companies would win out, and lower premiums would result in poorer care.

Health and Productivity Management, Disease Management and Wellness all gaining force in the workplace

In a recent article published at the Managed Healthcare Executive, they discuss how the three topics listed above (HPM, DM, and Wellness) are issues that are becoming more managed in the workplace. Employers are starting to see the benefits of incorporating all into employee benefits. While there are still many holes to fill, corporations are beginning to provide more for their employees in these terms in order to save money in the future. Check out the full article here.