Companies Offer Healthy-Living Programs, Discounts to Employees

Aug. 12–Would you want to be compensated for staying healthy — or at least encouraged?

Employers and insurers are doling out gym discounts or reimbursements, premium or co-pay reductions, savings on massage therapy and other incentives. The goal: to rein in spiraling medical expenses and create a more productive workforce.

“Our human resources managers work closely with insurers and other partners to promote good health and good care in the event of sickness,” said Lisa Daglian, spokeswoman for the American Cancer Society in New York.

Numerous companies have signed onto these healthy-living programs, hoping to encourage their workers to live healthier lives.

Employees are embracing the idea, using healthy living habits to save themselves money. Those who don’t participate aren’t penalized.

“The content changes every year. But the concept is to provide employees an incentive for maintaining or adopting healthy habits,” said Dr. Jack Mahoney, corporate medical director at Pitney Bowes, a Stamford-based provider of mailing products and services.

Employees earn credits for taking part in smoking cessation, mammography and screenings for blood pressure and osteoporosis and other wellness initiatives. Points are obtained by responding to a checklist, which contains questions such as: Do you exercise 20 minutes daily? Do you wear a seat belt? Have you had routine age- and gender-appropriate health screenings?

Based on a formula, workers earning enough points can benefit from a 5 percent to 10 percent lower share of health insurance premiums the following year. In 2004, roughly 25 percent of employees availed themselves of opportunities promoted on Pitney Bowes’ Web site and via E-mail reminders.

“We know that people who participate in the programs actually do have lower health care costs,” Mahoney said.

Billed as Healthcare University, the program relies on self-reported behavior. “We take the employee at their word,” he said. “Also, we don’t ask an employee about medication. Rather, we ask them about certain healthy behaviors, such as exercising regularly, being a nonsmoker, etc. We try and treat employees as the adults they are.”

HIP Health Plan of New York members receive up to a 30 percent discount on acupuncture, massage, relaxation, fitness and related services, said spokesman Ron Maiorana.

At Horizon Healthcare of New York, incentives include discounts at local gyms and from specific vendors — one of which sells bicycle helmets, said Dr. Minalkumar Patel, president and chief operating officer.

Available through SafeTech, the benefit amounts to a 50 percent savings on the retail price of a helmet.

“Members can go online, get the order form, pick the specific bicycle or in-line skating helmet they want and fax the order in,” said Talma Nassim, president of Morstan Plus, a Manhasset-based life, health and employee benefits firm that offers its workers insurance through Horizon.

“The price of the helmet is approximately $9, and there are options on color and size, from toddler to large,” she said.

And the end result is more than just a tangible product to promote safety. “These discounts encourage the employees to take care of themselves,” said Nassim, 53, who has routinely purchased bifocals and regular eyeglasses through a similar program.

“The message is that your health care company and your employer both care about you. In addition to providing the employee with a health plan, there are so many other services that they can access at a discount,” she explained.

“Especially since we have many young employees who might not use the medical plans, it’s important that they see some benefit through the discounts available to them.”

Managing chronic diseases before they spin out of control remains a priority for Horizon, other insurers and corporations. A program is under way at the New York affiliate and its parents company, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey.

Patients with certain conditions, such as diabetes or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, are assigned a nurse, dietitian or social worker who calls to ensure regular monitoring and medication compliance.

“It’s like a telephonic coach,” Patel said. Patients step on a scale that dials their weight to a centralized computer system and notifies their doctors if it’s out of whack. Despite the expense, “if you target the right patients, it’s worth it,” he said. “It’s typically the top 1 percent of people with heart failure who would benefit from something like this.”

Among asthma patients, participation in the chronic disease management program is over 95 percent at Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield, said Dr. Alan Sokolow, chief medical officer. Besides printed materials, Web-based tools, and case managers who communicate directly with members, Empire uses a robot named Eliza.

“The robot calls up and asks the member some questions,” Sokolow explained. Depending on recognized answers, the robot will ask different follow-up questions.

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