Claims of Wellness Cost Savings Are Overblown: RAND
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
Did you know that per a recent RAND Wellness Programs Study of 600,000 employees across 7 employers, wellness programs benefits are highly exaggerated, returning only $0.50 on every dollar invested. Workplace wellness has become a $6 billion industry in the United States, as employers hope these programs can help control health-care costs. In 2012, half of all employers with at least 50 employees offered programs, and nearly half of employers without a program said they intended to introduce ...
Read moreAon Hewitt 2014 Health Care Survey
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
Did you know that per Aon Hewitt's 2014 study of 1,234 corporate leaders, three critical trends are emerging in healthcare: Sixty-six percent of companies aim to achieve increased participation in wellness, health improvement and disease management programs. Sixty-five percent desire to increase employee awareness of, and decision- making related to, health issues. Seventy percent indicate that motivating employee health behavior change is a top challenge to achievi...
Read moreJohn Hancock Taps Fitness Trackers To Breathe New Life Into Insurance Industry
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
Did you know that John Hancock became the first U.S. insurer to offer discounts to policyhoders who wear Internet-connected fitness trackers. Sign up for a new life policy today, and the company willl send you a Fitbit, one of those bracelets that tracks your steps. The more you exercise, the bigger discount you get on your insurance premium, up to 15 percent.Read More...
Read moreDo Workplace Wellness Programs Work? Usually Not
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
Did you know that over 50% of large firms (defined as over 200 employees) offer incentives for employees to complete health risk assessments, intended to identify health issues? Medium to large employers spent an average of $521 per employee on wellness programs in 2013, double the amount spent 5 years ago. Per the NY Times, rigorous research does not support that wellness programs save money, and with few exceptions, do not appreciably improve health....
Read moreHow Medicaid Coverage For Doula Care Could Improve Birth Outcomes, Reduce Costs, And Improve Equity
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
Did you know that nearly 4 million U.S. women give birth each year, and approximately half of these births are financed by state Medicaid programs? About 99 percent of American infants are born in hospitals, at a total cost of more than $27 billion annually. The treatment intensity provided in a typical hospital-based childbirth in the United States has drawn scrutiny in past years, and particularly so over the past several weeks....
Read moreEmployers Plan Strategic Changes to Health Benefits
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
Did you know that the majority of midsize and large U.S. employers (84%) expect to make changes to their employee health benefits program over the next 3 years, according to nw research from consultancy Towers Watson? Two-thirds are planning to use claims and other data to evaluate plan performance and employee behavior changes in lifestyle and health management. The use of "centers of excellence" and "narrow networks" is expected to triple....
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