The future of managing healthcare costs lies in helping their employees manage their health through wellness programs, according to a survey by Cowden Associates Inc. Cowden Associates compiled results of its 2007-2008 survey from 274 employers throughout Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio regions. Survey participants include for-profit, non-profit and governmental employers. Size of employers ranged from less than 100 employees to more than 10,000.
Although the percentage of survey participants who offer high-deductible health plans as their primary plan increased from 2.5 percent to nearly 9 percent, more than 84 percent of participants who do not offer such plans said they are not interested in one or not likely to offer one in the future.
This year, slightly more than 50 percent of participants indicated they have employee worksite wellness programs in place, and 53 percent of those participants not offering worksite wellness plans today indicated they are considering such programs. Thirty-six percent, nearly triple last year’s 13 percent, indicated they offer incentives to participate in their wellness programs. Exercise, smoking cessation, weight management and nutrition programs are among the most popular.
The survey questioned participants about ancillary benefit offerings, including dental, life, accidental death and dismemberment and short- and long-term disability coverage. Dental coverage is widely offered, with 94 percent of employers in the surveyed region providing it.
Other survey findings include:
- Employers’ healthcare costs rose 5.7 percent over last year.
- Employers’ annual average cost is $4,440 for individual employee coverage and $12,502 for family coverage.
- Employees contribute an average of 20.5 percent for individual coverage and 24.9 percent for family coverage.
- Nearly 65 percent of participants require a deductible with employees paying a median average deductible of $300 for individual coverage and $750 for family coverage.
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Source: Wellness Program Management Advisor, April 2008
Building Blocks for a Successful Workplace Wellness Program: Proven Planning and Management Strategies
This report provides the most common characteristics of successful programs including such assessment activities as health screenings and health risk appraisals.
Building Blocks for a Successful Workplace Wellness Program: Proven Planning and Management Strategies is available from the Healthcare Intelligence Network for $84.95 by visiting our
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