Employers Boosting Values of Wellness Incentives
What does it take to engage employees—cash, gift cards, contributions to their health savings accounts, or perhaps premium reductions?
According to a survey by the National Business Group on Health and Fidelity Investments released in March, just under 73 percent of employers used incentives in 2011 as part of their health improvement programs. The average incentive value was $460, up from $430 in 2010 and $260 in 2009.
In an effort to get employees to take action to improve their health, employers are increasing the values of incentives they offer. Additionally, a small but growing percentage of employers’ link eligibility for enrollment in their healthcare plans to participation in health improvement programs. For example, 7 percent of employers in 2011 required completion of a health risk assessment for employees to be eligible for health insurance coverage, and 10 percent will link completion of an the assessment to plan eligibility this year.
The survey is based on the responses of 139 employers, ranging in size from 1,000 employees to 100,000 employees.
Are you offering incentives to your employees to improve their health?
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