Health Insurers Offer Rewards to Healthy Customers
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February 2, 2009
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)Looking for a new set of golf clubs? Your health insurer may be willing to buy them for you.
Health insurance companies and employers are unveiling new incentive programs that reward customers for leading healthy lifestyles, ushering in a trend toward health-and-wellness in a desperate attempt to cut skyrocketing costs.
Golf clubs, gift cards, hiking boots, iPods, and movie tickets are being offered to employees who take steps to maintain good health.
With one program, customers can earn rewards points for the following:
Completing a health questionnaire
Signing up with an online weight-loss coach
Getting regular physical examinations
Logging daily steps on a pedometer
Another insurer is offering an even sweeter incentive: up to $2,000 in deductible credits. Customers can reduce their deductible $500 each for achieving the following goals: staying tobacco-free, maintaining a low cholesterol level, keeping a healthy body mass index and lowering blood pressure.
The programs cost more upfront, but participating organizations believe they will ultimately lead to improved employee health and, eventually, increased productivity and lower health care costs.
According to an article in the January 26 edition of the Denver Post, roughly 80% of health insurance claims in America could be avoided with healthy lifestyle choices.
Incentivizing good health is a fantastic concept, but will gift cards and other rewards be enough to get Americans off the couch?
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