Wellness, Prevention, and Early Intervention Information & Resources

Dept of Labor Wellness Regulations:  FIELD ASSISTANCE BULLETIN NO. 2008-02.  What types of health promotion or disease prevention programs offered by a group health plan must comply with the Department’s final wellness program regulations and how does a plan determine whether such a program is in compliance with the regulations?  The final regulations include guidance on the implementation of wellness programs.

 Home Health & Value Based Insurance Designs:  This white paper explores two tools employers have used with much success to leverage improvements in the health care system.These are the patient-centered medical home (PCMH) and value-based insurance design (VBID).

The Value of Bio-Metric Screening:  Biometric screening participants showed improvements in health risk status after only one year. Specific risk factors reduced among program participants included cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and nicotine. Self-reported data underestimates actual level of risk in a population, emphasizing the importance of biometric analysis.  Biometric testing provides a more accurate estimate of tobacco-related health risks.

Wellness in the Workplace:  We have at least a decade of experience with voluntary workplace wellness programs. While the reports from these programs have been generally positive, they have also introduced the question — At what point do the programs become so intrusive they impact employee rights? What protections are available for employee privacy? Are disabilities accommodated? Are certain protected categories of employees being treated differently under these plans?