Poor Employee health behavior is the biggest concern regarding health benefits and affordability according to 2/3 of employers in a recent survey by the National Business Group on Health and Towers Watson.  The next biggest concerns, by 41% of companies, are poor utilization of preventive services, expensive catastrophic care and end-of-life treatment.

Fifty-eight percent of the employers are combating lackluster employee engagement with wellness programs, including health risk appraisals, health coaches and incentives for healthy behaviors.

Twenty-three percent plan to shift additional costs to employees or increase deductibles to combat the continued average projected health cost increase of about 7%.

This study reflects the growing opportunities between companies and their workforce to work together towards improved health status and costs.  Employees will be much more engaged in corporate wellness and prevention if you communicate how much they are valued in your company, how much their benefits cost and that their health benefits come from the same pot of money as their salary.?

Scott Foster is President and ROI Expert of Wellco, based in Michigan. Wellco works with organizations who want to measurably improve health costs and risks.   Wellco specializes in health ROI systems, health risk appraisals, corporate wellness programs, speaking, and consulting.  Wellco is the developer of the award-winning HealthHammer, the first and only Zero Trend Appraisal system.

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