Blue Cross Wellness Programs Pay Rewards

February 6, 2006 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts (BCBSMA) paid rewards to 10,000 members through its worksite wellness programs in 2005.

Blue Ribbon Personal Edge is a program that provides financial incentives to employees who participate in and complete components of the MyBlueHealth wellness online and consumerism activities, according to a press release.

Features of Personal Edge include:

  • A Personal Health Assessment (PHA): Employees who complete the confidential online PHAs receive a $25 gift certificate (to a selection of nearly 200 stores throughout the US) as will employees, if referred, who complete a number of lifestyle advising phone calls within six months of enrolling in a lifestyle counseling program.
  • Over-the-phone lifestyle advising sessions
  • A customized homepage
  • A consumerism workshop that helps employees make informed health care decisions
  • Healthy lifestyle programs that address fitness, nutrition, and smoking cessation: Employees who complete the nutrition and/or fitness behavior programs are entered into a drawing for two $100 gift certificates per module. Participants must complete the consumerism workshop to be eligible for the drawings.

The PHA assesses the employees’ health status and provides information customized to the employees’ needs and interests. Employees with health conditions who complete the PHA are connected with the appropriate health management program from BCBSMA.

“There are many reasons why employers sign up for Personal Edge,” said Janet Edmunson, Director for Prevention and Wellness at BCBSMA, in the release. “Studies have shown that a person with six or more health risk factors has eight times the health care costs of someone with no health risks.   Also, studies have shown that health promotion at the worksite returns between three dollars and eight dollars for each dollar invested over the long term.”

More information can be found at www.bluecrossma.com .

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