Integrating financial incentives for workplace health promotion programs into health plan premiums is the best idea since sliced bread.

摘要

Current Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations allow employers to offer a 20% differential in health plan premiums charged to employees who either meet a health goal-like not smoking, achieving a recommended body mass index (BMI) level, high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) level, blood pressure, or similar measure-or participate in a health promotion program.1 For example, if the total cost of the health premium for an individual was dollar5000, and the employer paid 70% of the total premium, all employees would have annual premiums of dollar1500 (30% of dollar5000 is dollar1500). With differential premiums, employees who met the health goal or participated in the program would have premiums of dollar1000 per year (20% of dollar5000), whereas employees who did neither would have premiums of dollar2000 per year (40% of dollar5000). A handful of employers have implemented premium differential programs like this with the goal of controlling their medical costs and motivating employees to improve their health. However, most employers are reluctant to implement these premium differential programs because their authority to do this is established through HIPAA regulations, not tiirough legislative statute. Employers are concerned that the regulations could change at any time with short notice.