Wellness Credits Health Care Reform

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Wellness credits health care reform.

The affordable care act creates new incentives and builds on existing wellness program policies to promote employer wellness programs and encourage opportunities to. Informed on reform wellness programs and incentives employers have been using wellness programs to promote better health among employees and help control health care costs for a number of years. On november 20 2012 the internal revenue service department of labor and the department of health and human services issued a joint proposed rule on group wellness incentives. Additionally some look at wellness programs as a means of decreasing long term medical costs.

Healthcare reform wellness incentives how health advocate can support your organization investing in wellness wellness programs have become a popular tool used by employers to help improve employee health well being and productivity. Affordable care act aca. Overview treating chronic diseases and conditions accounts for more than 75 percent of health care costs. The affordable care act aca wellness regulations were finalized in 2013 and became effective for 2014 plan years.

The current trend in wellness programs is toward health contingent programs that reward employees for outcomes such as smoking cessation weight loss and managing chronic conditions like diabetes and high. Who set employee contributions for group health plan coverage at amounts that just barely meet affordability and. June 11 2013 final guidance on wellness programs released dec. The current health care reform bills seek to expand the role of incentives which promise a win win bargain.

The health care reform law is likely to give a short term boost to the use of financial incentives in wellness plans says corporate synergies. Prevention and wellness provisions. In addition to encouraging a culture of health these programs are designed to reduce health care costs for both employees and the company. Employees enjoy better health while employers reduce health care costs and profit.

The aca provides that applicable large employers ales will be. Implementing and expanding employer wellness programs may offer our nation the opportunity to not only improve the health of americans but also help control health care spending. Also have incentives penalties for results oriented wellness programs that are not aimed at tobacco reduction cessation.