Wellness Experts Caution Against Quick Move to Outcomes-Based Programs

In a new Employee Benefits News story, wellness consultant Dee Edington says companies seeking to make a business case for wellness are too quick to ditch participation-based programs for outcomes-based models and should wait until initiatives have a 70% participation rate and two to three years of data. Consultant Cortney Rowan of Altitude said employers should create wellness incentives with the intent of measuring outcomes to create an initial baseline from which to compare data in the future. Encouraged by the Affordable Care Act's increase in the allowed maximum of wellness incentives - from 20% to 30% of the cost of health coverage - may cause many employers to transition too quickly to outcomes-based wellness programs, before their program has sufficient engagement and maturity.