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Employee wellness plans are an innovative way to enhance employee health and well-being and improve productivity. |
$1 Million Pilot Program To Encourage Employee Wellness Program
Monday, May 7, 2001
Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno and members of the Senate Task Force on Health and Wellness today unveiled the New York Wellness Works program. The $1 million pilot program will encourage health screening and wellness education that would result in a healthier workforce and a decrease in health care utilization. The program was announced at a news conference that was held in conjunction with the annual Women's Health Expo in the Empire State Plaza.
"Demand for health care services in New York, as well as health insurance premiums, are skyrocketing," Senator Bruno said. "So much of this demand is to treat health problems after the fact. If we can encourage people to make healthy choices with regard to nutrition, not smoking and getting more exercise, we can improve the overall health of the population."
"New York Wellness Works will be a partnership between the State and employers to encourage health screening and education on a voluntary basis for employees," said Senator Rath, Co-Chair of the Senate Task Force on Health and Wellness. "It would be one of the first programs of its type to measure results and allow for evolving improvements."
"As we researched ways to encourage people to make healthy lifestyle choices, we found a major link between health and job performance," said Senator Rath. "Employee wellness plans are an innovative way to enhance employee health and well-being and improve a company's productivity. New York Wellness Works will expand this concept throughout the state, allowing employers and employees to share in the wellness dividend. It is our hope that the data-retrieval component will show a decreasing utilization of health insurance."
The program would be implemented through the State Health Department. Through an application process, employers would be eligible for grants to develop and implement health promotion and disease prevention initiatives. Employers' initiatives may include specific screening, education, and health incentives concerning any one, or combination, of the following:
* nutritional health, including weight and cholesterol control
* smoking cessation
* alcohol use
* blood pressure and heart disease
* breast, cervical and prostate cancer prevention and early detection
* osteoporosis prevention and early detection
* other employer-based health promotion and disease prevention measures approved by the Commissioner of Health.
An annual evaluation, based on data collected through program participants, would quantify results, and point to the benefits of healthy lifestyle choices. Based on the data, the State Health Department would be directed to include, in its reports to the Legislature and Governor, recommendations for improvements.
The Health Department would be directed to hold statewide best practices conferences to further share the insights on Wellness Works experiences with employers, employees, health professionals, and the interested public.
New Yorkers could benefit from the program in many ways:
* Employees could benefit from better health information, better health practices, and ultimately, better health overall.
* Employers could benefit from healthier, potentially more productive personnel and from associated cost reductions. More productive, efficient businesses could in turn further benefit both employees and employment opportunities.
* The State could benefit from a healthier, potentially more productive workforce.
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