A Letter to Employees

To,

All employees

Over the years, there has been changes which are concerning affecting the company and the healthcare system.  This has forced the business to monitor the effects closely and has to reconcile the negative pressures that are financial with the mission of the organization (Pearson & Lieber, 2009). The future of our organization is threatened with health care that is always rising and increase in the rate of chronic illness. This is why I thought it wise to introduce a wellness program in the company in order to tame chronic diseases rates that have been ever increasing and the overall costs of health care. The wellness program will be effective form July 1, 2018, which will concentrate on financial incentives in order to encourage wellness in the company. The aim of the program is to keep all employees healthy, satisfied and productive while still cutting costs of health care insurance.

Considering that people who smoke are likely to develop diseases like lung cancer, heart disease and those with a BMI that is high are likely to develop problems like diabetes, the programs will do the following. First, it will offer both off and on job no-tobacco policies. Secondly, it will be giving gift cards and incentive payments. Thirdly, all employees will be reimbursed for membership in gyms. Fourthly, free health care coaching will be provided and lastly, insurance-premium discounts will be offered for the employees who will meet the standards of the program. Through this, health care costs will be reduced because you will be influenced to adopt lifestyles that are healthier (Pearson & Lieber, 2009). Effects of smoking and BMI that is high can erode the company’s productivity and still increase health care costs for the company.

The program that our company will use will be health contingent wellness program. This will require employees to meet a status for health standard for them to be rewarded. In this case the rewards will be in terms of premiums. The program will adopt carrot and sticks in order to influence the staffs to stop smoking and lose weight for the ones who are obese. Employees will be offered with two payments in one year if they will be able to complete assessments, which will be organized around healthy eating and the overall health. For the payments to be earned, you need to meet requirements like losing weight, changing diet or attaining goals that are physical fitness. In this case starting July 1, 2018, you will be charged $50 health insurance in a month for the people who are not suing tobacco. This will be applicable to only the people who will choose to participate. 

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The carrots that will be used in the programs include options of eating healthy.  This will be done by tracking food, planning meals and setting goals. This will also include an option on physical activities like swimming, walking, running and aerobics. Preventive care will also be utilized which will be mostly looking at personal health records. A rebate for children’s health care will be put in place, which will offer educational resources to the staffs in establishing exercise routines and healthy eating for your children. You will also need to complete health assessments forms for the progress in your health to be known. The carrots for the program will be as follows: 

• Employees who do not use tobacco will get a $25 premium discount. 
• The wellness premium will also be applicable to employees who will meet the standards for cholesterol, blood pressure, BMI and glucose. 
• For the employees whose results will fall outside the set boundaries they will be given vouchers, which will cover their co-payments for visiting a doctor.
• Membership fee of $10 on monthly basis for fitness center will be required and reimbursed after a person uses the center more than 100 times.
• Health coaching will be offered free.

Apart from the carrots, there are sticks that will be used in the program. This will be in order to encourage employees to make changes in their behavior and live better lives when it comes to their health (Hand, 2009). The sticks will be as follows:

• The monthly premium of $25 for the people who are using tobacco will rise to $ 50 starting from July 1, 2018.
• The employees who will not take the health risk assessment or any steps to reduce their health risks will not get premium discounts.
•  There will be a voluntary health risks appraisal where you will be free to choose not to take part in the program but pay $ 30 insurance premium for every month.

A health risk appraisal is an instrument that is broad which will collect information on clinical conditions, medical history and behaviors that are health related. 

• In case you take the health, risk appraisal and be in the mid-tier risk levels range you can chose to consult a health coach and take steps that will help in lowering the risks. If you choose not to do anything, you will have to pay $ 50 more on insurance for every month. 

I understand that it can be hard for some of us to participate in the wellness programs but we should consider its positive effect, which is reducing health care costs. This is why the ones who will participate in the program will have to pay monthly premium contributions that are reduced and the ones who will not be willing to participate in the program will be required to pay more premiums to cater for the risks that they are exposing their health to. This program has been reasonably designed for our health to be improved and be able to prevent diseases (Hand, 2009).

However, there have been claims that such programs are not fair for the employees of any organization. This is considering that not all behaviors are in personal control of a person. I do not agree with this because the aim of such programs is helping employees to live healthier lives. All of us should focus on living healthier lives and for all our family members and this program will help in achieving this. 

The company will offer an environment that will be unique where all employees will be encouraged to make improvements in their health and provide the required medical services and attention when it comes to changing behavior that is unhealthy (“Health Policy Brief: Workplace Wellness Programs,” Health Affairs). The penalties that will be put in place will not benefit the company in any way but they are ways of motivating each of us to have better lives when it comes to our health. I hope we will all make the right choices when it comes to our health.     

Regards, 

Mary.