Aside from rising gas prices and interest rates, rising healthcare costs noticeably affect Americans daily. The healthcare cost can take quite a chunk out of individual and employer funds.According to the Council on Foreign Relations, the U.S. spends more than $1.9 trillion annually on healthcare expenses. Many people can’t even think about affording coverage on their own, increasing the demand for employers to offer their employees a break. Research conducted in 2005 revealed that employer-provided health benefits cover 175 million Americans, about 60 percent of the population. After skyrocketing 87 percent in 2000, U.S. healthcare premiums have become the most expensive benefit paid by U.S. employers.
Fingers can be pointed this way and that way as to who or what is to blame for rising healthcare costs. But privately-owned Elite Wellness looks to find a solution instead of a culprit.
Headquartered in Dallas, Texas (the 4th fattest city in America in 2006), Elite Wellness focuses to reduce rising healthcare costs for companies by integrating healthy lifestyles in its employees. Getting employees interested in a healthy lifestyle and participating in programs to do so can be a task, and some companies offer incentives to get employees to put down the cigarette or reduce other risk factors.
“We’re driving high participation rates – and that’s the ultimate goal … to work with corporations to help them control those healthcare costs,” said Ashley Beverly, Elite Wellness head of Corporate Communications. “We’re really looking at the health of the entire organization.”
Factors such as family medical history and smoking are some risk factors that may raise premium costs; however, obesity is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality, causing about 2.6 million deaths worldwide each year, according to the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.
While worldwide obesity may be an issue, Elite Wellness focuses on obesity in the U.S., with customers in 46 states and an office in Boston, aside from its headquarters in Texas.
“We target preventable disease such as obesity,” said Beverly. “We look at lifestyle, we look at risk factors … We implement coaching … and help [employees] promote healthy lifestyle changes.”
Beverly added that the most successful companies offer some sort of incentive to get employees motivated.
It’s not just word of mouth around the office that gets people going, but word on the street as well. Elite Wellness forms relationships with health insurance brokers to become a wellness vendor of choice – those brokers suggest Elite Wellness as a healthy component for companies looking to reduce costs.
Using Elite Wellness’ coaching models, Beverly said it takes between 3 to 5 years to see a drop in coverage costs, but that employers should notice a dollar for dollar difference within a year. But it’s all about recognizing what the company can do as a whole that will make a difference in the long run.
“In order to make a real impact on the bottom line, you’ve got to have a solution in place,” said Beverly.
While surveys, fitness magazines and medical studies produce reports of what city or state has a bigger waist, it’s a nationwide issue that can, and should be addressed at the root of the problem. Awareness and solution are key to solving any problem – and obesity/health risks are no exception.
“Companies are realizing it’s a necessity to become profitable to have a wellness program in place … companies all over are being affected by this,” concluded Beverly.