HEALTH PARTNERS

Customer Perspectives    Health Partners

Significant change is coming to the US healthcare system. Industry dynamics will have a major impact on the business models of providers of health management services such as disease management organizations, health benefits consultants and general agents and carrier representatives. They must be poised to respond to an evolving benefits landscape.

Investment in wellness is no longer the luxury of Fortune 500 companies. Today mid-sized employers, too, can offer this kind of benefit without significant expense through outsourcing design and administration of programs to companies like yours.

Sharpening the focus on how costs relate to an unhealthy workforce, more and more employers are integrating disease management and health promotion programs into their existing health benefits structure. And, as studies begin to show that incentives can have a direct impact on participation in disease management programs, many health plans are beginning to extend their DM program to members who are at risk for developing a chronic condition by integrating this offering with other aspects of medical management such as wellness programs.

While employers and health plans seek products that have an immediate impact on healthcare costs, most are beginning to believe cost savings can only be achieved with longer term solutions. Approaches thought to have the greatest potential to moderate healthcare trends must be:

• Personalized
• Targeted to individual needs
• Drive specific health improvement via behavior modification
• Provide incentives or rewards

Whether the goal is to extend your spectrum of health services or take wellness programs to the next level, a new model of engagement—one that is driven by communication and incentives— will be critical to getting insureds to act, improve their health and realize significant program savings.

As a seamlessly integrated partner, The Vitality Group can offer your company the world’s largest incentive-based health enhancement program—and the only one guaranteed to help individuals live healthier lives and reduce the cost of healthcare.

To find out more about how you can partner with The Vitality Group to offer an innovative, robust and seamless health enhancement solution to your clients, please contact us today.

Sources:

Melinda Durr, Sri Palanisamy and Michael Main, “The Future of Distribution, 2007 ChapterHouse Trends Study” NAHU 2007

Calvin Wilhide, Ph.D., John R. Hayes, Ph.D., and J. Ramsay Farah, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.A.P., F.A.C.P.M., C.P.E., C.M.R.O.,

“The Use and Influence of Employee Incentives on Participation and Throughput in a Telephonic Disease Management Program.” Population Health Management, Volume 11, Number 4, 2008

David Matheson, Anne Wilkins, Daphne Psacharopoulos, “Realizing the Promise of Disease Management Payer trends and Opportunities in the United States,” Boston Consulting Group, February 2006

PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Health Research Institute, “What employers want for health insurers—now,” 2008

Integrated Benefits Institute, “Employer Incentives for Workforce Health and Productivity,” 2008