Wellness is an employer hot topic, the fire fueled, no doubt, by the recent federal ruling from AARP v. EEOC where the court vacated portions of the EEOC’s rule regarding wellness program incentive limits. Before the decision, EEOC rules permitted an employer to impose a penalty of up to 30% of the cost of medical coverage if an employee or spouse refused to complete health-related medical tests or questionnaires. The AARP felt this penalty was inconsistent with the meaning of the term “voluntary” in the context of wellness program participation…and the court agreed.
There’s been little guidance issued regarding next steps, leaving many employers with incentive-based wellness programs thinking, “Now what?!”
So, what now? Well, let’s look at the basics. Employers offer wellness programs for various reasons, most often to address rising health care costs. Thought leaders now use “wellbeing” where once “wellness” was the buzzword. What is wellness? Is it different from wellbeing?
Well…the dictionary defines wellness as “(1) the state of being healthy in body and mind…especially because of effort; or (2) an approach to healthcare emphasizing illness prevention and prolonging life.” Wellbeing is defined as “a good condition of existence; a state of…happiness.” Based solely off these two definitions, it appears wellbeing may encompass wellness.
What can you do to shore-up your existing wellness programs?
