Dive Brief:
- Humana reports that a three-year analysis of its HumanaVitality wellness and rewards program among its internal employees shows participants in the program to have had fewer unscheduled absences, lower overall claims costs and fewer hospital and ER visits.
- The HumanaVitality Impact Study looked at the healthcare usage and claims -- and the productivity -- of more than 8,000 Humana employees since 2011, when the program began.
- The company notes it also offers the HumanaVitality program to 3.9 million members enrolled in Humana plans, and says results for external members will be included in next year's analysis, when that group also reaches the three-year mark.
Dive Insight:
The Humana study provides some context in a wellness world in which "fewer than half of employers engage in formal evaluation of wellness program impacts," according to a January Kaiser Family Foundation report, leaving many questions as to what, if anything, is really working and worth doing at each company.
According to Humana, its multi-year study results prove HumanaVitality to be an effective investment in a healthier and more productive workforce.
Among its three-year findings are that "engaged members" in the program had six fewer hours of unscheduled absences; had 56% fewer ER visits and 37% fewer hospital visits than unengaged members; and had claims costs decrease 10% vs. increase 17% for unengaged members.
“One critical measure of a wellness program’s success is its ability to engage all members, both the unhealthy and the healthy,” added HumanaVitality President Joe Woods in a prepared statement. “So one of the big highlights in this study is the improved engagement in people with lifestyle-related chronic conditions.”