In the past few years, the subject of rising healthcare costs has become a major topic of political and economic debate. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that The National Business Group on Health estimates that these costs will grow by 7 percent in 2012, leaving employers to foot a great deal of the bill. In the current economy, it has become more important than ever to find ways to save. The more money a company can save on health insurance, the fewer cutbacks they will have to make in other areas.
One way a corporation can lower healthcare costs is through employee wellness programs and onsite clinics. These initiatives can teach workers habits that can keep them healthier and limit the number of trips to the doctor's office they take each year.
For example, Living Well Health Solutions' HealthONSITE clinic offers support to employees looking for help managing their weight. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the medical costs from obesity-related conditions have reached over $145 billion a year. The organization also estimates that an overweight person spends an average of $1,429 more on healthcare each year than a person who maintains a health weight. Encouraging obese workers to stay in shape not only benefits their heath, but could potentially lower the amount of money their company has to spend on medical conditions they may develop due to their weight.
A study conducted by the Incentive Research Foundation (IRF) recently confirmed the money saving potential of implementing wellness programs.
"The U.S. is spending about $2.5 trillion per year on healthcare. As much as 75 percent of that is spent on preventable conditions, so the potential savings through preventative healthcare measures that include workplace wellness programs could be as high as $1.9 trillion per year. And this doesn't even consider productivity gains or worker quality of life improvements," says Rodger Stotz, IRF chief research officer.
Onsite clinics offer workers basic medical care in a convenient environment. Having a medical facility in the workplace limits the amount of time an employee has to take off to see a doctor, which boosts office productivity. An efficient onsite clinic can provide care at lower costs, saving both time and money for companies and individual employees.
CNN reports that for every one dollar spent on employee wellness, a company can expect three in return. In these tough economic times it is important not to ignore potential ways to save money on healthcare costs. Wellness programs and onsite clinics offer employers a unique opportunity to show that they value the health of their workers, the finances of the company and the sustainability of the healthcare system as a whole.