HealthFitness Launches New Preventive Health Solution for Small Employers

Small employers now have a cost-effective solution to reduce employee health risks, lower health care costs and stay competitive by attracting and retaining talent. Today HealthFitness (NYSE Alternext US: FIT) introduced HealthFitnessí Partner Programóa powerful combination of its eHealth portal, INSIGHT Health Risk Assessment and EMPOWERED(TM) Health Coaching.

HealthFitness is an award-winning provider of integrated fitness management and health promotion solutions for on-site and dispersed employee populations.

ìWhile many employers see the value in health improvement programs, a sizable percentageóespecially small companiesófall short when it comes to implementation,î said Gregg O. Lehman, CEO and president, HealthFitness. ìFor many small businesses, the reason is cost. HealthFitnessí Partner Program addresses the cost issue and allows these employers to realize the benefits associated with a health improvement program without having to make a substantial investment.î

HealthFitnessí Partner Program is a turnkey health improvement solution offered through third-party administrators to smaller organizations (up to 1,500 employees) at a competitive price. With the Partner Program, brokers receive special pricing allowances and a comprehensive sales package that includes support from a HealthFitness account manager, eight hours of training, administrative eHealth access and print-ready participant promotion templates.

ìOur Partner Program allows third-party administrators to offer small employers a more comprehensive product than what major health plans offeróand at a more competitive price,î Lehman said.

According to a study by PricewaterhouseCoopers Health Research Institute,1 both large and small employers see the value of offering wellness programs; however, only 50 percent of small businessesócompared to 74 percent of large companiesówere satisfied with the wellness program offered by their health plan.

The report suggests the difference in satisfaction levels between large and small companies could be attributed to the bigger selection of customized plans offered to larger employers, combined with the higher cost per employee that smaller employers must pay. The study also indicates that it is more difficult for small employers to purchase strategic and innovative services such as health promotion programs because small employers tend to be more focused on immediate issues such as the cost of coverage.

With HealthFitnessí Partner Program, small employers receive:

ï Health promotion and interactive educational tools through the HealthFitness eHealth platform;

ï The INSIGHT Health Risk Assessmentóa confidential, user-friendly health risk assessment that provides personalized health information about modifiable risks that are under an employeeís control to prevent;

ï EMPOWERED Health Coaching to support employees to change behaviors in 12 focus areas, including physical activity, healthy eating and stress management. Employees can access their health coach via phone and/or a private, secure online message board;

ï Annual aggregate reports to evaluate the effectiveness of the program at their site.

ìDuring the next three to five years, studies show a majority of employers plan to make significant investments in longer-term solutions aimed at improving the health and productivity of their workers,î Lehman said. ìOur Partner Program provides small employers with tools to cultivate a positive culture of health, empowering them to retain and optimize human capital, and to ensure their companyís ability to remain competitive in the current economy.î