Results of 3-year study by Cigna show that what workers don’t know about correctable health conditions—they have—may not only affect their lives, but their bank accounts as well. Higher weight, high cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar raise both health costs and out-of-pocket health expenses, says the study.
The solution? Health improvement programs and incentive strategies help people address the conditions which increase costs, says a Cigna press release. The study indicated that increasing incentives for workers to undergo biometric screenings that identify health issues, and monitoring these issues, can significantly improve the conditions—and save workers money.
“In too many cases our health and costs are getting worse, but it’s also in our power to change that,” said Cigna’s chief nursing officer Mary Picerno. She explained that while workers may have to work hard and do things regarding their health they haven’t done before, when they do, there can be financial rewards—along with the ultimate reward of better health.
