A report on program offerings of health plans by the National Business Coalition on Health finds that health plans are embracing the need for health promotion services, with 77 percent of fully insured plans offering health promotion and wellness programs and 81 percent offering a health risk assessment.
Many plans are focusing specifically on diabetes management programs. The report notes that diabetes now affects almost 8 percent of the total population and 11 percent of people ages 40-59, at an annual estimated cost in 2007 of $174 billion in direct medical care and lost productivity. Fifty-seven percent of the health plans surveyed offer a reward for participation in a disease management program.
The report also found that 83 percent of the plans have the capacity to reward high-performing physicians with such incentives as periodic bonuses or higher fee schedule or capitation rates.
Read the report.
