Company Wellness : Lobby groups take aim at wellness programs.

Given the huge growth of wellness programs over the last two years, it was inevitable resistance would creep up among watchdog groups.

In Washington, lobbyists have spearheaded a push for Congress, the DOL and IRS to crack down on “punitive” health promotion programs.

Namely, the groups seek to limit wellness programs in which employees’ share of their healthcare costs are directly tied to their willingness to participate in a wellness program.

HIPAA’s non-discrimination rules prohibit businesss from building negative financial incentives for workers with health risks.

For example, you can’t raise someone’s premium share because he or she smokes. What you are able to do is offer a discount if someone completes a use of tobacco cessation program.

Reason –  the law does allow for financial incentives to workforce who willingly participate in wellness programs.

The watchdog groups seek greater regulation to be certain incentives and discounts are used only as rewards for healthful behavior, not as a thinly veiled form of discrimination against high-risk workers.