Wellness programs have long been touted as a way to control health care costs by helping employees kick bad habits such as smoking and unhealthy diets and adopt better ones, thus reducing expenses for treating chronic diseases. Questions linger, however, over whether these initiatives result in measurable bottom-line results such as higher productivity, lower health care expenditures and greater employee loyalty.
Often, underlying those questions is the issue of whether these programs are reaching those who need to get well, or only those who already are well.
