Understanding what you can and cannot do with participation incentives with the enforcement of the Affordable Health Care Act can be a slippery slope if you are not well informed. The Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and the Treasury have revised the rules on wellness programs to reflect the changes and clarifications to the existing health and wellness provisions made by the health care law.  What does that mean to you? Simple. It is more important than ever, to understand what changes have taken place (and stay current) when developing and revising a health and wellness program in group health coverage. Is it been appropriately designed, and does it protect your participants?   These discounts represent two significant differences from most wellness incentives once offered by employers and health plans: the incentives are now focused on outcomes rather than participation, and the magnitude of the discount is much greater.  Here are some rules to consider: It is important to protect consumers from unfair practices; regulations are in place to require health-contingent wellness programs to follow certain rules, including: Whether you are a self-insured company or a health and wellness provider, there are published rules that specify the types […]

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