Impact of Worksite Health Promotion on Health Care Costs and Utilization

This study explores the relationship between exposure to a comprehensive worksite health promotion program and health care costs and utilization. The experience of two groups of Johnson & Johnson employees (N = 5192 and N = 3259) exposed to Live for Life, a comprehensive program of health screens, life-style improvement programs, and worksite changes to support healthier life-styles, was compared with that of a control group (N = 2955) over a five-year period. To account for baseline differences, analyses of covariance produced adjusted means for inpatient hospital costs, admissions, hospital days, outpatient costs, and other health costs. Mean annual inpatient cost increases were 43 and 42 for two Live for Life groups vs 76 for the non-Live for Life group. Live for Life groups also had lower rates of increase in hospital days and admissions. No significant differences were found for outpatient or other health care costs.