The Impact of the Highmark Employee Wellness Programs on 4-Year Healthcare Costs

OBJECTIVE: To determine the return on investment (ROI) of Highmark Inc. 's employee wellness programs. METHODS: Growth curve analyses compared medical claims for participants of wellness programs versus risk-matched nonparticipants for years 2001 to 2005. The difference was used to define savings. ROI was determined by subtracting program costs from savings and alternative discount rates were applied in a sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: Multivariate models estimated health care expenses per person per year as 176 lower for participants. Inpatient expenses were lower by 182. Four-year savings of 1, 335, 524 compared with program expenses of 808, 403 yielded an ROI of 1. 65 for every dollar spent on the program. CONCLUSIONS: Using sophisticated methodology, this study suggests that a comprehensive health promotion program can lower the rate of health care cost increases and produce a positive ROI.