Reducing The Continuous Rise Of Health Care Costs

It is no secret that the cost of American healthcare is becoming increasingly more expensive. However, the issue of the rising cost of healthcare and its severity needs to be recognized as a major problem. Health prices are steadily increasing in the United States, and there is no sign of it stopping. Since 1970, spending on American health care has grown 9.8%, which is a rate that is growing faster than the economy (“New Technology”.) Furthermore, health insurance premiums are also increasing at a rate five times faster than American salaries, which makes it difficult for families to afford health care coverage (Zuckerman 28). Therefore, it has become an obligation to address why the cost of American health care is soaring and to seek out a solution to lower the cost. Many would jump to the conclusion that the United States simply charges too much for their medical services, but there are deeper influences that need to be analyzed. The causes of the rising cost of health care are people not using preventive health care, the development of modern technology, and the treatments being overprescribed. A possible solution is to have preventive health care services available in clinics of low-income areas.

Health in the working community is the ability to physically function and engage in their work, and maintain optimal health to participate in their off – work activities at home, school, and play (Greiner, 2014). A high – level wellness continuum that promotes a vital workforce requires employees to work safely and actively participate in healthy lifestyles to decrease risks of illnesses, injuries, disease, and disability (Greiner, 2014). In contrast, a low – level wellness continuum transpires when employees work and live in poor environmental conditions and engage in risky behaviors (Greiner, 2014). Health wellness programs at the workplace that provide health risks assessments, promote healthy behaviors and improved lifestyle management

There have been many studies performed focusing on the rising costs of health care and some of the findings state that the rising cost of healthcare premiums is a worldwide problem. However, I believe they are higher in the U.S. In 2015, U.S. health care costs were $3.2 trillion. That makes healthcare one of the largest U.S. industries, equaling 17.8 % of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in comparison to the late 1960s; where healthcare costs were only $27 billion, or 5% of the GDP, which averaged $9,990 per person each year. The main reason for the rising cost of healthcare is a combination of government policies and lifestyles changes. Examples included lack of coverage or costly coverage, lack of available coverage for

Allow employees to register for company-sponsored classes and programs to help them manage their weight, reduce stress, stop smoking, and manage other health

The Affordable Care Act was passed in 2010 to make sure that most people had medical insurance. With this new healthcare system came the responsibility that individuals would have to take initiatives to try to stay or get healthy. The preventative care portion included in the Affordable Car Act is a big item and very important in health care reform and very positive for the American people. Wellness in the workplace has become a very important issue to help reduce companies medical cost, and to help employees get on track to know their numbers, get healthy, and have a positive healthy mental attitude. Many employees do not understand or know how to get healthy and live a healthy lifestyle. With the rising cost of healthcare relating to

One program that Baptist Health South Florida has specifically implemented is the Wellness Advantage mission. The Wellness Advantage offers many different programs to help ease the stress of an employee’s work life, and can be beneficial in increasing job satisfaction and motivation (“Wellness Advantage”, 2013). A big portion of the Wellness Advantage is designed to

Communicating to employees regarding launching a new Wellness Program in the workplace can be tricky. Sometimes companies may have wellness programs however,

Berry, L.L. and Mirabito, A.M. (2011). Partnering for prevention with workplace health promotion programs. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 86(4): 335-337.

General motors have a great wellness program that keeps their workforce healthy. They use a program called LifeSteps which helps employees identify controllable health risk.

Foremost, the healthier a society is, the more productive employees are, which boosts revenue. When an employee’s health is in question, an employer may actually lose 77 percent of productivity, making the loss greater than that of health care expenses. These numbers go up with the combination of lack of exercise, 96 percent loss, and unhealthy eating habits, 93 percent loss, said a study from Brigham Young University, according to an article in a 2012 Education Letter. The study included “those who did not believe their workplace environment would support them in becoming physically and emotionally healthier were more likely to

K. Speroni in “Designing Exercise and Nutrition Programs to Promote Normal Weight Maintenance for Nurses” discusses challenges to exercise and healthy eating for nurses, along with the design and implementation of an evidence-based wellness program at Inova Loudoun Hospital in Leesburg, Virginia. Obesity is a nationwide problem and the necessity to integrate healthier lifestyle habits into daily living applies not only to patients but also to nurses. With the average age of nurses approaching 50, it is important that nurses have both the physical health and stamina to meet workplace demands, and the ability to model healthy behavior. Although organizations are increasingly offering workplace wellness programs, many are not evidence based.

Health and wellness in the work place is a vital part to a company’s success. Employees who are healthier and more productive are less likely to call out from sickness. There are not many companies that have affordable health care coverage for employees. More companies should make healthcare affordable for their employees and their family. Research has been done on how effective health and wellness programs can be in the workplace. Throughout the reading these points will be discussed. The effectiveness of health and wellness in the workplace will also be spoken of. Health and wellness activities in the workplace will be a positive move for companies and employees.

Through helping workers prevention injuries and illnesses, change their behaviour patterns and choose healthier ways of living, Wellness Solutions will provide companies with lower health

Research indicates that employers can increase employee retention, increase employee productivity, and reduce employee healthcare costs by implementing a workplace wellness program.

Health and wellness in the workplace is crucial to business success. Increasingly, it is recognized that the workplace itself has a powerful affect on people’s health. When people are satisfied with their job, they are more productive and tend to be healthier. When employees feel that the environment at work is negative, they feel stressed. Stress has a large impact on employee mental and physical health, and in turn, on productivity. Companies that promote healthy lifestyle habits for employees to improve their health, often take the success of the company to heart and are likely to be absent less often for health related reasons.