PROVIDENCE – Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island has launched a wellness premium rewards program to allow businesses with less than 50 employees to earn back up to 8 percent of their annual medical premium, the company announced Thursday.
The program is powered by the Virgin Pulse digital wellness platform. The platform had already allowed employees to earn rewards based on health activities, but Blue Cross said the program now allows employers to save on premiums, the first of its kind in Rhode Island.
The program was designed to help small businesses save on health care costs. It launched in January and all small-business employers with a 2019 Blue Cross health plan are enrolled. A company will receive points when employees complete wellness activities on the Virgin Pulse wellness app or website.
“Most adults spend the majority of their day in the workplace, making it the best place to implement a culture of wellness, which – beyond the obvious health benefits – can help with productivity, morale and employee retention and recruitment,” said George Tager, Blue Cross director of employer segment sales and broker relations. “Rhode Island small businesses employ more than 225,000 workers, which is more than half of the state’s workforce. Whether you have five employees or 500, business owners should have the tools and resources necessary to support and encourage the health and wellness of their workforce.”
