MVP Health Care’s Member Wellness Program Moving to Reward Achievement of Biometric Guidelines
MVP Health Care is evolving its WellStyle Rewards member wellness incentive program to an outcome-based model that will reward members for demonstrating the achievement of recommended health guidelines and other evidence-based measures such as body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar on a health risk assessment form.
Schenectady, NY (Vocus) November 23, 2010
MVP Health Care is evolving its WellStyle Rewards member wellness incentive program to an outcome-based model that will reward members for demonstrating the achievement of recommended health guidelines and other evidence-based measures such as body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar on a health risk assessment form.
“We are leading the move to an incentive design that rewards members who achieve recommended health guidelines, proven to be associated with reduced long-term health risks,” says Augusta Martin, MVP’s Corporate Vice President of Marketing Innovation and Commercial Business. “This model will allow us to better reward members who practice healthy habits all year long” Martin said.
Health measures such as body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, and refraining from tobacco use are strong indicators of an individual’s risk for developing chronic diseases such as diabetes and many forms of cancer.
”I encourage my patients to complete health screenings as part of routine preventive care. I am excited because now my patients can earn rewards for getting screened and achieving important health goals” said Joseph DiPoala, M. D., an MVP-participating physician in Rochester, N. Y. “This is great because screenings are so important in monitoring health, preventing disease and knowing when I need to work with my patients to get their results into recommended ranges,” he said.
“We know that all of our members may be at different points along the continuum of health and well-being, and we believe new program includes all the elements needed to recognize members who take an active role in their health and to demonstrate year-over-year population health improvements”, Martin said.
While members can still earn points redeemable for rewards for completing PHAs (Personal Health Assessments) or completing coaching programs, beginning in 2011, members have additional earning opportunities for demonstrating certain biometric measures — such as cholesterol, blood pressure and body mass index (BMI) — that fall within optimal ranges. Rewards are available for members whose biometrics are not optimal but are in acceptable ranges. Members also can receive rewards for staying tobacco free. As a reasonable accommodation, chronically ill patients who enroll in an MVP condition health management program can be rewarded for that participation as well.
Founded in 1983, MVP Health Care is a regional, not-for-profit health insurer based in Schenectady, N. Y. Through its operating subsidiaries, it provides fully insured and self-funded employer health benefits plans, dental insurance, and ancillary products, such as flexible-spending accounts, to 750,000 subscribers in New York State, Vermont and New Hampshire. For more information, visit: http://www. mvphealthcare. com.
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