Employers reinvest in health care for workers


After cutting back on wellness programs during the economic downturn, some employers are reinstating the benefits.

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The economic downturn led employers to cut back on wellness programs, and some even eliminated health insurance altogether.

This spring has seen a re-investment in employee wellness, with the federal government emphasizing prevention programs.

The Oregon Public Health Division just received a federal stimulus grant of nearly $680,000 over two years for work site wellness. And prevention of chronic disease is a cornerstone of the recently passed national health care reform.

“Now with (national) attention on health reform, people are realizing that the key to managing our health care is through prevention,” Boyum said. “If we can truly focus on … helping people have healthy habits, they’re going to have a higher quality of life and they’re not going to have the chronic diseases that create the cost.”

Read the whole story at the Register-Guard.

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