WELLNESS PROGRAMS AND THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT

Employers adore these programs since they provide an opportunity for reducing absenteeism and employee turnover. Further, it offers an advantage that appeals to both current and prospective employees. Still, there is evidence to suggest that comprehensive wellness strategies can pay off for employers through lowering expenses for the health care of employees (Sommers et al. Nonetheless, there is also a debate as to best structure these wellness programs. Some people suggest that the plans should provide financial rewards to the participants. Most of these strategies are aimed at helping employees lose weight, stop smoking, and become active (Madison et al. The ability of employers to prevent health conditions or assist in early identification and treatment will result in healthier and happy employees.

In the long run, this will save the employer a lot of money. Furthermore, wellness programs are advantageous in that they increase productivity and reduce employee turnover (Koh et al. Besides, workplaces that provide wellness programs are synonymous with success since the employees take very few days on sick leave and are more productive at work. They include weight-loss programs, fitness reimbursements, and nutrition programs. Health-contingent wellness strategies include flu shots and goal-oriented programs that peg the rewards on goal attainment. The application of the ACA legislation will affect the health-contingent wellness programs. Consequently, the law has outlined four standards that health-contingent wellness strategies must follow to deal with discrimination issues (Decker et al. One such measure is that a wellness program must allow individuals the opportunity to merit for the reward at least once each year.

Presently, many of them can secure health coverage for their various pre-existing conditions. Also, another advantage of the Act is that it reduces the overall cost of healthcare in the near future (Pariser, 2012). It achieves this by providing prophylactic health services without expensive costs (Sommers et al. This means that individuals will be able to be treated before they require costly emergency health services. Additionally, ACA has improved accessibility to health and insurance cover for millions of American citizens. Nonetheless, three significant health insurance firms have already opted out of the exchanges leaving many beneficiaries confused and unsure of the next step. Resultantly, those who had previously secured insurance policies under the various entities that opted out of ACA will need to adjust their plans.

Many of such clients are left with little or no options when it comes to insurance providers, as well as plans (Pariser, 2012). Furthermore, the rising value of premiums has been a thorny issue that has attracted the attention of many beneficiaries (Kocher et al. Some individuals lay the blame on lack of competition in the health insurance markets as one of the critical reasons for increasing premium prices (Kocher et al. References Abelson, R.  Is the Affordable Care Act Working?.  Nytimes. com. Retrieved 3 March 2018, from https://www. , & Novelli, W. Peer reviewed: Promoting prevention through the affordable care act: Workplace wellness.  Preventing chronic disease, 9. Baker, T. Health insurance, risk, and responsibility after the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Kocher, R. , Emanuel, E.