Gift Cards For Good Health
March 2, 2008
Humana is offering it’s members gifts if they maintain good health. They launched a program called healthy returns. Medicare beneficiaries are to be given gift cards to Borders, Lowe’s, CVS and Macy’s if they live healthier. There are three pilot projects within this program.
Within the first program this years enrollees can a earn a gift card worth $15 upon completion of a health risk assessment. Based on this assessment it can be determined what kind of changes are needed in the assessee to lead a healthier lifestyle. Should they exercise more or change their eating habits or take some other steps that will enable them to be healthy.
This reward system has been successful. 35,000 beneficiaries around the country have earned this reward so far. The second project is a more extensive program of preventive care and the third program is meant for diabetics - to manage their disease. Gift cards worth $125 are being offered in these programs.
According to Scott Latimer, Humana, if Humana helps clients maintain their health it proves much cheaper rather than treat them or illnesses. Success is not just about providing greater benefits to ill people but also to help people maintain their health. This is a win-win situation for both enrollees in health care programs as well as Humana.
