Wellness

I'm a big fan of NBC's "The Biggest Loser." I love the show's stories of triumph and redemption, and watching the contestants have a light-bulb moment when it comes to making lifestyle nutrition and fitness changes is inspiring.

The National Business Group on Health has launched an ambitious, three-year initiative aimed at helping employers design benefit plans that reflect the latest scientific information and expert recommendations on cancer treatment and prevention.

As the first ruling in federal court to declare a portion of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act unconstitutional, Virginia Judge Henry Hudson’s Dec. 13 finding that the individual mandate provision falls outside "constitutional boundaries” puts a kink in the armor of President Barack Obama’s health reform package — but the battle over PPACA is just beginning.

A Senate panel last week deepened a probe of co-pay based mini-meds that raised pointed questions about the plans' value and transparency for workers, even when employers are unable to sponsor more comprehensive coverage.

The IRS released final guidance Dec. 2 for small employers eligible to claim the new small business health care tax credit for the 2010 tax year — including a the one-page form small employers will use to claim the credit for the 2010 tax year.

Every year, large consulting and brokerage firms conduct surveys on what companies are doing to mitigate the impact of rising health care costs. Questions about wellness initiatives have become a standard feature in such surveys.

In a three-month period, about one-quarter of U.S. adults experience at least one day of back pain, according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.

Thanksgiving now has come and gone, and the annual holiday season is in full swing. This time of year can be one of the best, but it can also be one of the most taxing on our bodies.

The advantages of educating employees about their benefits through technology are many: The information transmitted to their Web browser or smart phone is always up to date, it's scalable to any population, yet allows an employer to individually tailor information to an employee.

Proud to say you have 80% participation in your company's wellness/health promotion program? Not to rain on your parade, but that number may be misleading, according to Dr. Jeanne L. Wendel, professor of economics at the University of Nevada (Reno).