Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan will offer an online wellness platform this fall, which will allow members to assess their fitness and provide health information through a partnership with WebMD Health Services.
“Employers know the value of wellness programs, and how the right program can help their employees get healthier, and ultimately, help better manage overall health care costs,” says Ann Baker, a vice president at Blue Cross.
Tools will include a health assessment checklist where users answer a series of questions about their health before receiving a set of recommendations for possible lifestyle or diet changes. Another online tool allows users to keep track of their health record. People can also check their symptoms using an interactive body map.
A study by the National Business Group on Health in 2012 found nearly 60 percent of companies that have integrated wellness programs found them to be an effective way to keep health care costs down.
Baker says Blue Cross members will automatically have access to some of the features, and additional items can be purchased separately.
