Matt Moss, Author at Be Well Solutions

BWS is the Winner of the Northeast Ohio Area 2016 Top Workplaces Award

CLEVELAND, OH – June 19, 2016 – Be Well Solutions is pleased to announce, for the third consecutive year, that it has been named a 2016 Top Workplace by The Cleveland Plain Dealer and WorkplaceDynamics, LLC. In addition, Be Well Solutions is honored to receive the Top Workplaces Special Award in Ethics. “The Top Workplaces award is not a popularity contest. And oftentimes, people assume it’s all about fancy perks and benefits.” says Doug Claffey, CEO of WorkplaceDynamics. “But to be a Top Workplace, organizations must meet our strict standards for organizational health. And who better to ask about work life than the people who live the culture every day—the employees. Time and time again, our research has proven that what’s most important to them is a strong belief in where the organization is headed, how it’s going to get [...]

Tags: be well solutions, cleveland wellness, cleveland wellness company, comprehensive wellness, wellness, wellness company, wellness program, wellness programs|

Event: Ohio Safety Congress & Expo

High Risk: Finding Your Wellness Program Purpose Date: Wednesday, March 9, 2016 Our Presenter: Bill Frankel, Executive Vice President and Principal of Be Well Solutions As health issues expand across the country, more and more companies are feeling the burden of an unhealthy workforce. Higher health insurance costs, increased absenteeism, reduced work productivity all affect your bottom-line. Today, learn about: • The Financial Toll on Corporate America o Indirect Cost and Direct Cost of Poor Health • Making a Case for Wellness o Reduction in Risk Factors = Reduction in Health Care Costs • Wellness that Works: Essential Elements o Selecting the Right Wellness Program for Your Organization • 2016: Updates to the ACA, Alternative Standards and Technology • Wellness for YOU: It’s Never Too Late to Begin Your Journey Into Wellness For more information, please visit https://www.bwc.ohio.gov/employer/programs/safety/SafetyCongress.asp

EEOC Update – Wellness

As you may recall, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) had not clarified its position on employer-sponsored wellness programs. In fact, several lawsuits were filed by the EEOC against employer-sponsored wellness programs (e.g., the Honeywell suit). The pushback was based on the Title II of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA). On October 29, 2015 the EEOC issued proposed rules which would amend Title II of GINA as they relate to wellness programs that are part of health plans. Comments on the proposed rules were accepted through the end of 2015. In short, the proposed amendments to GINA are favorable and show that the EEOC does not want to be an impediment to wellness programs. The following changes, in part, are proposed to GINA: A key proposed change in GINA involves incentivized wellness programs. The changes would [...]

School Supply Drive Benefits Children

Employees from Be Well Solutions, a Solon-based wellness company, display some of the more than 2,000 school supplies that were recently collected and then donated to the Cuyahoga County Division of Children and Family Services. The top three donating employees brought in more than 215 items.

Tags: back to school, be well solutions, cleveland wellness, cleveland wellness company, Cuyahoga County Division of Children and Family Services, school supplies, solon wellness, wellness, wellness company, wellness program, wellness programs|

EEOC Final Rules Validate Wellness Programs (Eff. 1-1-17)

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently issued final rules that clarify the application of Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Title II of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) to employer sponsored wellness programs. These rules were put in place to define what constitutes a “voluntary” health program, and determine the extent to which employers may offer incentives to employees and spouses participating in these programs. These rules do not countermand the Department of Labor (DOL) and/or Health and Human Services (HHS) regulations regarding Health-Contingent Wellness Incentives (i.e. “reasonable alternative standards” and required annual screening opportunities). General Considerations: Title I of the ADA prohibits employers from discriminating against individuals on the basis of disability, and restricts employers from routinely obtaining medical information from applicants and employees. However, Title I does allow employers to make inquiries [...]

Tags: ACA, affordable care act, be well solutions, EEOC, healthcare, healthcare reform|

ERISA, COBRA and Wellness Programming

David T. Andrews, Attorney for Day Ketterer The threshold issue to determine whether ERISA applies to a wellness program is whether the wellness program rises to the level of a “Group Health Plan.” ERISA defines a Group Health Plan as “an employer-sponsored welfare benefit plan to the extent that the plan provides medical care (…including items and services paid for as medical care) to employees or their dependents directly or through insurance or otherwise.” Many common wellness program initiatives will cause a wellness plan to become a Group Health Plan subject to ERISA, including health risk assessments that provide advice and counseling, employer-paid immunizations and employer-paid biometric screenings (i.e., blood pressure screening, BMI, cholesterol, etc.). In addition, a wellness program can become a Group Health Plan by becoming linked to a Group Health Plan, such as by rewarding employees for [...]

Wellness Programs Under EEOC Attack—What to Do Now

Frank C. Morris, JR for The National Law Review ________________________________________ Improved Employee Health and Reduced Health Care Costs The U.S. Department of Labor has proclaimed that “the Affordable Care Act creates new incentives and builds on existing wellness program policies to promote employer wellness programs and encourage opportunities to support healthier workplaces.” Employers have embraced wellness programs as a way to improve employee health, enhance productivity, and control health care costs over time. The extent of that embrace is shown in a 2014 Kaiser Family Foundation & Health Research and Educational Trust annual survey of employer-sponsored health benefits. The survey found that 94 percent of employers with over 200 employees, and 63 percent of smaller employers now sponsor some form of wellness program. The positive benefits of wellness programs were also discussed at a January 29, 2015, hearing of the [...]

Tags: Corporate Wellness Firm, EEOC, health care, health care reform, wellness programs|

BWS- Top Workplace by The Cleveland Plain Dealer and WorkplaceDynamics, LLC.

CLEVELAND, OH – June 21, 2015 – Be Well Solutions is pleased to announce, for the second consecutive year, that it has been named a 2015 Top Workplace by The Cleveland Plain Dealer and WorkplaceDynamics, LLC. The award recognizes corporate culture, work/life balance, support of the local community, and the strong connection between employees and the company. Most importantly, the Top Workplace Award takes into consideration the internal support, guidance and encouragement provided to employees. At Be Well Solutions, employees take pride in making an impact in the health and well-being of our participants. The Be Well Solutions culture unifies the company to work as a team toward the same goal – to continue to provide impactful wellness solutions. “Be Well Solutions is thrilled to be selected as a top workplace for the second year in a row. From the [...]

EEOC Issues Proposed Wellness Program Amendments to ADA Regulations

Frank C. Morris, JR for the National Law Review On April 16, 2015, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) released its highly anticipated proposed regulations (to be published in the Federal Register on April 20, 2015, for notice and comment) setting forth the EEOC’s interpretation of the term “voluntary” as to the disability-related inquiries and medical examination provisions of the American with Disabilities Act (“ADA”). Under the ADA, employers are generally barred from making disability-related inquiries to employees or requiring employees to undergo medical examinations. There is an exception to this prohibition, however, for disability-related inquiries and medical examinations that are “voluntary.” All comments regarding the proposed regulations must be submitted within 60 days from April 20, 2015, which is June 19, 2015. Employers should have considerable interest in submitting comments, especially as those hostile to wellness programs will surely [...]

Tags: affordable care, cleveland wellness company, EEOC, health care, wellness programs|

Event: Summit County Worksite Wellness Conference Hosted by the Wellness 360 Committee

High Risk: Finding Your Wellness Program Purpose Date: Thursday, March 10, 2016 Our Presenter: Bill Frankel, Executive Vice President and Principal of Be Well Solutions As health issues expand across the country, more and more companies are feeling the burden of an unhealthy workforce. Higher health insurance costs, increased absenteeism, reduced work productivity all affect your bottom-line. Today, learn about: • The Financial Toll on Corporate America: Indirect Cost and Direct Cost of Poor Health • Making a Case for Wellness: Reduction in Risk Factors = Reduction in Health Care Costs • Wellness that Works: Essential Elements: Selecting the Right Wellness Program for Your Organization • 2016: Updates to the ACA, Alternative Standards and Technology • Wellness for YOU: It’s Never Too Late to Begin Your Journey Into Wellness For more information, please visit https://www.wellness360conference.com.

About Matt Moss