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Wellness Warriors

Timothy Magaw for Crain's Cleveland Be Well Solutions, a Solon-based wellness consultant, and Movable, the Brecksville-based makers of the colorful MOVband products, have joined forces. The two companies said they have partnered on Be Well's largest client to date, Kent State University. The hope is that Be Well ultimately will be able to offer MOVbands — the colorful plastic wristbands designed to help people track how physically active they are — to all of their clients. With the partnership, the MOVband technology will be integrated into Be Well's web portal. This will allow Kent State employees, for instance, to upload and track their activity. Working with the university's health services, Be Well will hold health fairs on all of Kent State's campuses, and hold meeting to introduce university employees to the program. Be Well's web portal will provide employees with a [...]

Be Well Solutions Currently Assists More Organizations with the BWC Wellness Grant than Any Other Wellness Company in Ohio.

Ohio employers wanting to improve the health and wellness of their workers can benefit from the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation’s newest program, the Workplace Wellness Grant Program (WWGP). It provides funding to assist employers in establishing training and programs to reduce health risk factors specific to their employees. BWC established WWGP to study the effect of a wellness program in the workplace on bringing down incidence and cost of accidents and illnesses. The goal is to control the escalating cost of workers' compensation claims through addressing health risk factors. The WWGP's collateral goals are also to reduce health-care costs for employers, as well as improve the health of the workforce. The BWC has established this program to meet the challenges of obesity, rising incidence of chronic diseases and the aging workforce. This program will assist employers with the creation and [...]

How the Health Care Law is Making a Difference for the People of Ohio

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Because of the Affordable Care Act, the 86% of Ohioans who have insurance have more choices and stronger coverage than ever before. And for the 14% of Ohioans who don’t have insurance, or Ohio families and small businesses who buy their coverage but aren’t happy with it, a new day is just around the corner. Soon, the new online Health Insurance Marketplace will provide families and small businesses who currently don’t have insurance, or are looking for a better deal, a new way to find health coverage that fits their needs and their budgets. Open enrollment in the Marketplace starts Oct 1, with coverage starting as soon as Jan 1, 2014. But Ohio families and small business can visit HealthCare.gov right now to find the information they need prepare for open enrollment. The health care [...]

Tags: ACA, affordable care act, be well solutions, bill frankel, biometric screening, BMI, cleveland, cleveland wellness, cleveland wellness company, comprehensive wellness, Egon Singerman, healthcare reform, national wellness, obama, obamacare, preventative care, preventive care, solon wellness, wellness|

Administrator chosen for wellness program

Sue Reid for Solon Times City council’s finance committee approved preparing legislation last week to accept the proposal of Be Well Solutions, a Solon company, as third-party administrator of an employee wellness program. The cost to Be Well Solutions for the one-year contract is $25,850. The city interviewed five companies of 10 proposals it received, with Be Well Solutions believed to be the “best fit” for the city and its culture, Human Resources Coordinator Jessica Vest told the committee. The fee proposal, which is an estimate, is based on the number of expected participants and includes biometric screenings, health risk assessment, coaching, incentive tracking and on-site presentations, among other services. The hope is to expand the program to cover all the city’s 283 employees and their spouses, Ms. Vest said. “Wellness programs have been gaining popularity over the last [...]

“Reasonable Alternatives” – Finalized Outcome Based Wellness Program Rules; effective health insurance plan year on or after January 1, 2014

As part of health care reform, wellness programs that provide incentives based on specific health metrics (i.e. BMI, cholesterol, etc.) will be required to offer “reasonable alternative standards” to employees who do not meet the initial requirements. The final rules also increase the maximum dollar amount of rewards or surcharges to 30% of the total premium cost of health care coverage (up from 20%) and up to 50% for incentives tied to smoking prevention or reduction programs. * Reasonable alternative standards: Employees must be given an opportunity to qualify for the reward if they fail to meet the initial standard. For example, an employer could charge higher premium contributions to employees or spouses who have a Body Mass Index (BMI) in excess of 30. Therefore, the employer would have to offer an alternative means for participants to avoid the surcharge. [...]

Tags: ACA, affordable care act, be well solutions, bill frankel, BMI, cleveland, cleveland wellness, cleveland wellness company, Egon Singerman, obamacare, ohio, reasonable alternatives, smoking cessation, Solon, wellness, wellness companies, wellness company, wellness programs|

We have partnered with GlobalFit!

GlobalFit is a leading provider of benefits for healthy living. Readily accessible through Be Well Solutions, GlobalFit’s broad selection of programs, products and services have been expressly designed to create a healthier world. Since 1992, GlobalFit's signature offering has been its gym network, the largest of its kind. The network now includes thousands of respected fitness centers, from well-known chains to independent facilities. GlobalFit also offers these convenient, affordable options: Exercise On Demand: easy-to-follow videos and community support Zumba® DVDs at a special low price Home fitness equipment from Total Gym® The Nutrisystem® weight-loss program and Dr. Will Clower's Mediterranean Wellness program. The GlobalFit Virtual Meal Planner: online meal planning for balanced nutrition Be Well Solutions has made it easier for you to reach out to GlobalFit directly. GlobalFit helps make it easy and affordable to look and feel your best. Choose [...]

Obama administration continues moving forward to implement health care law by releasing final rules on employment-based wellness programs

Laura McGinnis for the United States Department of Labor WASHINGTON - The U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and the Treasury today issued final rules on employment-based wellness programs. The final rules support workplace health promotion and prevention as a means to reduce the burden of chronic illness, improve health and limit growth of health care costs, while ensuring that individuals are protected from unfair underwriting practices that could otherwise reduce benefits based on health status. The final rules continue to support participatory wellness programs, which generally are available without regard to an individual's health status. These include programs that reimburse for the cost of membership in a fitness center; that provide a reward to employees for attending a monthly, no-cost health education seminar; or that reward employees who complete a health risk assessment, without requiring them to take [...]

Tags: ACA, affordable care act, be well solutions, bill frankel, BMI, cleveland, cleveland wellness, cleveland wellness company, Egon Singerman, healthcare reform, obamacare, ohio, ron golovan, smoking cessation, Solon, wellness company, wellness initiative, wellness program|

E-cigs fire up controversy

Timothy Magaw for Crain's Cleveland Charlie Lardomita has been an off-and-on smoker since he was about 16 years old. And while it's only been two months since he lit up, the 38-year-old IT executive thinks this time he's kicked the habit for good. Forget the patch or nicotine gum. Mr. Lardomita swears by his electronic cigarette, a device that could be described as the lovechild of RoboCop and Joe Camel. He has made believers — or “vapors” — out of a handful of his friends who've since dropped traditional smokes. He even has dreamt of opening a vapor lounge — a one-stop shop and haven for e-cig connoisseurs — near his home in Kirtland. “I'm so into them it's ridiculous,” said Mr. Lardomita, chief technology officer for International Excess Alliance in Richmond Heights, a wholesaler of property, casualty and other [...]