Stepping Stone Partners Incentivizing Healthy Behaviors

With skyrocketing healthcare costs, health plans and employers are focusing on ways to contain costs by better educating and motivating consumers to engage in healthy behaviors.

During our Lunch & Learn, you will hear from two experts who are helping companies put incentive programs into place to drive healthy behaviors. These healthcare program veterans know the cost pressures that their customers are experiencing and their urgency to find ways to guide and reward consumers for leading healthier lives.

Karen Hewitt, Program Manager Prevention & Wellness from Blue Cross, Blue Shield of MA will discuss their Healthy Directions Program, which has been running since 2005 with BCBS employees. Karen will describe how this program has evolved and share learnings about what is driving healthy changes. She will discuss programs that her employer customers have implemented, describe the program structure and program enhancements needed for better outcomes. With years of program experience, Karen will also define her vision for future consumer- centric incentive programs.

Scott Marber, SVP of Sales from Virgin Life Care will describe how customers are using his company's platform to design and deliver an effective incentive program to employees across the wellness spectrum. Scott will discuss the behaviors that are being rewarded, the reward structure, and why increasing physical activity should be the cornerstone of any wellness program. He will also share ways to augment financial incentives with other program elements, such as healthy competition, to drive change.

With this intimate lunch and learn gathering, the audience will have an opportunity to share their experiences and to ask the experts questions about their programs and approaches.

Speaker Bios:
Karen Hewitt, Program Manager Prevention & Wellness from Blue Cross, Blue Shield of MA: For more than 2 years, Karen has worked at BCBS of Massachusetts in the Prevention and Wellness Department. She helps businesses devise a wellness strategy after analyzing their claims data to identify lifestyles and behaviors change opportunities and understanding their company culture and environment. Prior to BCBSMA, Karen worked for 18 years in a large company as benefit manager for active and retiree benefits, managing the employee fitness center and directing all health promotion and collaborating with Safety on educational programming. Karen has a new role at BCBSMA as Worksite Wellness Consultant working with innovative accounts designing worksite strategies as well as working with the consultant and broker communities.

Scott Marber, SVP of Sales from Virgin Life Care: Scott has been at the forefront of wellness and health services for 25 years. He has worked for both start-ups and Fortune 50 companies, delivering over a quarter of a billion dollars in services and products. Prior to joining Virgin Life Care he was the Senior Vice President for Sales and Business Development at Free & Clear, Inc., the nation's leading smoking cessation company. As the SVP of Sales for Virgin Life Care, Scott is responsible for bringing the HealthMiles rewards program to corporations throughout America.