The key to a successful wellness program lies in the ability to reimburse people for engaging in healthy activities, like going to a fitness center. But health plans, insurers and employers have long struggled with how to properly reimburse a workout.
Vanco Services, a Minnetonka, Minn.-based provider of electronic payment solutions, is working to make that process easier with e.service Fitness Rewards, an online tool that’s designed to allow health clubs to report information directly to health plans, insurers and employers. The workout information is then compared against a wellness plan’s minimum requirements, and the appropriate reimbursement is deposited directly into a health plan member’s bank account.
“Fitness reimbursement programs continue to gain popularity as a way to promote and improve employee health,” said Casey O'Keefe, Vanco’s vice president of marketing and new product development, in a recent press release. “But since no two health plans are exactly alike, our system enhancements have been designed to accommodate a wide range of requirements from a growing roster of clients.”
Vanco officials say the e.service online reporting system is designed to allow health clubs to report data on a monthly basis, taking the plan member out of the loop and eliminating errors or abuse. The system also allows health plans and self-insured employers to manage their own fitness reimbursement programs, adding or subtracting incentives as they see fit.
Recent enhancements to the platform, Vanco officials said, enable health plans and employers to add more data elements to their custom-generated reports, while giving health plan members more tools for locating and selecting participating health clubs, enrolling in programs and directing reimbursements.
