A bipartisan effort is afoot on Capitol Hill to reward companies that encourage employee participation in wellness programs.

Sens. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) introduced legislation in early July that would give companies a tax credit of $200 for each of the first 200 employees participating in wellness programs offered at work, and as much as $100 for each additional participant, according to Bloomberg News.

"The idea is to make it easier for businesses to help their employees get healthy, stay healthy and stay out of the hospital," said Harkin, the chairman of the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on health, at a press conference.

Paul Speranza, chairman of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said the senators' proposal "would allow more small- and medium-sized companies to offer disease screenings, support groups for employees trying to quit smoking, on-site fitness centers and nutrition classes," according to the story.

"Larger companies already have the resources for these kinds of things," said Speranza, who is also vice chairman of Wegmans Food Markets, based in Rochester, N.Y.

Under the legislation, companies would qualify for the tax credit only if their offerings met at least three of four criteria: events that raise awareness and assess health risks, seminars that foster behavioral changes, incentives for those who choose to participate and a committee to oversee company health opportunities.

--Mary Westbrook
mwestbrook@safnow.org

 

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