PERSONAL HEALTH : Workers Can Slice Health Care Costs

Employees who improve health habits can reduce their company’s health care costs, according to a nine-year study at the University of Michigan. The average age of participants was 44; 75% were men.

Based on habits and health, participants were classified as high risk or low risk and were offered smoking cessation, weight reduction and stress management classes.

During the next six years, researchers tracking medical insurance claims found that high-risk workers in 1985 who were low risk by 1988 had lower claims from 1988-90, for an annual savings of $618.

Employees who remained high risk saw claims rise more than $500.

Low-risk employees’ costs were the same. But low-risk workers who slipped to high risk saw claims more than double.