Health Insurance Daily

Employers Eye New Fitness Carrot

Until now, most employers have had to settle for an employee's word that he is actually working out at the gym, thereby earning a wellness bonus or discounted membership rate. But new technology enables employers to better manage their health and wellness programs.

With MyTrak, employers can know how many machines employees used, how many reps they did and at what weight. This is made possible through sensors and electronics attached to treadmills, weight stack machines, bikes and hydraulic circuit stations.

The technology guides users to train at the right intensity, while continuously providing feedback to keep them motivated and on track for their entire workout. Employers can access the exercise performance information and start rewarding the workers who are really cutting today's fat and tomorrow's medical costs.

"After all, it's not that plastic membership card that impedes disease, it's the regular participation in exercise at a precise level of exertion that gives off the benefit," Reed Hanoun, president and inventor of MyTrak Health, says. "It's important that the industry shed the old image of taking the money and not producing results, if they want to gain stature with employers and health insurance carriers," he says.

Article provided by BenefitNews, April 18, 2006.

posted by Mike @ 8:45 AM