Mandated health screenings reap rewards

January 3, 2006 BenefitsNews.com

Cadmus Communications has taken a radical approach to employee wellness: It requires employees to take a health risk assessment, blood pressure screening and cholesterol screening. Seventeen employees at the publishing services company in Richmond, Va., lost their health coverage in 2005 because they didn't cooperate.

Cindy Ellis, a benefit manager, admits workers initially questioned the mandates. "A lot of people said, 'You're invading my privacy. What are you going to do with this information?' We talked to our lawyers and made sure what we were doing was legal," she says.

Not surprisingly, Cadmus found high levels of hypertension and high cholesterol among its staff of 3,000. Although 23% of employees thought they were overweight, 78% actually were. Nurses followed up to ensure workers received appropriate treatments. The company also organized weight-loss contests with cash prizes and provided a 25% subsidy for Weight Watchers memberships.

The results? Cadmus saw a 21% drop in hospital admissions, a 44% reduction in the length of hospital stays and a 33% decrease in diagnostic testing costs this year. Its health premiums jumped only 7% for 2006, compared to 22% in 2005.

"It's been a huge cultural shift and an attitude shift. We're seeing that we're making a difference, and we're getting results," Ellis says.

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