Dive Brief:
- Fitbit, the maker of health and fitness wearables, announced the integration of its Fitbit Charge 2 into the UnitedHealthcare Motion wellness program. Fitbit said the partnership allows Motion program participants to earn as much as $1,500 in yearly awards for meeting daily goals.
- Through Fitbit Charge 2, Motion members can find out how well they’re achieving their goals in real-time and how they can earn financial rewards for attaining an active, healthy lifestyle, said Fitbit.
- UnitedHealthcare Motion is a three-tiered wellness program based on "frequency, intensity and tenacity," or F.I.T. Qualcomm Life, a healthcare connectivity platform, powers the Motion program.
Dive Insight:
Fitbit Charge 2’s real-time tracking capability might help busy workers meet their fitness goals without interrupting productivity. Another large insurer, Aetna, recently teamed up with Apple to offer subsidies for the Apple Watch for employers and customers it serves, reflecting a growing interest in wearable health tech. Gamification is a large part of the appeal of such programs, which promises better engagement overall. It's likely interest in wearables will continue to build in 2017.
Employers must make sure they comply with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's wellness program rules. The good news is that a federal judge just upheld the rules, which allow employers to offer workers incentives of up to 30% of the cost of coverage for wellness programs.
