Participation in the Healthy Rewards Program Predicts Staying Employed, Medical Costs, and Utilization.

Objective: To identify who is participating in the healthy rewards program (HRP), how participation corresponds with employment, and to compare health care costs and utilization between partial and full participants with non-participants.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of employees in a large US company during 2016 to 2019, with statistically significant results reported, adjusted for sex, age, and year.

Results: Women, ages 30 to 59, and those employed in more recent years correspond with higher HRP participation. Participants were 15.7% more likely to remain employed from year to year. Compared with non-participants, partial and full participants experienced $740.43 and $884.07 lower annual costs. If all employees experienced the same health care costs as non-participants, partial participants, and full participants, there would be an 8% increase, 13% decrease, and 17% decrease in costs, respectively.

Conclusions: HRP participation is a marker of interest in healthier living.