Chicago Seeks Operator for City Wellness Program

The city of Chicago is seeking a vendor that can implement and manage a wellness program for city employees in an effort to cut down healthcare costs, according to a Chicago News Cooperative report.

According to the report, city employees suffer from significant or catastrophic chronic disease, such as diabetes, hypertension and asthma, at a much higher rate than the national average. Consequently, healthcare costs for city employees have grown 10-12 percent each year. This year alone, healthcare costs per employee clock in at nearly $13,000, according to the report.

The city hopes to reduce healthcare costs by 3.5 percent to $485 million next year, down from this year's $500 million. City officials believe it can be accomplished through the creation of a wellness program, which would offer free annual risk assessments, health counseling and weekly programs focused on managing specific conditions, including diabetes and high blood pressure, according to the report.

Related Articles on Wellness Programs:

Akron General to Commercialize Wellness Programs
S&P: Healthcare Costs Up 5.73% in 12-Months Ended August 2011
Cleveland Clinic Keeps Employee Healthcare Costs Down Through Wellness Efforts

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