Jonathan Edelheit

Wellness is not only the answer but the best way to engage in healthy behavior, only solution to bring down healthcare costs. Employers are spending money on different wellness initiatives and trying to figure out which one has ROI and which don't.

Healthcare reform has created a lot of confusion and this has caused many people to lose focus on core activities. Employers throughout the industry have significantly cut back on the education/training of HR.

Ever since the Supreme Court upheld PPACA, nearly 200 agencies and various government entities involved in the law. It is a delegation of extensive authority, from Congress tot he Department of Health and Human Services and a lot of boards.

Corporate wellness program is witnessing a boom as more and more employees are implementing wellness programs and providing incentives. As healthcare costs are rising, wellness programs seem to be the only ways to control the increasing healthcare cost.

The Department of Labor, Treasury, and Health and Human Services issued a final rule concerning wellness programs in the PPACA. The regulations list two forms of wellness programs; participatory wellness programs and health-contingent wellness programs.

Wearable devices are quickly becoming a crucial part of many corporate wellness programs and their sales reached another milestone. Fitbit sold an estimated 67 percent of all activity tracking devices in 2013 and 50 percent in 2014 is the leader.

What the nursery owner planned to do about implementing a plan for his employees because he was over the limit of employees? He replied- we are going to fix that, I thought if he is going to fire some employees to manage the threshold of the expenditure.

The industry had a lot of momentum in 2009 but was derailed when Obama brought healthcare reform into the picture. Many employers are still sitting on the bench on the sidelines watching the fight between insurance companies and the U.S. government.

The first and foremost thing is that Healthcare reform is here to stay and don't get trapped by politician rhetoric, false news. Major news network hasn't posted any real truths about healthcare reform whether they are liberal or conservative.

We Americans are trying to tackle the problem on too large of a basis, a macro level when we should focus on the micro level. Some insurance companies or employers think we can significantly change the way employees think, act and behave.

I think of a quote from one of our speakers, who said- Keep your options open, where there is no risk, there is no reward. Never close any doors but to walk through them boldly and willing to take the risk, resonates with the challenges of our industry.

Richard Verone robbed a bank on June 9, 2011, claiming this was the only way for him to get coverage because prison provides healthcare. He did so because he had no job, two ruptured disks and a growth on his chest and unable to get better medical attention.

We can't forget the ridiculous lines outside Apple for the new iPhone, confused and frightened seasonal staff at Target. With the end of 2011, comes a time of uncertainty and change for employer healthcare.

This year we are adding a focus on global wellness programs and we have several employers coming to speak on the occasion. We have also changed up the agendas and have a new structure of the conference.

Corporate wellness is a very primary thing any company would need to boost their employee's morale and productivity. When we look at the total budget of benefit, it is easy to say that as healthcare goes so goes your budget incorporating the benefit.

How many of you have sat through a long certification course and come back inspired with new ideas and concepts to implement? You really can't accomplish much in such a short amount of time, so no point sitting through basic one hour presentation.

President Obama just finished his first physical while holding office as President and the result has created controversy. The President's LDL Cholesterol is 138 while the national average for LDL Cholesterol is 114.8.

We are very excited to announce that we have released the most updated list for National Corporate Wellness Conference. We have also finalized the agenda and you can find all the related details regarding the conference on the links provided below.

The recession has a serious impact on the US healthcare marketplace and it changed the way employers offer health insurances. Employers are attracted to large budget cuts, large layoffs, and future expansion plans either canceled or slowed down.

The problem for the industry currently is the economic recession which has made many employers cut back expenditure on wellness. Regardless of the economy and how long it takes to recover employers will be thinking about overcharge on wellness.

We just passed the one-year anniversary of the Healthcare Reform Law but where do we stand with healthcare reform. People are still shaking their heads and asking what it means and how parts of it will be interpreted.

As of now, the US government is not interested in promoting corporate wellness among the employees across the nation. Obama administration is having a major focus on health and wellness and they are promoting this program at a lightning speed.

Corporate health and Wellness emerges as the fastest growing industry within the US and it gets fair press and attention. Right from large to small insurance companies in the country implemented some form of wellness programs for employers and dependents.

The corporate wellness industry has witnessed a quiet revolution from eating and walking to all aspects of their lives. It also includes health benefits, financial stabilities and it highlights the industry shifting towards wellness to well-being.

For most people, sleeping on the job is generally frowned on but the evidence is mounting that an afternoon nap is a perfect cure. Companies like Google, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services, Zappos and more are bringing in "nap pods" to the offices.

After the implementation of Obamacare wellness policy, employers are now having a little bit of breathing room of fresh air. The employer mandate section of the law requires an employer to supply health insurance to their employees or face a penalty.

I am very excited at this year's Employer Healthcare Congress in Chicago, we are focused on even more improvements this year. Last year, we became one of the largest employee benefits conferences in the country beating almost all other wellness conferences.

Cancer is an enemy which has affected each one of us, and we all have our own story to share regarding this disease. Researchers are tirelessly working to find a solution to this devil, we at Benefits Live Magazine are doing our part of awareness.

Here is an exclusive interview with Dr. Julia Halberg, Director of Global Health, General Mills by Jonathan Edelheit. At General Mills, wellness is very important and our mission is 'Nourishing Lives' which centers on making lives healthier, easier and richer.

Todd Lombardi told that his job encompasses pay programs for all the 17,000 associates and their health and welfare plans. It is really a whole foundation and baseline of why people would come to an organization because we have the stable foundation.

As wearable fitness trackers gain increasing mainstream popularity, their manufacturers are developing new devices to pull customers. No wonder many companies are uncertain about how to choose a fitness tracker best-suited for their employees.

For the last six years now, Corporate Wellness Magazine has been the signature online publication and reliable resource for news. The concept of adapting health and wellness into the work experience to address significant health problem made a great stride.

The corporate wellness conference was a great opportunity to bring people with a common goal together for provoking dialog. Partnership and alliances were made that will further our mission of wellness for all achieve wellness and healthy life.

We are inviting some well-known figures to attend the CHWA's 4th annual Corporate Wellness Conference, Oct 24-26th. We are excited to confirm Phylis Borzi, Assistant Secretary for Employee benefits for the U.S. Department of Labor.

This year we have worked extremely hard to redesign this year's Corporate Wellness Conference and Employer Healthcare Congress. We stripped everything down to the shell and gave it a complete upgrade from speakers and agends topics.

Earlier, not everyone took Corporate Wellness seriously, but these days it's a way of life and a commitment in the workplace. Many employers and insurance agents felt Corporate Wellness was impossible to measure or impossible to achieve.

Our reders have given insight and ideas on how to improve our magazine and it's contents and we are working towards that. The final outcome for our magazine in 2012 is a publication designed to provide readers with extended contents.

The three business giants including Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway, and JPMorgan Chase announced collaborated healthcare company. It was especially for US-based employees and the markets feared of new venture disrupting the industry by an uncertain future.

The U.S. Department of Labor summarized the goal of the recent initiatives- Implementing and expanding employer programs. Changes to wellness programs proposed rules to encourage designed, consumer-protective wellness programs in group coverage.