Honeywell 
Life $avers Incentive Program

Program Description

Honeywell's Life $avers Health Incentive Program focuses on risk reduction of health conditions which generate the company's greatest healthcare costs. The program is designed to recognize and reward employees who practice healthy behaviors or make changes to improve health. Employees who successfully complete the four-part program receive a $200 cash award at the end of the year.

Life $avers was piloted in 1991 to 1300 full-time and part-time professional, office and technical employees at three Minneapolis locations. In 1992 the program expanded to 8250 employees at seven locations in Minneapolis and Florida, with a 350 employee site in Connecticut joining in 1994. Most of these locations are production sites for assembly of electronic controls.

After analyzing Honeywell's health care utilization data, previous health risk assessment data, and national statistics, the Life $avers program was designed to target diseases and practices that are, in part, responsible for today's high cost of health care--cardiovascular disease, cancers, and unnecessary utilization of health care. These areas frequently involve health situations that individuals can control through changes in lifestyle, risk factor reduction, and acquiring skills to become effective health care consumers. A significant opportunity exists to impact health and health care costs through education, prevention, early detection, and necessary and appropriate care.

A recent claims analysis showed that preventable illnesses and lack of self-care comprised 43% of Honeywell's total covered group medical expenses in Minneapolis. Life $avers targets these specific areas for consumer health education. For example, all participants are required to attend Take Care of Yourself, a program stressing appropriate preventive screenings and self-care for minor illnesses/injuries, and Health Care Consumerism, which teaches partnering with physicians and how to interact with the health care system.

The goals of the Life $avers program are to: 

• Improve health and reduce risk factors 
• Modify expectations and behaviors concerning health care utilization 
• Advance self-care and consumer skills 
• Increase medical case management opportunities 
• Reduce health care costs 
• Create goodwill and improve employee morale

Part I . Cardiovascular Risk Factor Screening - onsite cholesterol, glucose, height/weight for bodymass index (BMI), blood pressure, and carbon monoxide testing for smoking.