Reducing Stress Reduced Our Organizations Healthcare Costs

Healthcare costs are on the rise for many companies due to increased employee stress. However, there are companies that are successfully mitigating these costs using HeartMath's health management programs.

In 2006 the Reformed Church in America (RCA) introduced the HeartMath Revitalize You! program to their 2,000-plus active and retired RCA pastors in an effort to improve clergy wellbeing while reducing the higher-than-average healthcare claim costs.

The results showed a considerable positive impact on the organizations bottom line.

RCA participants gained mental clarity, they successfully reduce stress and the negative impact it was having on their health and performance.

The Board of Benefits Services of the RCA commissioned an independent actuarial analysis to assess the value of the HeartMath program.

The analysis provides compelling evidence of the effectiveness of the HeartMath programs in reducing both medical and pharmacy claim costs in comparison to the non-HeartMath participants.

Here are some of the results:

* Medical claim costs for the HeartMath-trained participants declined by 3.8% from 2007 to 2008. Claim costs for non-HeartMath participants increased by 9% in that same period, roughly equivalent to the national trend.

*HeartMath participants had a 22.5% decrease in costs for essential hypertension (high blood pressure) diagnoses, compared to nonparticipants, who had a 46.9% increase in costs for essential hypertension diagnoses.

*Pharmacy cost trends were lower for HeartMath participants (7.9%) than for nonparticipants (13.3%).

*HeartMath training saved the church $585 per participant in its first year.

*The one-year return on investment (ROI) in the HeartMath program was 1.95:1, or $1.95 for every $1 invested in the program. The projected ROI for the second year is 3.90:1, or $3.90 for every $1 invested.

For more information on HeartMath's health management programs, call 800-450-9111 or email HeartMath at info@heartmath.com.

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News & Politics

Tags:

• HeartMath
• emWave
• Reformed Church in America
• Woody Bedell
• employee stress
• healthcare costs
• absenteeism
• return on investment ROI
• recession
• recession stress
• health management
• wellness
• anxiety
• work
• workplace
• business
• corporation