Medical cost analysis of a school district worksite wellness program

• Participation in the worksite wellness program increased with academic year.
• Wellness program participants filed a higher number of claims.
• Average medical claims payments were lower for those in the wellness program.

Objective: To evaluate whether participation in a worksite wellness program differs by age and sex and is associated with frequency and average cost of medical claims. Methods: Healthcare cost data were available for school district employees during the academic years ending in 2009 through 2014. The wellness program was available in the later 3 years. The frequency and the average cost of medical claims were compared between the 3 years prior to and the 3 years during the wellness program. Results: Wellness program participation increased from 65.6% 2011–2012 to 79.7% 2012–2013. The increase occurred within age-groups and for males and females. The average age of program participants was significantly lower in 2011–2012 (48.2 vs. 49.4, p = 0.0099), but similar in the next 2 academic years. Participation in at least one behavior change campaign in each year was 52.1%, 53.7%, and 73.7% of all wellness program participants, respectively. Female employees were significantly more likely to complete one or more behavior change campaigns in each year of the wellness program (p < 0.0001). The percentage of employees filing at least one claim per time period was higher for those in the wellness program (p < 0.0001), but average medical claims payments were lower for those in the wellness program. After subtracting program costs, the cost savings from the wellness program was $3,612,402. The benefit-to-cost ratio was 3.6. Conclusion: Participation in the wellness program resulted in lower average medical claim costs than non-participation but number of claims were higher in program participants.