ACA Wellness Program Final Rules: What You Need to Know

A few weeks ago, the federal government issued new rules that affect wellness program incentives in a big way. They go into effect next January.

To help you make sense of the changes, we've written a brief explanation. You can download it for free. And if you'd like a copy of the official regulations, you can download it here as a PDF.

I'll be blogging about each of the requirements in more detail over the coming weeks. In the meantime, a quick overview:

"Health-contingent" wellness programs, which base rewards or penalties on a health factor or a specific health outcome, must now adhere to five guidelines that address a range of issues:

1. How often participants qualify for the program
2. How large the reward or penalty can be
3. How the wellness program is designed
4. The rights of employees who can't meet standards due to a medical condition
5. Your obligations to notify participants of their rights

We hope you find our synopsis of the regulations helpful. If you have any specific questions, feel free to leave a comment or email us. We'll be happy to help.