RELEASE
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Adds ‘First-Of-Its-Kind’ Virtual Well-Being Benefit for Employers, Members
Brianna Neace
| 3 min read
DETROIT, Sept. 24, 2018 – Starting January 1, 2019, employers and members will have access to live, weekly well-being webinars and downloadable health resources, courtesy of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan’s new Virtual Well-Being program. The first health insurer in the state to offer this kind of innovative well-being solution, the program provides members with a convenient way to improve their overall health and helps employers maintain a more physically and emotionally healthy workforce. “The health of our members is a top priority at Blue Cross, so we’re excited about offering this innovative program that will focus on how they can improve their overall well-being,” said Cindy Bjorkquist, well-being programs director at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. “Not only is the Virtual Well-Being program easily accessible for members looking to enhance their mental and physical health, but it’s also a convenient solution for employers to learn best practices for building, complementing or enhancing their onsite well-being program.” Virtual Well-Being supports the health of employees, their spouses and dependents with live, 10- to 15-minute, weekly webinars hosted by a virtual well-being coordinator who will explain and post downloadable content on topics such as financial well-being, emotional health, exercise, nutrition and meditation, among others. Through the program, employers are also provided with strategic direction, tips, exercises and easily executed tactics to improve employee performance, engagement and morale, as well as attract and retain talent. Workplace well-being programs have been shown to positively affect productivity, absenteeism, morale and overall health care costs, benefitting both employers and employees. In fact, a survey of 1,300 businesses and 10,000 employees found 70 percent of employees felt wellness programs had a positive influence on work culture. “Being mindful and practicing a greater state of well-being will help our members face day-to-day challenges both at home and at work. But many people aren’t sure how to start down a path of improving their well-being,” said Bjorkquist. “That’s where Blue Cross’ Virtual Well-Being benefit comes in. The virtual coordinator will guide members through engaging topics on how to improve their well-being, which will include mindfulness training and changing their brain’s default setting to increase happiness, gratitude and creativity, as well as other positive benefits.” Members can participate in the weekly webinars live or access the downloadable content from the Virtual Well-Being landing page. Each high-energy and engaging session provides inspiration and motivation to improve individual health, self-efficacy and happiness through a variety of topics. From enhancing overall well-being in just 15 minutes to positively impacting mindfulness, gratitude and resiliency, Blue Cross’ Virtual Well-Being benefit helps support each member’s journey to a healthy, happy, more productive lifestyle. In addition to Virtual Well-Being, members can find more helpful tools and information on the Blue Cross Health & Wellness website, powered by WebMD®, including an interactive health assessment, digital health assistant programs and fitness trackers. For more information, visit bcbsm.com or www.mibluesperspectives.com. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, a nonprofit mutual insurance company, is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. BCBSM provides and administers health benefits to more than 4.6 million members residing in Michigan in addition to employees of Michigan-headquartered companies who reside outside the state. In 2018, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan received the J.D. Power Award for “Highest Member Satisfaction Among Commercial Health Plans in Michigan.” For more company information, visit bcbsm.com and MiBluesPerspectives.com.
