3 things you need to know this week

We scan the news so you don’t have to! Here’s what we think are this week’s three must-reads from the world of benefits:

Final ACA rules on wellness programs are out

The DOL, Treasury and HHS have issued final rules applying to wellness programs under the Affordable Care Act, for plan years beginning on and after January 1, 2014. Although the new rules don’t stray far from proposals issued last November, there is more clarity for employers on exactly what constitutes each type of plan (“participatory” or “health contingent”) and the requirements for each type. Health contingent programs carry the most detailed regulations, requiring employers to meet five standards, including under what circumstances rewards can be offered and alternatives for employees who don’t meet healthy targets. Read the full text of the rules here, and be sure to check out our blog post on what ACA means for how you communicate wellness programs.

Smokers are puffing away valuable productivity

Has it been a while since you promoted your company’s smoking cessation program? New research offers more than 3,000 reasons to remind employees about the importance of being tobacco-free.

Never mind that smoking remains the top cause of preventable death in the U.S. (killing more than 400,000 Americans each year) and costs employers millions each year in health costs. Ohio State University researchers have concluded that smoking costs employers $3,077 per smoker per year in lost productivity from smoke breaks and another $462 a year in sluggish productivity due to withdrawal, which the researchers say kicks in within half an hour of finishing a cigarette.

This week’s hidden gem: DOL, HHS issue detailed case studies on workplace wellness programs

While you might have seen the news about the final wellness rules under ACA, you may have missed a comprehensive—and extremely interesting—report from the Departments of Labor and Health & Human Services that features detailed case studies from four U.S. employers about how they conceived, communicated, implemented and measured their wellness programs.

The four employers, although anonymous, vary in size and scope—a large university, state government agency, service organization and manufacturer. Each offers valuable, actionable lessons on what works in wellness program communication and implementation.

The report even features a discussion guide and focus group scripts that you can easily leverage for your own efforts.

In the interest of full disclosure, we want to tell you that the report is long—as in, 70 pages. However, it’s an easy read (not too technical or jargony) and you can tackle it in small bites, reading one case study at a time. Find some time to read the report; you won’t be sorry you did.