Employees of Starke County government may see some incentives if they respond positively to a wellbeing program.
Auditor Rachel Oesterreich told the county commissioners this week that Cigna gave the county $10,000 for incentives in order to help employees to live a healthier lifestyle. She proposed participating with CHC Wellbeing to help to accomplish that.
She said the program would be free to employees who partake in the county health insurance and a $95 cost to those who do not have the county’s insurance. However, the county would pay for those sign-up costs for those interested 15 employees who don’t have the county’s insurance out of the insurance line item in the budget.
She said about 50 employees are interested in a walking platform within the program where walking challenges could spur in different departments. The county could spend the $10,000 from Cigna to buy prizes that include Fitbits, gift cards, TVs, or other items. The cost would be $15.40 per employee which would be paid for by the commissioners.
The commissioners agreed that the program would be beneficial and approved a motion to participate with CHC with the walking platform as an additional program. The total payment would be about $2,200 out of the insurance line item in the budget.
