Congress considers corporate wellness

In today’s New York Times, an article in health describes how Congress is considering incentive programs to encourage healthy habits in the workplace as part of the government’s effort to overhaul healthcare. Writes author Robert Pear, “In its effort to overhaul health care, Congress is planning to give employers sweeping new authority to reward employees for healthy behavior, including better diet, more exercise, weight loss and smoking cessation.”

“Congress is seriously considering proposals to provide tax credits or other subsidies to employers who offer wellness programs that meet federal criteria. In addition, lawmakers said they would make it easier for employers to use financial rewards or penalties to promote healthy behavior among employees.”

Promoting healthy behavior has been a part of the TrainingPeaks philosophy for almost a decade. The planning, tracking and analysis functionality for both training and nutrition offered by TrainingPeaks online software could become an important part of such federal wellness programs. Read more in the full article at the New York Times.