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County director urges higher participation in Healthy County employee wellness program
Summary
Waller County staff reported low employee participation in the Healthy County wellness program and described incentives — including Fitbits, PTO and gift cards — intended to reduce insurance-premium pressures and encourage preventive care.
Robert, the county’s director of policy administration, told commissioners the county’s Healthy County wellness initiative currently has only eight or nine active participants out of about 450 employees and urged greater enrollment to help control health-insurance premium increases. He described program incentives including a free Fitbit, PTO awards for meeting wellness metrics, and modest gift-card rewards tied to Blue Cross Blue Shield tracking.
"There is a direct correlation between employees who are taking care of themselves and our health insurance premiums," Robert told the court, adding that improved participation can reduce future premium increases and the need to pass costs to employees. Staff outlined simple actions employees can take — annual physicals, dental cleanings and syncing a wearable to the insurer’s portal — to earn points.
