UnitedHealth Group Inc. (UNH), the largest U.S. health insurer, said it saved $107 million in medical costs over three years by using incentives to persuade its employees to lose weight, make healthier lifestyle choices and get checkups. In the program's first year in 2010, 76 percent of employees reduced their family insurance premiums by meeting certain health goals, according to an article published today in the journal Health Affairs. Twenty-seven percent achieved the highest possible savings, cutting their premiums by $1,200, the company said in the report. The findings show that encouraging employees to become more involved in their health can help reduce medical costs, the UnitedHealth authors said.
