Researchers at Medica Insurance Company, Minnetonka, Minn., and Life Time Fitness Inc., Eden Prairie, Minn. reported findings from a study that compared health plan participants to a control group of 3,249 participants whose demographic, health status and health care habits were comparable. The study proved that those individuals who participated in a plan incentive to be used toward a fitness center membership, requiring exercise of at leaast two days a week, had significantly lower healthcare costs than the other members of the control group.
After two years, the average claim cost for the participants taking advantage of the exercise incentive plan was about 34 percent lower than the average for members for the control group, the researchers report.
Prescription drug claims for the recipients of the exercise incentives were 9.2 percent lower, physician claims were 13 percent lower, and facility claims were 64 percent lower, the researchers report.