Final rules related to employment-based wellness programs have been published, representing the last step in implementing the Affordable Care Act. Assistant Secretary of Labor Phyllis C. Borzi answered three frequently-asked questions about the rules:

The final rules promote health and provide a way for employers to reward behaviors that could improve health and ultimately limit the growth of health-care costs. Employees will have greater access to programs that promote healthy lifestyles, as well as incentives for complying with the requirements of a wellness program. Those incentives might include reimbursement for fitness center membership fees; a reward for attending monthly, no-cost health education seminar programs; programs that provide a reward to those who do not use (or decrease use of) tobacco; and programs that reward those who achieve a health outcome such as cholesterol level or weight goal, as well as to those who fail to meet targets but take certain additional healthy actions.