NEWS
ACT
APRIL 2014
60
A
t Benovate – aMinneapolis-
basedhealthcaremanagement
company– the tag line on
theirwebsiteprettymuch sums it up:
Creating healthier andmore productive
workplaces.
AssociationBenefit
Resources (ABR), the SC&RABenefit
Programmanager, introducedBenovate
in2012 as theprogrammanager for the
SC&RAHealthBenefit Plan, whichoffers
members ahealthcareprogram that could
savedollars and change lives.
What Benovate andAssociation
Benefit Resources (ABR/Benovate) have
created for SC&RA’smembership is a
unique, partially self-funded insurance
program for employeehealth insurance.
Theprogram incorporates ahealth
management platform thatwill help
SC&RAmembers complywith the
AffordableCareAct (ACA), and alsohelp
driversmaintain compliancewithnew
expectedDOThealth guidelines – all
delivered at aprojected lower cost than
traditional health insurance.
“We create customized, data-specific
plans for each company that arenot
onlydesigned to improvehealth, but
also improve lifestyles anddecrease the
stress levels of employees,” saidBenovate
CEO andFounder,MikeReier, in a
recent SC&RA interview. “What sets us
apart is our non-traditional incentive-
basedmodel that encourages people to
behealthy, but also getmore sleep, be
less stressed, andbemore balanced in
their lives. Employees canparticipate in
apersonalizedhealth andwellness plan
– throughhealth coaching, their own
doctor, desktop software or evenmobile
apps – and that employee cannot only get
healthier, but earnpoints, rewards or a
financial incentive from their employer.”
Ultimately, ABR/Benovateprovides
solutions for employers looking to
empower employees to change their
behavior and lifestyle. “For some
employees, it’s aboutmore than just
workingout and eating right –wehelp
themuncover and address areas of
stress in their lives that areprobably
affecting them in theworkplace and
impacting their sleep,”Reier pointed
out. For SC&RAmembers, this couldbe
an enormous advantage, as government
tightens its griponhealth requirements
in the construction and transport
industry.
DaveWittwer, chairmanof the SC&RA
AlliedCommittee, andmember of the
SC&RA SafetyCommittee, asserted,
“Healthcare for this industry is getting
serious. If certainpieces of legislation
soonpass, we could lose 30 to40percent
of theworkforce. Especially for drivers,
BodyMass Index (BMI) is becoming an
areaof concern. If aworker’sBMI is at
a certain level, theymaynot be allowed
todrive.”The reasons for thiswarning,
Wittwer explained, werepretty simple.
“Most of the issue concerns sleep apnea,
with the thinking that thedriver isn’t
getting the qualityof sleep that he or she
needs during rest hours.”
“There really is no industry thatwould
be as affectedby this lawmore than
transportation,” addedReier. “One aspect
of theproposed legislation is that even
someonehealthynow, whohas been
diagnosedwith sleep apnea in thepast,
mayno longer be eligible to get aCDL.”
The goal ofABR/Benovate is touse their
technology tohelp identify thosedrivers
that couldbediagnosedwith sleep apnea
at their next doctor visit, and to step in
withhealth coaching and an incentive
program, so that employee can get
healthybefore that diagnosis occurs. “We
just have to get aheadof this, andmake
surewedo everythingwe can to ensure
amember’s driver is healthy,maintains
a goodBMI and is not diagnosedwith
sleep apnea,” stressedReier.
Healthy workforce
WhileABR/Benovate serves as the
programmanager for SC&RA and a
handful of other associations, the risk to
themembers of SC&RA couldbemost
significant.While the rigging industry is
considered ahealthier groupofworkers
in this country, the trucking industry is
quite the opposite, rankingnear the top
of the
un
healthiest list. “Truly focusing
and spendingmoneyonprevention
changes the verynature of healthcare in
America. Itwas bold for SC&RA topush
this initiative,”Reier affirmed.
Randy Johnson, President ofABR,
explained, “Theprimarydriver for
companies is cost savings andACA
compliance.With thepenalties associated
For your health
ABR/Benovate
and
SC&RA
work to fight
healthcare costs and
improve lives.
For some employees,
it’s about more than just
working out and eating
right – we help them
uncover and address
areas of stress in their
lives that are probably
affecting them in the
workplace and impacting
their sleep.
MIKE REIER, Benovate CEO/Founder
”
‘‘
