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Corporate wellness programs and incentives can positively influence healthcare outcomes, said Augusta Martin, corporate vice president of MVP Health Care, at a meeting of the New Hampshire Association of Health Underwriters (NHAHU).

Martin discussed workplace wellness, the future of healthcare and MVP Health Care’s efforts to improve healthcare through innovative products that encourage people to adopt and stick to healthy habits.

Martin focused primarily on the root causes driving up the cost of healthcare, including the lack of effective management of chronic diseases. MVP would like to see more focus on improving the health of Americans through preventive care and wellness programs, which can reduce the number of people who develop chronic illnesses.

"Why not spend money on programs that teach people how to improve their overall health so we can delay or eliminate the onset of a chronic illness and reduce healthcare spending at the same time?" she asked.

Martin pointed out that healthcare spending in the United States ranks among the highest in the world, but life expectancies in the United States are among the lowest. "People in many countries with higher life expectancies have more of a culture of wellness," she said. "They are living longer, spending less on healthcare and we need to learn from that."

At MVP Health Care, she said, we’re developing products that help brokers educate employer groups and raise awareness about the important role wellness programs, like those included in the company’s TriVantage EPO plans, can play in promoting healthier employees, increased productivity and reduced healthcare costs.

Address: MVP Health Care, 625 State St., Schenectady, NY 12301; (512) 370-4793, www.mvphealthcare.com.