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F&M employees are getting healthier. Gasbarro said workers have gotten control over blood sugar, or lost weight. Vanessa Costa principal of Advantage Benefits Group Inc. in Worcester, referred Gasbarro, her client, to the Healthy Actions program. She said she's seen a culture change at the company and others that have signed on. "The wellness aspect has changed things, I think, for a lot of these small businesses," Costa said, noting that small companies never get good news when plan renewal season arrives. While larger organizations have ability to negotiate with insurers, the rates are inflexible for small busi- nesses. Offering wellness incentives like those offered by Healthy Actions is one way for small companies to gain some control, but programs are limited. In fact, Healthy Actions is the only one Costa has come across offering Massachusetts employers incentives. Other insurers offer modest wellness incentives, she said, but only to employees. Embracing wellness Whether an emphasis on workplace wellness will lead more health insurers to design wellness programs that reward employers remains to be seen. But Karen Mastrianni, senior director of product development and man- agement at Blue Cross – the state's largest insurer – said the program is quickly gaining trac- tion. Enrollment is increasing by about 20 percent annually. Healthy Actions launched in 2012, and with healthcare reform coming to a head and impacting rates, the environment was ripe for it, Mastrianni said. With just under 2,000 companies enrolled statewide, Mastrianni said there's a lot of room to grow. With about 18,000 companies eligible, the sweet spot, she said, are com- panies with between 10 and 99 employees. "It may not, at first blush, look like great participa- tion, but it actually is," Mastrianni said. "It takes time to build that understanding ... to drive adoption and engagement in this program." wbjournal.com | October 16, 2017 | Worcester Business Journal 11 Create incentives to maintain healthy lifestyles such as quitting smoking. 19% Stock healthy snacks in the break room and vending machines. 16% Make standing desks available. 16% Create onsite fitness options and allow employees time to exercise. 16% It's not the employer's responsibility to ensure employees are living a healthy lifestyle. 33% "We only hire people who are smart enough to take care of themselves." Karen Mastrianni, senior director, Blue Cross Blue Shield W At ROCG – a nationally recognized leader in the business exit/transition field – we have the answers. Our hands-on, best practices approach, ensures our clients implement successful plans to meet their personal lifestyle and legacy objectives, whether it be an outside third-party sale, management buy-out or a next genera- tion family transfer. For more information, our White Paper on Business Transition, recent business exit and value growth articles and upcoming speaking engagements visit http://americas.rocg.com or contact Terry Shepherd at 617-412-4640. We work with business owners to: • re-energize their business model • help them discover what they need to support their long-term goals and financial lifestyle needs • develop a strategic plan to meet their goals • help set milestones to ensure everyone works with the end goal in mind • execute their strategic plan successfully 617-412-4640 • http://americas.rocg.com Where You Finish The Race Depends On Who You Bet On To Start. Rely on ROCG to Help You Maximize Your Business Value.