Employee Health and Reducing Health Care Costs Focus of Working Wellness Ex...( Independence Blue Cross and Philadelp...),Health

Independence Blue Cross and Philadelphia Business Journal to sponsor and present health expo

PHILADELPHIA, June 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Americans spend more than half of their waking hours at work. With health care costs continuing to climb, many employers are looking for ways to help stem the increases while improving the health of their employees. In conjunction with Philadelphia Business Journal, Independence Blue Cross (IBC) is urging area business leaders who want to lower medical costs and build employees' health, and anyone interested in health and fitness, to attend the Working Wellness Expo tomorrow.

The Wellness Expo will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., in Room 108 of the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Registration can be completed at events.bizjournals.com/6150 and walk-ins will be accepted if space permits.

"According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, at least 50 percent of an organization's health care costs are linked to employees' smoking, poor diet, and lack of exercise," said Dr. Richard Snyder, senior medical director at IBC. "Since we all spend a significant amount of our lives at work, employees should feel valued and know that their health is considered a priority on the job. Not only will healthier behaviors lead to lower costs, but a health improvement program can also positively affect productivity and morale." Dr. Snyder will deliver opening remarks at the expo.

To help employers drive down the cost of health care, IBC continues to offer customers its Wellness Partners(R) program - a worksite-based, targeted outreach program that helps employers to encourage healthier behaviors in the workplace, and integrate individualized support and site-specific tools and programs for improving health.

To help the community, IBC, the presenting sponsor of the June 17 expo, will offer free health screenings throughout the day, a
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