Permitted Usages

The Fund wellness reimbursements must be identifiable expenses that the member may incur towards wellness programs, activities and/ or incentives provided as part of the overall wellness and initiatives, which are designed to promote the health and wellbeing of participants and/ or educate participants about healthy lifestyles and choices. The wellness program, activity, and/ or incentive must occur and the expense must be incurred during the policy period in which the allowance was offered (“use it or lose it”). Compliance with all laws is required.

Permitted Wellness Allowance Expense Examples, including, but not limited to the following:

  • On-site wellness coordinator offered by a third-party vendor.
  • Wellness fairs where a contracted third-party vendor measures things like blood lipids, blood glucose, blood pressure and pulse rates, bone density, skin condition, BMI, weight and height.
  • Incentives related to the completion of health risk assessments.
  • Wellness related giveaways at fairs for attendance, i.e. pedometers.
  • Wellness related prizes at fairs for a drawing, i.e. bikes, Wii Fit systems, fitness equipment, pedometers.
  • Gift cards for incentives or health fair prizes (including VISA, AMEX or health/wellness related vendors, i.e. Academy Sports) not to exceed $750 per gift card, except as otherwise set forth below.
  • Weight Watchers’ seminar instructors.
  • Onsite yoga and other low intensity exercise instructors.
  • Wellness magazine subscriptions for the local entity.
  • Health educational workshops, including the cost of a healthy lunch.
  • Setup and staging for health fairs, i.e. rental of tables, chairs, etc.
  • Third party vendors/speakers at health fairs
  • Flu shots, if not covered in the medical benefit plan and covered under the plan sponsor agreement.
  • Aetna and Amerihealth wellness programs.
  • Special reports sent to third party vendor disease management companies.
  • Printing and postage for wellness related communication materials, i.e. wellness calendars and brochures.
  • Rental expense for set up and staging of wellness fairs (including tents, chairs, etc.
  • Registration fees for walkathons, 5k etc.
  • Biggest loser contest or like contests where incentives are open to all employees.
  • Self defense classes.

(All of the above must be reasonable in amount)

Impermissible Wellness Allowance Expense Examples

  • Gym Equipment
  • Stand up/treadmill workstations that are not made available to all employees
  • Standing Desks