With health insurance premiums rising fast, businesses are looking to keep expenses down by encouraging employees to improve their health, thus cutting down on the cost of care they’ll use. More companies are offering on-site gym access and check-ups, discounts on healthy cafeteria food and incentives to get workers to quit smoking.

According to USA Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is also getting into the act, launching a project meant to encourage companies to focus on preventive care and personalized healthcare plans for employees.

The article points to Michelin as an example of a company taking strides to encourage employee health, offering on-site primary care clinics. The company, which three years ago started offering preventative care for employees, including treatment for chronic conditions, says its efforts have cut costs for both the company and workers.

To cut insurance costs, companies help workers get healthy [USA Today]

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