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While the focus of the Business Health Care Group is on reducing health care costs by increasing competition, there's no question that wellness programs are a critical component in the mix.

The BHCG recognizes that the Wellness Councils of America (WELCOA) is well positioned to help lower costs by decreasing demand for health care services. That's why the BHCG endorses WELCOA's Well City USA initiative. North America's premier resource for worksite wellness has created Well City USA to help build healthy communities by engaging entire business communities in improving the health and wellbeing of their workforces.

By advocating for the initiative, and especially a local push to get our area classified as a Well City USA, we can accelerate implementation of area-wide wellness programs without reallocating valuable, finite resources from our own programs. Other prominent organizations, including the Greater Milwaukee Committee and the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, have also endorsed Well City.

Supporting Efforts to Get Well Soon
Efforts are in full swing in Milwaukee to join the nine cities nationwide that have received the Well City designation and the six cities with projects under way. Well City designations can be earned over a three-year period based on the participating percentage of the area workforce. To win recognition, at least 20 companies must meet WELCOA’s Well Workplace certification criteria.

Becoming a Well Workplace involves programs tailored to meet the needs of both larger corporations and smaller businesses. Through training, checklists, performance standards, measurements mentors and more, participating businesses can accelerate their ROI in wellness. Program benefits range from lowered health care costs to healthier, more productive workforces and workplace environments.

Our endorsement of Well City USA leverages the power of our membership to quickly build momentum for the initiative. It would also help demonstrate our ongoing commitment to fostering business partnerships that move the market. Involvement could be as simple as promoting the initiative, posting information on our website, speaking about the program’s attributes in the community and lending the Business Health Care Group name to the list of supporters.

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