The base Blue Cross Well-Being program comes with the medical plan, so the question is whether employees will use it.
Blue Cross says its Well-Being Base program is built into every BCBSM and Blue Care Network medical plan, fully insured and self-funded alike. It is a platform of tools, not a reward program.
What the program is and what members do.
A personalized platform behind a member login
Blue Cross describes Well-Being as one place for personalized health resources. Members log in through their bcbsm.com account or a mobile app and get daily tip cards based on interests, health risks and demographics. Blue Cross says it works with Personify Health, an independent company, to deliver the activity tracking and recommendations.
A health assessment and a preventive checklist
Members can take a detailed health assessment that gives guidance on modifiable health risks. Blue Cross also lists a checklist that shows recommended preventive care based on each person’s specific needs. Blue Cross describes the assessment as a confidential short survey that returns a personalized report and recommended actions.
Courses, trackers, devices and tobacco coaching
Self-guided courses called Journeys help members build habits such as managing stress, sleeping better or eating well. Healthy habit trackers, sleep and nutrition guides and integration with more than 100 tracking devices and apps are listed. Blue Cross also lists a tobacco coaching program for smoking, vaping and nicotine, with a coach reachable by phone or message.
Eligibility, funding and plan design.
Who can use it
Blue Cross states the Well-Being Base program is built in for all BCBSM and Blue Care Network customers, fully insured and self-funded. The member page says support comes with most Blue Cross and Blue Care Network health plans at no added cost and is available to eligible family members. The word most on the member page is a reason to confirm your specific plan.
How it is funded
Blue Cross presents the base program as part of every medical plan, so it is not a separate line item the employer buys. Rewards that pay members for activity are a different product: Blue Cross says self-funded customers can add Well-Being Plus or Custom Well-Being. Treat the base program as a platform and the reward layer as an add-on.
Where it fits in a plan design
Because the base program carries no added cost, it works as the floor of a wellness strategy: a place to send employees who want tools, plus a source of health assessment data for the member. It does not by itself change cost sharing, premiums or plan benefits. Employers who want behavior change tied to money need to design that separately.
What to settle before relying on it.
What does the group see back, and how often?
Ask Blue Cross what reporting the employer receives on Well-Being participation and in what form. Carriers generally describe group-level engagement data, and individual health information is protected. We would get the reporting format in writing before building a communication plan around it.
Which login do employees actually use?
Blue Cross points members to the bcbsm.com member account and to the Personify Health app. Two entry points can confuse employees at open enrollment. We would ask which one Blue Cross recommends for your group and have the account manager give the steps in a one-page guide.
Is a reward layered on top, and who pays?
The base program is free of added charge, but a points or reward program is not part of it. If leadership expects employees to earn money or lower cost sharing, we would confirm whether that needs Well-Being Plus, Custom Well-Being or another design, and whether the funding type allows it. Any reward tied to health outcomes needs compliance review.
Common questions about this program.
Does the employer pay extra for Blue Cross Well-Being?
Blue Cross says the Well-Being Base program is built into all of its medical plans, and its member page says support comes at no added cost with most plans. Confirm the wording against your contract and any plan that is the exception.
Does Blue Cross Well-Being lower our premium?
Nothing Blue Cross publishes about the base program says it changes premium. It is a set of tools for members. Michigan law separately allows insurers to offer rebates for employer wellness programs that show results, which is a different mechanism that must be arranged and measured.
Can employees see their results, and can we?
Members see their own assessment results and recommendations in the platform. Blue Cross describes the assessment as confidential. Ask the carrier what is reported to the employer, and expect group-level information rather than individual data.
Programs and vendors named on this page
Official pages for the services mentioned above. Availability, cost and eligibility vary by plan and employer group, so confirm what applies to your group with the carrier.
Where these details come from.
This page summarizes what Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan publishes. Programs change, so confirm current details with the carrier before relying on them.
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