Hidden Wellness Risks: What You Need to Know Before Gathering Employee Information

That seemingly innocent Health Risk Assessment that you want new hires to fill out as part of a disease management program may put you at risk! That’s because the new Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) makes it illegal to gather genetic information about employees for insurance underwriting purposes. This can include something as simple as asking about the health of your employees’ relatives.

You don’t have to leave yourself open to federal fines and lawsuits. You can still offer health-improving wellness programs to your employees—you just have to know the right way to go about it.

Get answers from some of the industry’s most knowledgeable and experienced employee benefits experts! Learn how to offer top-notch health benefits to your workers while remaining compliant with federal regulations and with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Get a thorough overview of GINA, how it impacts you and your benefit plans specifically, and the best ways to make the regulations work for you.

These regulations are now in effect for the January 1, 2010, calendar year. Don’t wait any longer and leave yourself and your company at risk. Join us for an information-packed seminar on current health regulations, as well as a discussion about the next generation of health and wellness. A small investment of your time will leave you prepared and protected with knowledge. You’ll earn continuing education credits, and you’ll save your company time and money by being up-to-date on this latest federal regulation.

Learning Objectives:

• What are the new GINA regulations, and what areas do they cover?
• How will the GINA regulations affect wellness programs? How can you still implement them effectively?
• What every employer should do to comply with the new rules while maintaining evidence-based wellness programs
• What is the connection between health care reform and wellness programs?
• What is coming in the future for work-site wellness programs?

Presented by:

Karen R. McLeese, J.D.
Vice President of Employee Benefit Regulatory Affairs
CBIZ Benefits & Insurance Services, Inc.

Karen McLeese serves as in-house counsel with an emphasis on monitoring and interpreting state and federal employee benefits law. She follows and analyzes trends and provides information and technical support in response to technical questions regarding employee benefits.

Ms. McLeese is a member of the Employee Benefits Committee for both the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association and the Missouri Bar Association. She is also a member of the Health Law Forum and the Labor and Employment Law Section of the American Bar Association. Ms. McLeese is a graduate of Notre Dame and Duke Universities.

Jack Bastable
National Practice Leader Health & Productivity Management
CBIZ Benefits & Insurance Services, Inc.

Jack Bastable has 30 years of experience staging successful workplace initiatives that increase the value of human capital for large and small companies and organizations. He has worked across industries, including manufacturing, technologies, health care, education, municipalities and professional services.

For the past 17 years, as an employee benefits consultant with CBIZ, a national business services firm, Jack has developed several comprehensive award-winning Health and Productivity Management (HPM) strategies for employers. These strategies integrate employee health benefits plans and organizational development, resulting in highly engaged workforces and workplace cultures of health.

Jack’s consulting practice includes collaborating with insurance companies, plan administrators and health care providers to increase the value of the health management services they provide. In 1998, Jack led the establishment of the first Regional Alliance for the Institute for Health and Productivity Management in Kansas City, Missouri, with the other founding members American Century Investments, Hallmark Cards, Sprint, Saint Luke’s Health System, Butler Manufacturing Company and CBIZ.

Jack serves as the Director of Education for Value Based Health with the Institute for Health and Productivity Management (IHPM). The goal is to advance IHPM’s global mission of demonstrating the relationship between employee health and organizational performance. One of Jack’s duties is to share and document best practices of IHPM employer members who share a common commitment to a value-based approach to health benefits.

Jack is a frequent speaker at national and regional employee benefits and human resources conferences. He has authored several articles on wellness, health and productivity management and is frequently quoted as a subject matter expert for various publications.

Christopher R. Ward
Senior Benefits Consultant
CBIZ Benefits & Insurance Services, Inc.

Chris is a Senior Benefits Consultant for CBIZ Benefits Insurance Services based in Columbus, OH. He has more than 13 years of benefits risk management, brokerage, life insurance and sales management experience. He has leveraged his experience to create solutions for public and private U.S. employers with particular emphasis in manufacturing, gaming and hospitality, media, high-tech, defense contracting, medical, legal, financial services and wholesale/retail service industries.

Prior to joining CBIZ, Chris served as Principal and Market Sales Leader for the Great Lakes offices of Mercer in their health and benefits division. He was responsible for the overall growth of the division and had oversight of the development and execution of the annual sales and marketing plan throughout the Great Lakes market.

Chris also served as Business Development Officer for Wells Fargo Insurance Services, focusing on the expansion of sales and marketing efforts for Wells Fargo Third Party Administrators in the West and Central Regions of Wells Fargo Insurance Services.

Chris received a bachelor’s degree in Commerce and Business Administration with a major in Healthcare Management from the University of Alabama. He is a member of the National Association of Health Underwriters, the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, the Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers and the Association for Corporate Growth.

Who would benefit from this program:

• HR Managers
• HR Directors
• HR Professionals

Continuing Education:

• This program has been approved for 1.5 recertification credit hours toward PHR and SPHR recertification through the Human Resource Recertification Institute (HRCI). For more information about certification or recertification, please visit the HRCI homepage.

Product Options:

• Audio Conference CD Only: $229.00 (includes S&H)

Length: 1 hour 30 minutes