HVAC Company AJ Danboise Reverses the Flow of Health Costs by 34%

Online, June 25, 2010 (Newswire.com) - (Farmington Hills, MI) Ordinarily, companies can expect 2010 medical costs to increase by 7 percent, according to a recent report by Health Affairs.

Not so at AJ Danboise - a Farmington Hills plumbing, heating, cooling and electrical company that reduced overall medical costs by 34% over 3-years.

Like many companies, AJ Danboise increased employee health co-pays and tightened the belt on prescription medications. However, AJ Danboise has been a family owned business since being established in 1925 and also keeps a feeling of family along with a commitment to the health and well being among employees. The company has an onsite fitness room, bikes to take home, health competitions and healthy takeout dinners prepared by committee members.

"Providing the right wellness program is critical towards helping employees and employers take charge of health expenses, especially when benefits or cost-sharing changes," said David Boduch, Director of Internal Operation for AJ Danboise.

At first, they ran into the common wellness struggles to achieve increased participation, getting people involved on a regular basis, and health cost containment.

Then, they partnered with Wellco Corp., a corporate wellness company, to bring a stronger onsite wellness program to AJ Danboise employees.

Wellco provided HealthHammer testing, which identifies avoidable health costs through health assessment. HealthHammer quantified $248,033 in annual avoidable costs and began systematically tracking and improving the health of a workforce where 94% of employees had at least 1 avoidable health concern.

"We worked with many wellness providers before Wellco and were previously challenged with engaging our workforce and getting the measurable results needed to combat rising health care costs and direct our resources," said Carol Gatewood, President of AJ Danboise. "We began a push for actionable wellness. As a result, we have achieved an unheard of 100 percent program participation with HealthHammer and have decreased our medical costs. We receive a 4:1 return on investment from our wellness program and could not have done it without Wellco and the measurable results they provide."

"Companies commonly invest in wellness in good faith and then struggle because they don't get the results or engagement they hope for," said Scott Foster, President of Wellco. "AJ Danboise is small but their health and wellness program rivals that of any Fortune 500 company by integrating their corporate vision and culture with strong expertise and partnerships. AJ Danboise is a rock-solid role model for businesses of any size looking for a more effective employee health model."

AJ Danboise plumbing, heating, cooling and electrical company provides quality service and repair to Wayne, Oakland and Livingston County, MI. For more information, please visit http://www.ajdanboise.com.

Wellco works with organizations to measurably improve health costs and conditions. Wellco specializes in health ROI systems, health risk appraisals, corporate wellness programs, speaking, and consulting. Wellco is the developer of the award-winning HealthHammer (TM), the first and only Zero Trend Appraisal (R) system. For more information, please visit www.wellcocorp.com.

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