AMHERST, N.Y. – Meritain Health has created a program designed to control health care costs by providing tools and resources to assist employers and employees in preventing illness.

Called Healthy Merits, Meritain Health described the program as a trio of complementary services that provide wellness management, disease management, and comprehensive educational tools and resources to members. As part of the program, Meritain Health said that its wellness consultants work with employers to build a customized wellness program specific to the needs of employees. The wellness consultant reviews the employers demographics, makes program design recommendations, and develops and facilitates training programs and seminars, according to Meritain Health.

As part of the member wellness aspect of the program, Meritain Health highlighted the following:

Managed Metrics, which, according to the company, involves onsite member health screenings that include a health risk assessment, blood pressure screening, and a blood chemistry profile that includes over 35 tests to detect conditions such as diabetes, and heart, kidney, and liver disease. Based on their screening results, members are then encouraged to join the health coaching program;

Health Aware, which rewards members who complete an online health risk assessment and receive comprehensive annual preventive care exams;

Physically Fit, which encourages members to stay in shape by providing reimbursements and rewards for members who take part in a managed weight-loss program or attend fitness centers regularly;

Nicotine Free, which helps members stop smoking or chewing tobacco practices.

Meritain Health said that the disease management aspect of Meritain Healths program screens a members health claims and prescription data, enters the information into modeling software, and then coordinates with the participants health care providers to offer continuous intervention against pre-existing or potential illnesses.

The program also provides educational tools and resources, including a 24/7 telephone nurse line that offers answers to participants health questions, and a website that provides online health coaching, healthy menu planning, and an encyclopedia of health information, according to Meritain Health.

For more information, visit http://www.meritain.com.