Heidi Alexander: “I ask unanimous consent that a copy of my remarks at the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing…”

“I ask unanimous consent that a copy of my remarks at the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing yesterday be printed in the Record. There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows: Employer Wellness Programs: Better Health Outcomes and Lower Costs This morning we are holding a hearing entitled ``Employer Wellness Programs: Better Health Outcomes and Lower Costs.'' Ranking Member Murray and I will each have an opening statement, then we will introduce our panel of witnesses. I ask that each of our witnesses limits their testimony to no more than five minutes. We will conclude the hearing at noon. About half of Americans, or 149 million, have health insurance through an employer. One thing we agree upon is that it's a good thing for employers to encourage employees to be healthier. There are a few ways that employers can do this. Offering employees free gym memberships, access to weight loss coaches, and on-site nurses, to name a few. Today, we're going to hear from employers who offer lower cost insurance if their employees lead a healthy lifestyle. Obamacare was not a bipartisan law, but it did include a bipartisan provision to strengthen workplace wellness programs. Former Senator Harkin and I worked together on this during the HELP Committee markup of Obamacare. Before Obamacare, employers relied upon a 2006 regulation which empowered them to discount employee premiums up to 20 percent.…”