It's been a trend for years — payers offering incentives and discounts to enrollees for health and fitness technology in an effort to improve members' overall health.
Becker's rounded up the deals offered by big payers in 2022:
Members can work toward a free Apple Watch or use their own to earn rewards by exercising. Members can automatically get a free watch, but must complete daily workout goals to avoid a monthly payment on the device. If a member already has a watch, completing workout goals will earn points toward a new watch or gift cards. The payer also offers members discounted gym memberships.
Members of certain BCBS plans can receive discounts through the Blue365 site on dozens of health apparel, technology and workout products. Deals include 20 percent off Fitbit devices, up to $1,000 off Lifespan products and up to 20 percent off gym memberships.
Cigna Healthy Rewards offers members up to 25 percent off several health products and services, including Lasik, hearing exams, acupuncture, chiropractic services, massages and physical therapy. Healthy Rewards also includes discounted memberships for gym network Active and Fit Direct. The payer also offers monetary incentives to members for completing annual health goals.
Members can receive discounts to several health products and services, including up to 30 percent off alternative medicine services. If a workplace is enrolled in Go365, Humana enrollees can add fitness tracking apps to build up points while working out, and then spend those points on gift cards and smartwatches.
The Kaiser ChooseHealthy program offers 20 percent off Fitbit or Garmin trackers, 20 percent off Fitbit Premium, 15 percent off Polar trackers and other discounted watches. Discounts of up to 55 percent are available for workout clothing or exercise equipment. Kaiser also offers discounted gym memberships through Active and Fit.
UnitedHealth's Motion program is similar to Aetna's smartwatch program. It incentivizes completing daily exercise goals by giving members a few dollars per day to pay off their fitness tracker.
United also has their Sweat Equity Program, which reimburses members up to $200 in a six-month period for completing 50 gym workouts.