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Employee and Retiree Service Center → Employees → Benefits → Wellness Initiatives

Wellness Initiatives for Employees*

The information below pertains to the 2024 benefit year. The deadline for the 2023 benefit year has passed. We are currently earning the credit for the 2024 benefit year.

If you are covered by an MCPS-provided medical insurance plan through Cigna (starting 1/1/2023) or Kaiser Permanente, you can learn more about your health and reduce your contributions to your health insurance with the Wellness Initiatives program. To take full advantage of these rate reductions, complete a biometric health screening and a health risk assessment yearly.

See below for detailed information about the Wellness Initiatives program. To learn more, be sure to read Wellness Initiatives Frequently Asked Questions.

Already completed your screening and/or assessment? Find out if you have received credit for your Wellness Initiatives participation.

Biometric Health Screenings

Complete a biometric health screening of your blood pressure, blood sugar, body mass index, and cholesterol between October 10, 2022, and October 6, 2023—and again each year by the announced deadline. If you do, MCPS will pay 1 percent more of the total cost of your health insurance (medical, prescription, dental, and vision) in 2024—reducing your contribution by 1 percent.* You do not need to meet any medical standards to earn the incentive. Enrolled in a two-party or family medical plan? Only you—the medical-plan subscriber—need to complete a screening to earn the incentive. Maintain the rate reduction by completing a biometric health screening each year within the announced time frame.

Here's how:

  • Sign up for a Well Aware biometric health screening that is associated with your medical insurance plan. You must have a confirmed appointment to participate in this non-fasting screening.
    OR
  • Visit your primary care physician for your annual physical.
    • Cigna plan members—If you completed a physical with your primary care physician with Carefirst between 10/10/22 and 12/31/22, email your Explanation of Benefits for the visit to wellness@mcpsmd.org for the 2024 benefit year. 
    • Cigna plan members --Complete a physical with your primary care physician by October 6, 2023. The visit must be billed as an annual physical (zero copay). Cigna will report this to MCPS, and you will receive credit for completing your biometric health screening for the 2024 benefit year. 
    • Cigna plan members can also complete their biometric health screening at a Quest Diagnostics Patient Service Center. To schedule a screening: 
    • Kaiser Permanente plan members—You MUST log in to the Kaiser Permanente incentive web page  (www.kp.org/engage) to confirm your participation in the Wellness Initiatives program and determine if you must meet any additional requirements. Read Kaiser Permanente's instructions on completing a biometric health screening. Click here for a flyer with quick instructions. 

Health Risk Assessments

In addition to a biometric health screening, you can save another 1 percent of the total cost of your health insurance by completing your medical insurance plan's online health risk assessment between October 10, 2022, and October 6, 2023—and again each year by the announced deadline.* For two-party and family plans, only the MCPS subscriber needs to complete an assessment to earn the incentive.

Here's how:

  • Visit your medical insurance plan’s web page (Cigna or Kaiser Permanente).
  • Log in to your password-protected account. (You may need to create an account first.)
  • Follow the on-screen instructions.
    • You will be asked for your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. You may wish to complete your biometric health screening prior to the health risk assessment so you will have those numbers. Although entering your biometric health screening information is not mandatory to receive the incentive, entering this information will give you a better picture of your current health status.
    • Cigna Members—Access your health risk assessment from the www.mycigna.com website. Click here for the steps to complete your Cigna HRA.
    • Kaiser Permanente members—You MUST log in to the Kaiser Permanente incentive web page (www.kp.org/engage) to confirm your participation in the Wellness Initiatives program and determine if you must meet any additional requirements. Read Kaiser Permanente instructions on completing an online health risk assessment (Total Health Assessment). Click here for a flyer with quick instructions. 
  • Maintain the rate reduction by completing the health risk assessment in its entirety each year within the announced time frame.

*If you are covered by a prescription, dental, and/or vision plan, but do not carry medical insurance through MCPS, you may complete a biometric health screening, but will NOT be eligible for the 1 percent reduction. You will NOT be able to complete a health risk assessment, however, since they are offered only through the medical plans.