Maximize Your Health: How to Use Wellness Credits in Your Plan

See How to Optimize Your Healthcare Access with Financial Incentives

Health plans in America have evolved beyond traditional medicine, with employers and insurers increasingly including wellness credits as a way to encourage healthier habits.

These credits are financial resources, points, or reimbursements offered to cover the cost of activities, products, or services that promote physical and mental health.

In this article, we’ll explain what these credits are, how they work in practice, what types of expenses are typically eligible, and how you can use them strategically to improve your overall health.

What Are Wellness Credits?

Also known as wellness incentives or health reimbursement incentives, these benefits are included in many corporate health plans, especially among mid- to large-sized companies.

This type of incentive acts as an annual subsidy that allows plan participants to engage in wellness-related activities.

These credits may take different formats, such as

• Fixed annual amounts (e.g., $200 per year);
• Rewards based on goals (e.g., $50 for attending a preventive medical visit);
• Incentives earned through wellness or loyalty programs (e.g., walking 10,000 steps a day for 30 days).

Main Objectives of Wellness Credits

• Preventing chronic illnesses: Encouraging healthy habits helps reduce the incidence of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.
• Reducing healthcare costs: Healthier members use fewer medical services, helping insurers reduce claims and operating costs.
• Boosting productivity: Employers see better performance, lower absenteeism, and higher engagement among healthy employees.
• Promoting mental health: Many programs reimburse for meditation, therapy, yoga, and mindfulness-related activities.

Which Expenses Are Usually Eligible?

Each plan has its own rules, but common eligible expenses include:

• Gym memberships and physical activities: monthly memberships, Pilates, yoga, spinning, fitness classes, etc.
• Exercise equipment: treadmills, stationary bikes, dumbbells, resistance bands.
• Nutrition programs: Appointments with nutritionists, diet-tracking apps, supervised weight-loss programs.
• Therapy and mental health: Licensed therapists, psychologists, and online platforms like Talkspace or BetterHelp.
• Smoking or alcohol cessation programs
• Preventive check-ups: General practitioner visits, routine screenings, optional vaccines.
• Wellness workshops and courses: Meditation, stress management, and mindfulness sessions.

It is common for the plan to require proof of participation, such as receipts or invoices, to approve reimbursements.

How to Access Your Wellness Credits

Register on a wellness platform

Providers like Virgin Pulse, Sharecare, Rally Health, Limeade, and WellSteps are often integrated into employer-sponsored health plans.

Users create an account, track activities, and monitor their available credit balance.

Track goals and habits

Some platforms use wearables (such as Fitbit or Apple Watch) integrated into the system to track sleep, steps, heart rate, and physical activity duration.

Submit proof of payment

For external expenses, it is common to upload receipts or invoices into the insurer’s platform for reimbursement approval.

Reimbursement or direct credit

Funds may be reimbursed directly to a bank account, via payroll credit (for employer-sponsored plans), or as internal credit for other approved services.

Benefits for Plan Members

• Direct savings: Activities that would otherwise come out of pocket are now subsidized.
• Greater commitment to healthy habits: Financial motivation is a powerful driver of behavior change.
• Reduced stress and burnout: Including mental health services broadens the benefits of wellness credit use.
• Better health tracking: Platforms provide access to personalized reports and health alerts.

Cautions and Limitations

• Annual expiration: Many wellness credits expire at the end of the calendar year and are not rollable into the next.
• Category limits: Plans may limit how much you can spend per activity type (e.g., max $100 for nutrition services).
• Eligibility restrictions: Not all employees are immediately eligible, and some benefits may be restricted to full-time or long-term workers.
• Proof required: Reimbursements are typically approved only with formal documentation.

How to Check If You’re Eligible

• Consult your company’s HR department.
• Visit your insurer’s official website.
• Look for a “Wellness Program” or “Health Incentives” section.
• Use the insurer’s chat or helpline for questions and eligibility details.

By fully understanding all the criteria, you can gain great benefits and improve your access to healthcare through this type of financial program.

Written by

Gabriel Gonçalves