FACTBOX: U.S. reform bills offer employers wellness boost

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. health reform bills moving through Congress aim to expand access to health insurance but also take some steps to help companies tackle wellness and prevention.

The House of Representatives' bill, which passed November 7, targets smaller companies. The Senate legislation currently being debated allows companies of all sizes to increase incentives to encourage healthy behaviors, but it could still face changes through the amendment process.

Both chambers would have to compromise on the details in a final bill before the legislation could be signed into law.

Here are provisions in the two bills so far:

THE SENATE BILL

* Allows companies to reward employees for healthier behaviors, such as quitting smoking, improving nutrition or managing their weight or stress. Rewards could equal up to 30 percent of the costs of coverage, but the U.S. health secretary has leeway to increase it to 50 percent if appropriate.

* Says conditions for such rewards may not be based on an employee's actual health status, although some exceptions are made. It also requires employers to offer a reasonable alternative for workers for whom it would be "medically inadvisable" to participate in an incentive program.

* Calls for congressional investigators at the Government Accountability Office to study how the incentives impact the quality and cost of healthcare.

THE HOUSE BILL

* Reimburses small companies for implementing qualifying wellness programs. Grants would be awarded for up to 50 percent of the costs for up to three years.

* Programs must include at least three components such as smoking cessation, nutritional counseling and weight management programs. They must also be certified by the heads of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Labor and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

* Awards are limited to $150 per employee and cannot exceed $50,000.

(Reporting by Susan Heavey, editing by Claudia Parsons)