As health care costs continue to rise and health care reform is causing more companies to examine their options, wellness programs are becoming more popular among employers. Wellness programs allow employers to better control their costs by teaching employees to make more informed decisions regarding their health, and when the work force is healthier, premiums are subsequently lower.

Take, for instance, the health care costs for the staff and faculty at Bryant University in Smithfield, R.I. Each year Bryant University had seen double-digit health care cost growth during its renewal phase, says Linda Lulli, associate vice president for human resources, at Bryant University. The university's premiums were annually spinning out of control, and it was time to start better managing costs.

"We took the approach of creating a culture of health by better understanding where our major areas of costs were," Lulli says. "We believe if we can impact the health of our employees and impact their family choices, then we ultimately can impact the community's health. Clearly, that does have an overall impact of cost for health care."