An insurer may offer a wellness or health improvement program that provides rewards or incentives, including merchandise; gift cards; debit cards; premium discounts or rebates; contributions to a health savings account; modifications to copayment, deductible, or coinsurance amounts; or any combination of these incentives, to encourage participation or to reward participation in the program.

A wellness or health improvement program offered by an insurer under this section shall not be construed to violate division (E) of section 1751.31 or division (G) of section 3901.21 of the Revised Code if the program is disclosed in the policy or plan.

The insured may be required to provide verification, such as a statement from their physician, that a medical condition makes it unreasonably difficult or medically inadvisable for the individual to participate in the wellness or health improvement program.

Nothing in this section shall prohibit an insurer from offering incentives or rewards to members for adherence to wellness or health improvement programs if otherwise allowed by federal law.

Nothing under division (C)(1) of section 3923.571 or section 3924.25 of the Revised Code shall be construed as prohibiting an insurer from offering a wellness or health improvement program or restricting the amount an employee is charged for coverage under a group policy after the application of any premium discounts or rebates, or modifying otherwise applicable copayments or deductibles for adherence to wellness or health improvement programs.

For purposes of this section, "insurer" means a life insurance company, sickness and accident insurer, multiple employer welfare arrangement, public employee benefit plan, or health insuring corporation.

Added by 129th General AssemblyFile No.28, HB 153, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2011.