Certified Wellness Program
Welcome to the Indiana Certified Wellness Tax Credit Program for small employers website. This program was implemented in 2007, and seeks to recognize small employers that are working to improve Indiana’s health status by providing wellness programs for their employees. Once a wellness program is certified, the employer is entitled to a credit of 50 percent of the costs incurred for providing a qualified wellness program.
In 2007, the Indiana State Department of Health certified 54 small employers across the state and in 2008, increased that number to 88. According to the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, companies with 99 employees or under represent nearly 41 percent of all private sector employment, or more than 1 million employees.
To this day, Indiana has been the only state to successfully pass a tax credit for worksite wellness programs. Indiana is certainly leading the way!
What small employers in Indiana are saying…
“The Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) has made it easier for us to do more with our wellness program by helping us qualify for the Certified Wellness Program. The tax benefit we receive from this program allows us to continue our program and enhance the quality of life for our employees. The application process is very simple and ISDH is always there to assist with any questions. I highly recommend implementing a wellness plan in any size company and using ISDH as a resource. We've had nothing but positive results. We have made a concerted effort to focus on the well being of our employees.”
~ Gibson Insurance Group
Indiana’s Wellness Tax Credit has been a well kept secret. The application process is painless. Since being certified, we have implemented a formal wellness program that began with health screenings done in our office. Ninety-five percent of our 60 employees elected to participate. Last month, a personal trainer explained the benefits of walking and now we compare the number of steps we take during the day. Next, we are planning challenges that will allow employees to win gift certificates and other prizes. The tax credit is great, but the real benefit is the increased focus we have seen on health.
~Plews Shadley Racher & Braun LLP
The wellness tax credit has helped our business further our wellness program. Although we already had a program established, we’ve been able to build upon it and expand our program offerings. The financial incentive is a great motivator.
Completing the tax credit took some time but wasn’t difficult. It was helpful because it required me to sit down and think about all the components of our wellness program as well as our health insurer’s health and wellness offerings. So often we think of the wellness program being separate from the resources that we get from our health insurer. As a small business, we have to use all of the resources available. Thanks to the tax credit, we can.
~Benefit Associates
