University employees who complete the WellU Wellness Program requirements receive a discount on their cost of enrollment in the University's Employee Health Care Plan of up to $40 per month. If the rate is less than $40 per month, WellU participants will pay $0.
To participate in the WellU Program during the 2023/2024 Plan Year, complete the WellU requirements before July 1, 2023:
- General Health Assessment (GHA) must be completed at least once between July 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023, to receive the discount effective July 1, 2023
- Dental Cleaning and Exam
- Three Different WellU Wellness Activities
Wellness completions must be reported through Regence, participating University departments, or our University partners. Completions other than the COVID-19 vaccine cannot be self-reported by individual employees. Due to processing and reporting of completion, please allow up to 90 days for activities to be updated on the participation tracker. If it has been over 90 days and your activity has not been updated, please contact our WellU team at WellU@utah.edu.
You are encouraged to complete the WellU requirements as early as possible to avoid any delays in application of the discount. Discounts will begin when timely completed requirements have all been reported.
If you complete all the requirements prior to June 30 and they are all reported to HR prior to July 15, your discount will begin on the July 22nd paycheck.
If you complete all the requirements prior to June 30; however they are not all reported to HR prior to July 15, your discount will begin on the paycheck following the date the last timely completion is reported. The discount is not retroactive.
Different participation requirements apply for new hires depending on their hire date.
University of Utah School of Dentistry Clinics: your coinsurance for a basic cleaning and exam will be waived if you are seen by a dental student or resident at one of the U of U clinics.
- To schedule, call 801-58-SMILE. Available appointment times are limited (wait times may be three months or longer).
- Co-insurance will be waived for the exam and a healthy cleaning. Any radiographs, periodontally-involved cleanings and other services will have an associated co-insurance.
- Dental services performed by faculty at the School of Dentistry are equivalent to seeing an in-network provider in private practice and will have a coinsurance.
ValueCare Network Providers: you will be responsible for your coinsurance.
If you are not enrolled in our dental coverage, please submit a billing statement from your dental office to WellU@utah.edu. The statement should include your name, the date, and the services received.
To complete the General Health Assessment, sign in to your Regence account.
- From your Regence dashboard, click the Regence Empower button (on the top of the page, under Programs & Resources) or Regence Empower banner (by scrolling down).
- Complete the communication preferences page (if prompted).
- Click “Get Started Now” and “Start Assessment” to begin your Health Assessment.
Once you've completed the GHA, the University will be notified that you have completed the assessment. The University will not receive any of your confidential answers. Completion reports are provided by Regence on a monthly basis. You may have a delay in receiving the discount of up to four pay periods (discount is not retroactive).
Your spouse should create their own account if they wish to complete the GHA. Your spouse does not need to complete the GHA for you to receive the discount.
Obtain these services from a health care provider of your choice – they must be billed through the health plan to receive credit for completion of the option.
- Annual Physical/Wellness Exam
- Note regarding Physical Exams: Please remind your provider that your visit MUST be billed as a physical and not a regular office visit. A prenatal wellness exam does count as a physical, but requires additional action, as prenatal visits are not billed separately through Regence. For a prenatal wellness exam, have your provider fill out the Prenatal Physical Certification form and submit to UHRM at WellU@utah.edu. Please note – this form is not required for other types of annual physicals, only prenatal exams.
- Cervical Cancer Screening
- Mammogram
- Osteoporosis Screening
- Flu Shot (Flu shots at Employee Appreciation Day flu clinic, RedMed, Department Clinics, and Employee Health and Wellness Center count toward this requirement, even though they are not billed through the health plan.)
- COVID-19 Vaccination and Booster
- COVID-19 vaccinations billed through Regence will be uploaded to the WellU tracker. If the administration of your COVID-19 vaccination was not billed through Regence (for example, if you received your vaccine through the Utah Department of Health), please send a copy of your vaccination card to WellU@utah.edu.
- Prostate Cancer Screening
- Colonoscopy
RedMed Employee Health Clinic offers wellness visits as a WellU Wellness Activity. Visits must be scheduled in advance – schedule by calling RedMed at (801) 213-3303 or by scheduling online. The visit with a nurse practitioner will include basic labs, a brief physical exam and preventive health screenings. Employees will be able to discuss any health concerns and create a wellness plan. Employees will be referred to a primary care provider for any ongoing, chronic conditions.
The Wellness and Integrative Health team offers a variety of options that count as WellU Activities. See below for links and information.
- Campus Recreation membership required – employee pays fitness class fees.
- Work out or take a fitness class and tap your ID card when you access the facility. The first six taps on different days will count as completion of one Wellness Activity.
Check the WellU Participation Tracker to see your completed participation requirements that have been reported to HR.
Employees have free access to Red Butte Garden! Check in at the front desk for WellU credit and take a relaxing stroll or aerobic walk through the garden. The first six check-ins on different days will count as completion of one Wellness Activity
Departments can coordinate programs on their own. The Office of Wellness & Integrative Health is available to help you create inclusive, meaningful and fun challenges.
- The program must be pre-approved by the Office of Wellness & Integrative Health. Complete the Department Program Application and submit it to Wellness@utah.edu for review.
- The program must be designed to increase the health and well-being of participating employees;
- The program must include a series of activities over at least a 6-week period; and
- Departments must designate a wellness coordinator to track participation and submit an excel spreadsheet including the name and uNID for each employee who completed the program requirements to Wellness@utah.edu at the conclusion of the program.
- Potential examples include: departmental wellness challenge including step counting, departmental mindfulness offering and practices, scheduled movement breaks, and much more.
To start, check out Walker Tracker. Walker Tracker is a great option for tracking participation among your team!
Employees who are newly enrolled in the health plan have different requirements depending on the date you are first enrolled:
- July 1 through December 31: Complete the General Health Assessment to participate and begin receiving the discount for the remainder of the current Plan Year. To participate and receive the discount for the next Plan Year, you must complete four WellU Wellness Activities before July 1st.
- January 1 through March 31: Complete the General Health Assessment to participate and receive the discount for the remainder of the current Plan Year. To participate and receive the discount for the next Plan Year, you must complete two WellU Wellness Activities before July 1st.
- April 1 through June 30: Complete the General Health Assessment to participate and receive the discount for the remainder of the current Plan Year and the next Plan Year.
Health & Wellness Quick Links
- Health & Wellness
- Annual Open Enrollment
- Benefits Advisory Committee
- COBRA Continuation Coverage
- Employee Assistance Program and Mental Health
- Employee Health Plan Coverage For Fertility Treatments
- Flexible Spending Account Plans
- Health Care & Dental Plans
- Health Savings Account
- RedMed Employee Health Clinic
- Status Change Events
- Well-Being Resources
- WellU Wellness Program
WellU Wellness Activity Options – Wellness & Integrative Health:
WellU will pay the cost (all or part as shown below) of two services (excluding fitness classes). Employee pays fitness class fees and discounted WellU Member fees shown below.
Quarterly Wellness Challenges on Walker Tracker
PEAK Health & Fitness Options – PEAK Health and Fitness is a partnership between the College of Health and the Office of Wellness and Integrative Health. PEAK offers a variety of workshops and seminars, health assessment and fitness testing, continuing education opportunities, and employee fitness classes.
Virtual PEAK WellU Services include the following:
- Health Coach Consultation - Virtual or telephone: Health coaches work with individuals who wish to adopt lifestyle changes that will help them reach their short- and long-term goals for satisfying and healthful lives. Health Coaching may include: Integration of spectrum of health needs; assisting individuals navigate through biometric results and developing a plan to address needs for change; developing an action plan for health goals/goal setting and tracking, help clarify their health goals, and implement and sustain behaviors, lifestyles, and attitudes that are conducive to optimal health.
- Nutrition Consultation - Virtual or telephone: The nutrition consultations offered through the WellU program help individuals improve their overall health by improving their diet. Whether you need simple nutrition guidance or have a specific concern, our staff of nutrition specialists can help you reach your nutrition goals. In addition to general and preventive nutrition consultations we have several specialty areas to help you including family/child health and nutrition, sports nutrition, hypertension control, cholesterol lowering, weight loss and maintenance, cardiovascular nutrition, bone health, diabetes management, and others.
- Personal Training / Exercise Prescription - Virtual or telephone: Personal Training is one of the most safe and effective ways to improve your health and fitness. When you take advantage of this service, you are provided with a personal exercise program and 60-minutes of one-on-one guidance from an educated fitness professional. Our personal trainers rely on evidence-based practices to safely guide you on your journey to better cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength and endurance, and flexibility.
WellU member cost: $100
Build-a-Bone is an osteoporosis prevention and treatment program offered throughout the year at various U Health Clinics as well as virtually via zoom. Our innovative 4-day 2-hour classes are taught by medical professionals and health educators. Topics covered during class include:
- Bone basics
- Posture
- Spine sparing strategies
- Exercises for bone health
- Balance
- Nutrition for bone health
WellU member cost:
$99.00 – In-person class
$25.00 – Virtual Zoom Class (does not include health assessments, BodPod, and gym)
This 12-week program focuses on making small behavior and lifestyle changes that can help you work toward long-term health and wellbeing. This class is best suited for those beginning a healthy lifestyle journey or those looking to get back to one and learn current health information. You will have the opportunity to meet with an exercise physiologist to discuss your individual exercise goals and create a plan. This class also includes pre- and post- class health assessments, such as: A1c, lipid panel, blood pressure, and body composition (BodBod) as well as use of the L.S. Skaggs Patient Wellness Center Gym during specific hours. Weekly sessions are led by a Health Coach.
Weekly class topics include:
- Wellness
- Nutrition
- Exercise
- Mental/emotional health
- Stress management
- Motivation
- Healthy coping strategies
WellU member cost: $25.00
Our four-week group program includes instruction in various forms of mindfulness, practice time, and opportunities to connect with others who may also be looking for ways to reduce stress, manage health issues, and more easily respond to difficult emotions.
Weekly group sessions, led by a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, assist with:
- Getting unstuck from unhelpful patterns
- Increasing psychological flexibility
- Enhancing resilience
- Improving stress management
- Reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression
- Enhancing general feelings of wellbeing
WellU member cost: $100.00
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, (MBSR), was developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn at the Center for Mindfulness, University of Massachusetts Medical School. MBSR is an intensive training in developing mindful awareness and accessing our innate capacity for health, healing and growth. Groups meet for an orientation, eight weekly classes and an all-day retreat between weeks 6 and 7. Guided instruction in various practices is provided, including seated and walking meditation, a body scan, gentle yoga, and mindful communication. These practices are enhanced through inquiry exercises, group dialogue, and daily home assignments.
In research published by the Center for Mindfulness, the majority of people who complete the course report:
- Lasting decreases in physical and psychological symptoms
- An increased ability to relax
- Reductions in pain levels and an enhanced ability to cope with pain that may not go away
- Greater energy and enthusiasm for life
- Improved self-esteem
- An ability to cope more effectively with both short and long-term stressful situations.
WellU member cost: $50.00
Prediabetes affects nearly 88 million people in the US (greater than 1 in 3 adults), but many aren’t aware of their risk. Prediabetes is when your blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough yet to meet criteria for diabetes. People who have prediabetes are at a higher risk for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke than people who have with normal blood sugar levels.
This research-proven program can help you make modest lifestyle changes and cut your risk of Type 2 diabetes by more than half. This 24-session program is offered either in person or online.
The program will help you to:
- Learn about healthy food choices.
- Build physical activity into your life.
- Lose weight.
- Decrease your risk of diabetes.
WellU member cost: $50
This 10-week class is virtual via Zoom! Come make peace with your food, body, and movement by learning and practicing the 10 principles of Intuitive Eating! Intuitive Eating is all about creating a healthy relationship around food, body, mind, and movement through self-care and body appreciation, regardless of weight or size. The main concepts in Intuitive Eating include seeing satisfaction and pleasure in eating, moving your body for the sake of feeling good, rejecting diet mentality, respecting your body (regardless of how you feel about its shape), and applying gentle nutrition without judgment. Founded in now decades of research, becoming an Intuitive Eater pays off. Several of the research-supported health benefits include:
- More positive body image
- Increased body appreciation
- Increased self-confidence
- Increased pleasure and satisfaction around food
- Increased self-compassion
- Increased body acceptance
- Decreased markers of anxiety and depression towards food
- Decreased guilt around food
- Decreased binge-eating
- Week 1: Introduction + Reject the Diet Mentality
- Week 2: Honor Your Hunger
- Week 3: Make Peace with Food
- Week 4: Challenged the Food Police
- Week 5: Discover the Satisfaction Factor
- Week 6: Feel Your Fullness
- Week 7: Cope with Your Emotions with Kindness
- Week 8: Respect Your Body
- Week 9: Movement - Feel the Difference
- Week 10: Honor Your Health - Gentle Nutrition
Answers to Questions
If you have questions about the WellU program please contact Human Resources at (801) 581-7447 or email WellU@utah.edu.