Here's a nice surprise for a lot of HR teams: your medical plan may already include money for wellness programs, and it could cover some or all of your step challenge. One email to your broker can tell you whether you have it and how to use it.

Wellness funds are often set at renewal and used within the plan year, so open enrollment season is a great time to ask.

What are wellness funds?

Wellness funds are money that may be available through your medical plan to spend on approved wellness programs. Depending on your plan, you might hear them called:

• Wellness credits, wellness dollars, or a wellness allowance
• Health engagement or health improvement funds
• Carrier funds or discretionary funds

Wellness funds can come from one of two places, and sometimes both:

• Your insurance carrier (such as Cigna, Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, or Blue Cross Blue Shield), as part of your group medical contract
• Your broker, through their service agreement with your company

What happens to unused wellness funds?

Unused wellness funds may expire at the end of the plan year, depending on your plan. They often go unused for a few common reasons:

• They live outside your day-to-day budget. Wellness funds sit inside your carrier or broker relationship, so they can slip off the radar.
• They come up at renewal. Funds often get discussed during renewal conversations and written into the plan details.
• The plan year gets busy. Open enrollment, new hires, and everything else on HR's plate take center stage.
• Not every broker brings them up. Some proactively remind clients and help put funds to work. Others may not mention them unless you ask.

Either way, one question gets you the answer, and asking early gives you the most time to use them.

How do you find out if your company has wellness funds?

Ask your broker. If you're not sure who that is, whoever handled your last medical renewal will know. Here's a note you can copy and paste:

Hi [Name], are there any wellness, health engagement, or discretionary funds available under our medical plan this plan year? If so, how much is available, when does it expire, what's the deadline to submit invoices, and what does a vendor need to provide? We're looking at a step challenge program through Stridekick and would love to know if it qualifies.

If nothing is available this year, ask whether wellness funds can be added at your next renewal.

Can wellness funds pay for a step challenge like Stridekick?

Absolutely. Eligible programs depend on your carrier and plan, so your broker can confirm whether a Stridekick challenge qualifies and what documentation they need.

Every carrier and broker sets its own rules for which programs qualify. Funding may depend on how your program is structured, and your broker can tell you which applies to your plan:

• Participation-based. People are rewarded for joining. Example: everyone who joins your step challenge gets a raffle entry.
• Activity-based. People are rewarded for completing an activity. Example: everyone who hits a daily step goal on 20 of 30 days gets a raffle entry.

A Stridekick challenge can be shaped to fit either one. Our prize strategy guide for every Stridekick challenge mode shows how to match rewards to each mode. If your broker mentions specific requirements, we're happy to help you set up the challenge to match.

And Stridekick is built to put those funds to work:

• Flexible challenge design. Choose from 11 challenge modes and structure rewards around participation or activity.
• Join with what people already have. Participants use the trackers and phones they already own.
• Fast to launch, ready to report. Challenge Templates get you started quickly, and SuperDash gives you the participation reporting your broker may need.

Here's everything included in Stridekick Unlimited.

What documentation do you need to use wellness funds?

Once your broker replies, send their list to your Stridekick contact. We'll help you pull together what they need from our side.

Brokers and carriers usually ask for a few things, and Stridekick can help with each one:

• A program description. We'll share a short overview of your challenge: what participants do, how long it runs, and how rewards work.
• Participation reporting. SuperDash reports show who joined and how they took part, including names and emails.
• Vendor paperwork. We'll send an invoice and any other vendor documents your broker requests.

Not sure what your broker is asking for? Forward their reply and we'll help you sort out what's needed and get it ready. That way the funds go to work, and you get to focus on the fun part: launching your challenge.

Your wellness funds game plan

1. Ask your broker what wellness funding is available.
2. Confirm the amount, deadline, and eligible programs.
3. Ask whether a Stridekick challenge can qualify.
4. Send us the documentation requirements.
5. Launch your challenge and use the funds before your deadline.

Worst case, you sent one email. Best case, your wellness program was already paid for.

Already talking with your broker? Send us what they need, and we'll help you figure out the next step.

Frequently asked questions about wellness funds

How much is in a wellness fund? It depends on your carrier, plan, and group size. Some carriers set a per-employee amount and others use a lump sum. Your broker can confirm your number.

When should you ask your broker about wellness funds? As early in the plan year as you can, or a few months before renewal. That leaves time to choose a program, launch it, and send any paperwork before your deadline.

Can small companies have wellness funds? They can. Availability depends on your plan, so it's worth asking your broker at any company size.

Are wellness funds the same as an insurance rebate? No. A rebate or refund check from your carrier is a separate thing, tied to premiums and claims. Wellness funds are a budget set aside for approved wellness programs, usually used during the plan year.