CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) is starting 2013 on a healthy note with the Get Fit Challenge. This 60-day program, powered by Rival Fusion, will guide 85 North Carolina businesses to better health in the New Year. The Challenge will provide participating employees with customized fitness plans to help employees get fit, lose weight, create healthy habits and work together to lower company health care costs.
 
“BCBSNC is committed to finding new ways to rein in medical costs and make health care more affordable,” said Sean Kerns, vice president of Specialty Markets. “Businesses face the challenge of rising health care costs on a daily basis. Our Get Fit Challenge is a way to spark a little healthy competition within the business community and help companies introduce a new wellness option that can help reduce medical spending.”
 
Rival Health’s Rival Fusion software will provide a 60-day customized health and fitness program for participating employees. The program will help employees work toward their fitness goals and New Year’s resolutions with nutritious recipes, motivational tips and easy-to-use tools for monitoring progress. Employees will also receive a collection of Rival Fusion DVDs that will provide personalized exercise routines based on their unique profile and goals.
 
North Carolina businesses that are current BCBSNC customers with more than 50 employees qualified to participate in the Get Fit Challenge and compete against similar-sized companies. BCBSNC is investing in North Carolina businesses by covering the cost of the fitness program for up to 100 employees at each participating company. For every $1 invested in wellness programs, businesses can save more than $3 in medical costs[i].
 
The winners will be announced in March. The three companies that improve their fitness levels the most will receive up to $5,000 to help encourage healthy workplace habits when the challenge is over.
 
To learn more about the Get Fit Challenge, visit www.bcbsnc.com/getfitnc.
 
Organizations competing in the Get Fit Challenge include:
 
Business
City
GHA Autism Supports
Albemarle
J.T. Russell and Sons Inc.
Albemarle
Stanly County
Albemarle
Town of Apex
Apex
Barium Springs
Barium Springs
Chetola Resort
Blowing Rock
Town of Boone
Boone
Transylvania County
Brevard
City of Burlington
Burlington
Beco
Charlotte
Community Blood Center of the Carolinas
Charlotte
Drake Precision Dental Laboratory Inc.
Charlotte
G&W Equipment
Charlotte
Hospice & Palliative Care Charlotte Region
Charlotte
Midrex Technologies
Charlotte
Okuma America Corporation
Charlotte
Patterson Pope
Charlotte
Thermo King Central Carolinas
Charlotte
WK Dickson & Co. Inc.
Charlotte
JanPak
Davidson
City of Durham
Durham
Mark Jacobson Toyota
Durham
MetaMetrics ®
Durham
Elkamet Inc.
East Flat Rock
Town of Emerald Isle
Emerald Isle
Town of Farmville
Farmville
Parkdale Mills Inc.
Gastonia
Wayne Action Group for Economic Solvency Inc.
Goldsboro
Apex Analytix
Greensboro
Bernard Robinson & Company LLP
Greensboro
Carson-Dellosa Publishing
Greensboro
Dynamic Quest
Greensboro
Food Express Inc.
Greensboro
Green Ford
Greensboro
Greensboro Housing Authority
Greensboro
Guilford Child Development
Greensboro
International Textile Group
Greensboro
Kayser-Roth Corporation
Greensboro
Samet Corporation
Greensboro
Southeastern Orthopaedic Specialists, P.A.
Greensboro
Franklin-Vance-Warren Opportunity, Inc.
Hendersonville
Henderson County
Hendersonville
Sherrill Furniture
Hickory
Radiator Specialty Company
Indian Trail
City of Kannapolis
Kannapolis
Boys & Girls Homes of North Carolina
Lake Waccamaw
DAK Americas
Leland
Caldwell Hospice & Palliative Care Inc.
Lenoir
Davidson County
Lexington
Franklin County
Louisburg
McDowell County
Marion
Replacements Ltd.
McLeansville
Union County Community Action Inc.
Monroe
Carteret General Hospital
Morehead City
Town of Morehead City
Morehead City
Beacon Baptist Church
Raleigh
Bobby Murray Chevrolet
Raleigh
D.H. Griffin Construction
Raleigh
Eye Care Associates
Raleigh
First Citizens Bank
Raleigh
Raleigh Housing Authority
Raleigh
The Hamner Institutes for Health Sciences
Research Triangle Park
Triangle Transit
Research Triangle Park
Doctors Vision Center
Rocky Mount
Mid State Ventures
Rocky Mount
Talbert Building Supply
Roxboro
Horizon Family Medicine
Smithfield
Bald Head Island Limited Property Management
Southport
Alexander County
Taylorsville
Martin County
Williamston
Cape Fear Academy
Wilmington
Longley Supply Company
Wilmington
New Hanover County Employee Group
Wilmington
City of Wilson
Wilson
Physician Discoveries LLC
Winston-Salem
Summit School Inc.
Winston-Salem
Town of Wrightsville Beach
Wrightsville Beach