Employees Staying Fit Saves Taxpayers Millions In Fort Worth, City Manager Says

FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) – Fort Worth city leaders say their initiatives to get city employees healthy and improve their wellness is working and in 2019 those efforts are expected to result in $10 million in savings to taxpayers in the way of lower health costs.

City manager David Cooke said in 2018 the savings was about $5 million.

"What that allows us to do is then not require an increase that goes onto the taxpayer and we don't have to pass an increase of premiums to employees," said Cooke.

Cooke said there are about 12,000 employees, retirees and dependents enrolled in the city's healthcare program.

He says the healthy initiative rolled out two years ago encourage employees to stay active and exercise during their work day, it offers them clinics for preventive treatment instead of ER visits and it offers free prescription drugs for the most popular medicines.

When we can go into a year and say we have a handle on our health care costs and we have healthier employees that's a win win right there," said Cooke.

Cooke went on to explain the city is committed to continuing wellness programs for its employees in 2020.

"If we take better care of ourselves. I think you'll see more productive employees you'll see lower healthcare costs," he said.