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To reduce health-care costs, Union Pacific Railroad plans to combine its wellness programs with medical benefit initiatives. Next year, the railroad will begin offering a consumer-driven health plan (CDHP) in addition to more traditional health-care plans.

Under the CDHP, UP will provide financial incentives if an employee is a non-smoker (or completes a stop-smoking course) and fills out a wellness assessment to identify lifestyle risks. UP officials also will encourage employees to research health topics prior to office visits and determine which medical facilities can best serve their needs.

"It just makes sense to tie our nationally recognized wellness programs to our medical benefits offerings," said Barb Schaefer, UP senior vice president of human resources, in a prepared statement. "Healthier employees who make good, informed decisions about their medical care help hold down rising health-care costs."

UP officials already have been trying to promote health and reduce medical benefit costs through a program designed to incorporate healthier lifestyle choices in everyday business processes. For example, UP's HealthTrack wellness program offers smoking cessation, weight loss, depression, fatigue and diabetes management education courses, as well as free access to more than 500 fitness centers.