Wellness fund guide / CareFirst

How to use your CareFirst wellness fund

CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield groups in Maryland, Washington, DC and Northern Virginia may have wellness dollars to spend. Here is how a CareFirst wellness fund usually works, and how to put it toward wellness boxes.

How CareFirst wellness funds work

Some CareFirst employer groups have a wellness fund in their plan agreement. It is money set aside for your company to spend on employee health and well-being, and it is most common with fully insured plans.

The amount, the deadline and the rules are set in your group's agreement, so they vary. Your CareFirst account manager or your broker can tell you how much you have and when it expires.

Like most carrier funds, it is usually use it or lose it. Any amount left at the end of your plan year typically does not roll over.

New to wellness funds? Our wellness fund guide covers the basics for every carrier.

What it can pay for

Each group's rules are a little different, but CareFirst wellness funds generally cover things that help employees build healthier habits or learn about their benefits, like wellness events, fitness challenges, health education and employee wellness boxes built around a health theme.

Wellness boxes work well because they reach every employee, including remote and field teams. Each box is built around a theme like stress relief, healthy eating, sleep or exercise, and can include printed materials like your EAP flyer or benefits information. That makes the spend easy to tie to a real wellness goal, which carriers like to see. For ideas, see how to pair your wellness boxes with an initiative.

How we bill CareFirst

Payment depends on how your group is set up with CareFirst. Your account manager will confirm which way applies.

CareFirst pays us directly

Once your order is approved, we send the invoice and our W-9 to your CareFirst contact and they pay from your fund.

You pay, CareFirst reimburses you

We send you the invoice and our W-9, you pay it, then submit the paid invoice to CareFirst to be reimbursed from your fund.

Not sure which one you have? Loop in your CareFirst account manager and we will work it out together.

Step by step

  1. Confirm your balance and deadline with your CareFirst account manager or broker.
  2. Request a proposal. Tell us your headcount, budget per employee, wellness theme and delivery date.
  3. Share the proposal with CareFirst for approval if they need to sign off.
  4. Sign the proposal. We send the invoice and W-9 to CareFirst or to you, depending on your setup.
  5. We build and ship your boxes, usually in about 4 to 5 weeks.

Orders start at $3,000 total, and most companies spend between $35 and $65 per box. If your deadline is close, reach out as soon as you can and we will tell you what timing is possible.

Common questions

Can a CareFirst wellness fund pay for employee wellness boxes?

In most cases, yes, as long as the boxes support a wellness theme. Rules vary by group, so confirm with your CareFirst account manager before you order.

Who do I contact at CareFirst about my wellness fund?

Usually your CareFirst account manager. If you work with a benefits broker, they can connect you.

Do you ship to employees outside the CareFirst area?

Yes. We ship nationwide, to employees' homes, office locations or a mix of both.

Does my CareFirst wellness fund roll over?

Usually not. Most funds follow your plan year, so plan your order early enough to deliver before your deadline.

Other carriers

Cigna · Aetna · UnitedHealthcare · Anthem · All carriers

HealthBoxed is an independent wellness box company and is not affiliated with CareFirst. Wellness fund amounts, rules and payment steps are set in each group's plan agreement, so confirm the details with your CareFirst contact or broker.

Ready to put your CareFirst wellness fund to work?

Tell us about your team and we will send a custom proposal within 1 business day. You can also ask for a quick call first.