All across the nation, businesses are embarking on ambitious programs to help employees improve their quality of life while keeping health-care costs under control.

Wellness and prevention programs are making a difference when it comes to chronic conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, or unhealthy cholesterol levels.

That’s why we found it so puzzling that CVS Caremark is being criticized for offering their 200,000 employees the option of having their health assessed by medical professionals so they can take better care of themselves.

An activist group, Patient Privacy Rights, claimed that these assessments are intrusive and could make the employees’ health information available to the company.

The reality is, the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) sets strict limits on access to medical records, including the results of employee screenings as part of a business’ wellness program.

That's true in the case of CVS, where all personal health data are reviewed by a third-party administrator, and the information is never shared with the company.  Indeed, it’s true for every company with employee health plans, including the 79 percent of large employers that incorporate health assessments into their programs.

More important is who gets the information that comes from these assessments: It’s the employee! They learn about their health and often discover chronic conditions that were previously undiagnosed. With this information, they can make well-informed decisions about their own health care, their own lives.

Companies nationwide are innovating with programs to help their employees lead healthier lives while slowing the rising costs of premiums. Whether it’s encouraging weight loss, smoking cessation or stress reduction, businesses want a healthier America, and they are helping employees take the lead in this effort.