A Dutch health insurer will reimburse policyholders who consume Becel pro-active margarine, yogurt, and milk products that have been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol levels. By subsidizing better eating habits, VGZ, one of the largest insurers in the Netherlands, is hoping to prevent costly heart disease and decrease drug and hospital expenses. The company is offering to refund up to 40 euros ($54.41) a year to insureds who purchase the Unilever food products.
One in three Dutch people has heightened cholesterol, and 120,000 of VGZ's policyholders take medication to lower their cholesterol, at a cost of EUR35 million ($46.27 million) a year to the insurer. In addition, 6,100 of the company's policyholders underwent angioplasty or heart surgeries in 2003, at a cost of EUR57 million ($75.34 million). People over 40 years of age who lower their cholesterol intake by 15 percent also lower their chances of heart disease, by 50 percent, according to VGZ.
© Touchpoint Markets, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to TMSalesOperations@arc-network.com. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.