Maybe this will never happen. But if you've noticed, companies are taking an interest in how healthy their employees are.

Take the Nevada Cancer Institute, which just won the Gold Well Workplace Award from the Wellness Council of America. It is the first time a Nevada company has been honored by that council.

The nonprofit group has 32 wellness programs, from relaxing massage and stress relief lessons, to more intense nutrition and fitness competitions.

"If we did what we were told, we'd all be healthy," said Jamie Albright, corporate wellness manager for the 220-employee institute. "It takes a little more than just saying what you need to do. It takes having hands-on programs and having face-to-face interaction."

The wellness program started in December 2004. Albright was the 25th employee hired.

Two of the institute's current programs seem more like personal trainer guidance rather than a throwaway corporate wellness program.

"The Buddy Up Program" pairs up workers for 10 weeks to accomplish goals such as losing weight or eating more healthy food. The teams compete against each other.

The "Healthy Holidays Program" focuses on a different goal each week, such as drinking eight glasses of water a day and limiting alcohol consumption. Participants get points for meeting these goals.

The Nevada Cancer Institute plans to buy some exercise equipment and hire a personal trainer to offer super-discounted rates ($5 an hour or so) to its workers. It hopes to set an example for workplaces and offers to help companies establish similar programs, said spokeswoman Jennifer McDonnell.

A similar offer is coming from Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield. But the health insurance company is selling its services - banking on the knowledge that money motivates people.

Anthem is seeking approval to sell a package it refers to as its "Lumenos product." Lumenos was a company acquired by the insurer, known nationally as Wellpoint. It developed a style of "consumer-driven health plans" (the term used to describe programs that encourage the customer to save money by being healthier) that incorporates a one-on-one support system.

To consumers, it could look something like this: A recipient will take an online health test to get a $50 discount on the yearly cost of the plan. Another $100 will be credited by contacting a personal health coach. Another $200 will be credited at the end of the year if that individual meets his or her personal health goals.

If approved, Anthem hopes to offer this to individuals, companies and groups for the 2008 enrollment period.

"What's interesting is Lumenos did a lot of research into exactly how much money it would take to motivate someone to change their behavior," said Judith Jung, a director for Anthem, which runs Colorado and Nevada operations out of Denver. "That's pretty unique."

Besides money, Jung said that health insurance consumers will be impressed by the tools that come with the package.

While Anthem does not offer discounts for company wellness programs, it offers lower rates to groups that use health care less. The lower the risk, the lower the cost, Jung said.

Nevada Cancer Institute says it does get lower rates because of its focus on employee wellness. While most companies saw a 7 to 12 percent rise in insurance rates last year, the institute saw only a 5.5 percent increase.

All-encompassing wellness programs do not have to be expensive. Evidence from the Southern Nevada Health District indicates that companies are working around the cost factor.

The health district just posted its Worksite Wellness kit online in October. Since then, its sections have been downloaded more than 550 times, said Rayleen Earney, health educator.

The kits are free and offer sections on human resources, tobacco prevention, physical activity, nutrition and blood pressure. They are available at www.gethealthyclarkcounty.org; roll the cursor over "Chronic Disease," then click "Worksite Wellness" from a drop-down menu, then click "Worksite Wellness for Employers" for the download page. These include magazine-style tips on veggies or desk exercises.

From a follow-up survey, "We did find out that most kit recipients did not have any wellness programs at their small businesses before receiving the kit," Earney said.

The site promotes other health projects, like the Walk Around Nevada Program and the Nutrition Challenge program.

The office had funding for the first two years to print and send out the Worksite Wellness kits. Now it doesn't allocate money to promote the tips, she said.

But - in the time of rising health care costs - businesses are seeking them out on their own.