Online Extra: Here's to Your Health  For small-business owners
seeking to control soaring health-care costs, employees who
neglect their health can be time bombs waiting to explode. Why?
Managed-care companies set premiums based on an entire group's
claims history. If just one of your workers has a serious heart
problem, you can wind up with higher rates for years.  That's
why a growing number of entrepreneurs are setting up employee
wellness programs. Such programs generally consist of providing
your staff with free annual health-screenings to check for
warning signs like high-cholesterol and high-blood pressure-
conditions which can portend serious problems down the road.
Many business-owners also give employees incentives to reach
specific health-related goals.  About 25% of health plans
provide screenings. Even if yours doesn't, a wellness program
doesn't have to be expensive. Many local hospitals will
administer the exams for as little as $10-$40 per worker. Dr.
David Hunnicutt is president of the Wellnes