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Idaho Department Of Insurance Cannot Predict Ongoing Cost Of Health Exchange
Nov 2011 – The Idaho Reporter (11/18, Hurst) reports that at yesterday's "meeting of the Idaho Health Care Task Force...Idaho Department of Insurance Director Bill Deal told lawmakers that he doesn't know how much it will cost to run a state-based insurance exchange.
Healthcare Reform – Individual Mandate Health Insurance
July 2010 – Effective January 1st, 2014, "applicable individuals" will be required to maintain "minimum essential coverage" for themselves and their dependents. "Applicable individuals" who fail to maintain "minimum essential coverage" will be required to pay a "penalty" on their tax return.
NIHN Prescription Assistance Program
October 2009 – Working to optimize health and promoting solutions designed to achieve high quality, cost-effective health care, North Idaho Health Network is partnering with MEDPro ( a corporate affiliate of Design Benefits) to add a Prescription Assistance Program to the services they offer their 270 member physicians and five member hospitals in the five Northern Counties of Idaho.
A Healthy Solution to Rising Healthcare Premiums
In 2007, premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance rose an average of 6.1 percent, higher than the increase in workers’ wages (3.7 percent) or the overall inflation rate (2.6 percent), according to the 2007 Employer Health Benefits Survey released by the Kaiser Family Foundation and Health Research and Educational Trust.
The average premium for employer provided family medical coverage in 2007 was $12,106. Workers on average now pay $3,281 out of their paychecks to cover their share of the cost of a family policy.
Since the success of any company depends heavily on the peak performance and productivity of its employees, corporate health and wellness programs are becoming an integral part in managing escalating health care costs to slow or prevent the growth of an unhealthy employee population.
More than ever employer groups need solutions to help rein in the cost of avoidable health risks like diabetes for example - Poor diet and lack of exercise has left 66% of U.S. adults overweight. This epidemic alone has cost U.S. companies an estimated $12.7 billion annually and has recorded higher employee absenteeism and lower productivity.
"The damage caused by obesity is clear -- employers face growing costs for insurance premiums, as well as lost productivity, and employees face serious work and health concerns,” said Robin Hertz, Ph.D., Senior Director of Population Studies at Pfizer Inc and author of the study. "So it is worthwhile -- and in their own interest -- for employers to implement workplace health programs to encourage healthy eating habits and exercise. And employees should welcome an environment that is conducive to healthy living and positive support"
"We offer an interactive MyWellChoice++ online health and wellness program that engages individuals in activities promoting physical fitness, nutritious eating habits and behavioral management for a healthy lifestyle."
A wellness program makes an impact on health care costs and productivity by saving valuable dollars for the employer and protecting premium dollars for the health plan.
We offer an interactive MyWellChoice+ online health and wellness program that engages individuals in activities promoting physical fitness, nutritious eating habits and behavioral management for a healthy lifestyle. Members answer a series of questions based upon personal and family history known as the Health Risk Assessment (HRA) and in-turn receive a comprehensive report that defines their current health status and risk profile.
Through experience and research it’s been determined that member success is achieved through a behavioral change model of Plan, Coach and Reward. Each member receives a highly customized fitness, nutrition and life-skills plan and is given support and encouragement through outreach e-mails and on-site visits. Members who make progress toward achieving their goal qualify for prize drawings and earn valuable points that can be redeemed for merchandise.
The online MyWellChoice+ program is comprised of interactive web-based components that are personalized and customized for each individual member.
Get FIT – Exercise
- Customizes a cardiovascular, strength and flexibility plan
- Provides a virtual demonstration of each exercise in technically accurate 3-D animations
- Integrates with the nutrition plan
- Calculates daily caloric burn rate automatically
- Determines amount of calories burned through completion of workout
- Updates automatically when changes are made to the plan
Eat FIT – Nutrition
- Integrates with the GetFIT exercise plan
- Personalizes a daily nutrition plan
- Provides recommended calorie intake
- Recommends number and size of servings from all major food groups
- Allows food consumption to be reported through multiple methods
- Recommends daily meals and/or the ability to create their own
- Calculates and compares daily intake to recommended intake automatically
- Adjusts recommendations according to activity levels
- Provides menus and shopping lists
Live FIT – Self-Improvement/Life Management
- Focuses on community and core values in a personalized self-improvement plan
- Provides stress and anxiety management
- Helps build and strengthen coping skills, such as optimism, listening, gratitude and friendship
- Instills a positive sense of life balance
- Helps individuals effectively deal with life’s challenges
Family FIT, Teen FIT, Kid FIT – Health and Wellness practices for all family members
- Teaches and promotes proper nutrition through the use of the Nutritional Navigator
- Encourages physical activity and life management skills through the use of the Activity Calendar
- Advocates and teaches healthy practices through games, quizzes and activities located in the Fun Zone
- Offers exciting rewards and prizes for making progress towards reaching their goals
Motivational Tools and Resources
Coaching: Personal interaction with health & wellness professionals
- Allows you to ask personal trainers, dieticians & psychologists your wellness questions
- Sends personalized responses in 24 hours or less
Clubhouse: Online health and wellness resource
- Provides access to over 1,000 articles & recipes
- Offers instruction on proper nutrition & fitness
Virtual Trainer: An animated coach who conducts virtual exercise demonstrations
- Teaches members how to properly execute each exercise & avoid injury
- Includes hundreds of cardiovascular, strength & flexibility exercises
Reward: Win prizes just for staying healthy!
- Allows you to purchase items with points earned in the program
- Provides opportunity to win monthly and/or quarterly contests
To ensure optimal results our wellness program supports the employer by providing:
- Program Customization that recognizes the unique culture of each employer, every program is customized to a client’s individual preferences. Clients have the opportunity to hand-pick the tools and services they want included in their wellness package.
- Print-ready posters, emails, banners, pay-check stuffers, newsletters and flyers; all customized with the client’s name/brand, colors, logos and log-in steps to the program.
- An online, real-time report that can be accessed at any time with the use of a password. The report provides core data such as product utilization and member enrollment, as well as additional data requested by the client.
- A “global Health Risk Assessment report” that provides a snapshot of your employees’ health. (Due to HIPPA restrictions this report is provided to groups with 50 or more employees. This report, when done on at least an annual basis provides the employer with tracking that demonstrates the improvement of your employee’s health and help to quantify the Return on Investment (ROI) of your wellness program.
- Reward packages may be customized as an incentive to employees who make an on-going commitment to healthier living.
- Technology to integrate with current log-in and access systems, providing a seamless, user friendly approach to member/employee access and security.
- The opportunity to private label their online health and wellness solution
Employer Case Study:
In January of 2003, within a statistically significant employee population for a 15 month period, cholesterol; BMI (Body Mass Index); medical claims and pharmaceutical costs along with productivity and absenteeism were tracked. There was a considerable improvement in all areas and the results of this study contributed to the receipt of the Institute for Health and Productivity Management (IHPM) Leadership Award.
Among employees who used the Wellness program:
Total cholesterol was decreased by 8%
Average BMI was reduced by 3.23 points
Medical claims were diminished by 29%
Pharmaceutical costs declined by 71%
Productivity increased by 23%
Unscheduled days off were fewer by 77%
With companies utilizing this technology, such as PacifiCare, Coventry, HCSC and JC Penney, this wellness program has a proven track record in the health and wellness industry. Since its debut in the market place in early 2001 this program has touched the lives of over 20 million participants.
Adding a wellness program to your company’s benefit portfolio is an excellent way to save valuable health care dollars while providing employees with an opportunity to be healthier happier people and in turn more productive employees.
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