Managed Care - February 2008 - (Page 38) past four years. But don’t ask for proof that will satisfy an accountant. “That’s calculated,” Young readily acknowledges, “not measured.” IBM also likes to quote a figure from the Wellness Councils of America: You can save $3 for every $1 spent on wellness. plan. But we’re not out to penalize anyone. So now we’re writing letters, telling them we’ve extended the deadline.” For Hannaford and other companies with highprofile wellness programs, bending over backwards is just another required daily exercise when you’re out to persuade a large workforce to live well. MC Get the bosses on board Union Pacific is another company that uses cash to attract participants. Managers can get $300 for their health savings accounts by joining the wellness program. Rank-and-file workers are in the union, which negotiates its health benefits industrywide. For them, there are prizes: Key chains, pens, and gift certificates. For those that get involved, there are also opportunities to work out in a string of gyms, and there are online interventions involving self-help guides and interactive videos. A health coach from Healthways can talk to them on the phone. Again, you won’t find definitive proof, but there is a trend. Back in 1990, Union Pacific concluded that 29 percent of its claims were related to avoidable lifestyle characteristics such as smoking or obesity. Recent modified versions of the same survey indicate that the line is now holding at 19 percent to 20 percent — not bad in an aging population that covers the continent. “We’re 50,000 employees in 23 states,” says Jackie Austad, Union Pacific’s wellness director, “some in large commercial operations like Houston and Los Angeles and others in places like Green River, Wyoming. We’re creating an environment to say we’re here to support you.” And when it comes time for a health screening, managers are expected to take part to help show that they’re committed. It’s never easy, though, when a company aims to interest a high percentage of workers with its good intentions. Entering its eighth year pushing wellness, Hannaford still has an annual tug of war with a host of procrastinators who drag their feet in getting their annual health assessment in. “The deadline for the annual assessment was the last day in December,” Udeh says with a sigh, “and we still have 2,000 out of 12,000 employees that haven’t done it. That could be a lot of revenue for us. We could instantly pour that into the health Did you miss? William Winkenwerder, MD James Schibanoff, MD Jonathan Weiner, DrPH Emad Rizk, MD Michael Millenson James E. Hartert, MD Jeanne Scott Arthur Caplan, PhD Molly Coye, MD, MPH Newt Gingrich David M. Lawrence, MD, MPH Paul Ellwood, MD Paul Ginsburg, PhD Donald M. Berwick, MD George J. Isham, MD, MS Gail R. Wilensky, PhD We don’t run our Question and Answer feature every month. That’s because we don’t talk to just anybody. Read these interviews at www.managedcaremag.com Care M A N A G E D Just search for the subject’s last name. All of our past articles are free on the Web. 38 MANAGED CARE / FEBRUARY 2008 http://www.managedcaremag.com http://www.managedcaremag.com
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.