D&E in the News
07-22-07 - Wellness in the works
Centre Daily Times
Jennifer Thomas
Ron Horton has more energy these days- and both he and his employer have a little more cash because of it.
D&E Communications, along with such local employers as Omega Financial Corp. and Centre County government, are among a growing number of companies using wellness programs to entice workers to get healthier and keep down soaring health care costs.
Horton, a network technician from Stormstown based in D&E's State College office, said he was working to lose weight before D&E launched its wellness program. The program has helped him maintain focus in his health.
Now he exercises most days, tries to watch what he eats, and has realized that a visit to the doctor for an annual physical- with a paid day off- is in his best interest. "It gives me the opportunity," he said of the company's program. "At first I thought it was kind of hindrance. This year I've changed my tune."
By participating in Highmark Blue Shield's new lifestyle returns concept, D&E saves almost $100,000 a year in health insurance premium costs, said Donna Schreck, employee benefits administrator.
Participating employees- and 99perecnet of D&E employees have committed to the program- saw their health insurance costs go down by $200 a year.
"If you choose not to participate, you're going to be impacting yourself, not the rest of your co-workers," Schreck said.
The five-step program starts with the pledge to improve personal health behaviors. There's also a health risk assessment, which offers each employee a personalized report, and preventative care in the form of an annual physical exam.
"We're looking for individuals to be more engaged and more active in the health piece," said Judy Naylor, vice president of human relations. "All the steps really support each other."
Along with lower health care and insurance costs, benefits of wellness programs can include decreased absenteeism, lower injury rates and improved performance and productivity, said Robert L. Dawson, president and CEO, HealthAmerica and HealthAssurance in e-mail.
Insurance claims by employees who are active have gone down in all areas, including hospital and clinic and prescription drug claim, he wrote.
"Employers now overwhelmingly believe there should be a difference in benefits or costs based on an employee's involvement in managing chronic conditions," Dawson wrote, citing the results of a survey by United Benefit Advisors, an alliance of national employee benefits advisors.
Omega Financial Corp., in a health risk assessment, found a chronic condition, cardiovascular disease, was the number one issue among its employees.
The survey, part of its wellness program with HealthAmerica, found that the top four issues among employees were obesity, stress, poor nutrition, and inactivity- all factors in cardiovascular disease.
Cardiovascular disease and treatments are "exactly what our employees are using the benefits for," Chris Marshall, vice president, director of human resources for O mega Financial Corp.
No Big Investment
While some businesses- such as Minitab, Restek, Mount Nittany Medical Center- have incorporated fitness facilities into their workplaces, wellness programs don't necessarily require big investments in equipment or facilities.
Omega launched its effort to combat rising costs in 2005 with a 12-week program that encouraged employees to walk 10,000 steps daily, Marshall Said.
"We just wanted to get people up and moving," she said. The long-term goals are much bigger: reducing the costs of health care premiums, healthier employees, and fewer sick days. "It's kind of a leap of faith," she said. "You go into it with some long-term goals."
Omega saw a discount of 2 to 3% on its premium for 2006. It had not rate increase this year and is on target for the same in 2008, Marshall said.
Omega also found success with its Weight Watchers-at-work program, with more than 50 participants shedding a collective 1,300-plus pounds.
A spring wellness campaign focused on education, including cholesterol, skin cancer screenings, and promoting healthy snacking, Marshall said.
A Small workout room at the main office offers employees there access to exercise bikes, treadmills and elliptical machines. But part of the challenge has been finding programs that allow participation by employees at more than 60 locations, she said.
That led to this summer's Great Omega Race, an event that combines physical activity and education in an effort for employees to log the equivalent of 1,044 miles- the distance between all Omega branches.
Marshall said 259 of about 725 employees are participating the response has been enthusiastic, with some eager teams finishing the 12-week race in three weeks.
"It's crating an awareness," Marshall said. "If nothing else, that's important."
AccuWeather Inc. decided it was critical for employees to balance nutrition and fitness, said Michelle Katz, staffing manager. AccuWeather has a fitness center, to which it's been adding equipment to make it more accessible to the company's 350 employees locally. It's started a company newsletter and intranet and has tweaked the offerings in its vending machines to provide healthier options. It is working with its insurance provider, Highmark, to design a wellness program.
"It's challenging because we're about 24/7 operation," she said. But Katz said that the company is seeing results in its insurance costs.
"In that respect we're not seeing an increase," she said.
Wellness worth
Companies and organizations implementing and sustaining a comprehensive, long term work-site wellness program can see a financial return of $2 to $8 for every dollar invested, said Richard A. Saar, Regional Preventative Health Lead for Highmark Blue Shield in an e-mail.
More people seem to be responding to these initiatives and are taking control over their own personal health, said Danielle Hack, a consulting registered dietitian for East Coast Health and Fitness who speaks about nutrition and wellness to local groups.
"It's giving an option especially in a working atmosphere, for people to be able to devote time to making their bodies healthier," she said.
Hack, a Penn State graduate student, oversaw a wellness program on Penn State's campus to help cafeteria workers in Pollock Dining Commons lose weight.
She said while the wellness initiative offer accompany-wide support, which can push people to get involved, it's vital to find what will motivate each person to change- whether it be the desire to live longer, or to look better for an upcoming event.
Robin Weikel's goal was to lose weight in time to see his son get married on July 7. Weikel, vice president and regional Controller for Omega Financial, lost 53 pounds in 19 weeks by participating in Omega's Weight Watchers at work program. He said he doubts he would have joined Weight Watchers if it hadn't been offered during the workday. "I think the timing was jut right for me," he said. "It was a great vehicle for me to help to stay motivated."
The father from Zion said he's gotten back into working out after years of standing on the sidelines as a spectator. While he didn't feel bad before, he feels better now.
"I know it's given me more energy," he said "I think it's become kind of a lifestyle change now."
Wellness no cost
It's not as easy for all employers to offer wellness programs. Centre County government is working to tackle wellness without a budget after an increase in premiums for HealthAmerica, said county Risk Management. Coordinator Deborah McHugh. The voluntary, county-created program sprang out of a discussion last spring with county commissioners.
"It's the fine line of getting people involved at no cost to the county and trying to save money," she said. "It's exciting because we're doing it."
Since its launch last June with a picnic, employee's use of health insurance has begun to trend down, McHugh said.
An Intranet Web site focused on wellness, with newsletters, fun tops, calculators and program information, is now available to county employees. McHugh sends out a daily wellness tip each morning and a monthly newsletter is produced.
Programs for employees, such as Brown Bag Lunch Series, are often held during the lunch hour. Others take place before or after work, McHugh said.
But participation has so far been lackluster, she said.
"That's where we've had trouble," she said. "It picks up and then it drifts off."
Only about a dozen of the county's almost 800 employees actively take part, although McHugh said some are doing the steps without formally participating.
She said personal schedules and the need to change attitudes about health and wellness are the biggest obstacles. People need to realize that any activity, such as hailing the trash to the curb or doing laundry, is a step to being fit as well, McHugh said.
"You don't have to jog three miles a day. You can do things within your home that you normally do and get the exercise."