ENHANCED WELLNESSPROGRAMS
Greendale School District
Erin Gauthier-Green
Director of Business Services
egauthier@greendale.k12.wi.us
Health care system in US is“disease care” NOT health care
How to convince unions and Boardsto do a lifestyle management/wellnessprogram??
The US: home of the Whopperand Super Gulp
Two outevery threeAmericansareoverweight
OBESITY
•Adds 20 years ofaging comparable tochronic disease
•Adds 30 years in termsof quality of life
•90% includes diabetes
10% of the population incurs70% of the health care costs
In the US the major drivers of cost are:
•Depression
•Hypertension (blood pressure)
•Diabetes
•Heart disease
•Asthma
Major drivers of disease
• Tobacco use
•Sedentarylifestyle
•Poor nutrition
•Stress
“Negotiating changes in healthcare benefits are not for the faintof heart”
Get past the entitlementmentality!
• Insurance committee- with union
• Statement of benefits and letters ofstate of the health insurance world
• Stress the partnership – we’re in thistogether!
Most staff have no idea what truebenefits cost !!
•At Greendale SD, health insurance up 50%in 3 yrs
•Up 357% in ten years, from $306/mo to$1400/mo family plan
•South east Wisconsin has highest healthcosts in nation!
Labor smackdown will not be thebest strategy to solve health care
TRY THESE:
•Educate them that up to 70% of disease islifestyle- caused
•“Incent” staff into programs
•$3-$6 payback for every $1 invested inworksite wellness
•Consumer driven plans with more upfrontcost (don’t cut out preventive care)
•Educate that programs will reduce sickleave, worker comp, disability AND addenergy!
Most promising in addressinghealth costs today:
•Individual followup- disease or caremanagement
•Health risk appraisals and screens
•Wellness communications
•Offer programs on site
•Weight loss offered on site with groups
•Offering incentives to those who DO IT
Don’t forget “mental health” !
•Important to educators
•Drugs to regulatemood are in high useamong educators, suchas Prozac, Paxil, etc.
•Use EAP programs
•Offer speakers onmental health topics
•Much overeating isemotional based
Local manufacturer has a twohour mandatory session for allnew staff that covers:
•Domesticviolence
•Depression
•Alcoholism
Health risk assessments showGreendale’s major issues are:
•Weight
•Sedentary lifestyle
•Hypertension issues
GSD worksite wellness programRX: Health!
Employee commits to:
• No tobacco use
•Exercise 3 x/week and log it with us
•Take on site blood/health screen for lipids,weight, blood pressure and health risk asses.
•Take age appropriate health screens
•Follow-up disease management for chronicdiseases
Greendale’s program
•Teachers pay 12% of total health premium,or about $2000/year
•If they join Rx: Health! they get a 1%reduction, about $160/year savings
•99% of teachers joined
Average employee contribution in US is$4500/year
Rx: Health’s offerings
•Program adddresses mind/body/healthconnection with offerings on site anddiscounts negotiated with village (massage)
•Weight watchers on site
•Life issue sessions: caregiving, type 2diabetes, depression, retirement,women/men’s health issues
Rx:Health!
•Fitness center open for staff and manypark/rec offerings on site
•Ergonomic program and evaluations
•Pedometer’s available to staff for $10.50
•On-site health screens for blood lipid, bloodpressure, weight
•Negotiated discounts at local health clubs
•Food service dept is a PLAYER in health
District runs Park and Rec forVillage of Greendale
Added classes for staff at schoolsafter hours
Increased offerings
One year results= risk reduced !
•7% less sick leaveused
•690 pounds lost bystaff (300 insureds)
•99% of staff signed onto program withincentive of 1%($160/yr)
Why the success?
•Program started collaboratively with union
•Stated goal is to give staff “permission” totake care of themselves-- TAKE TIME
•Easy access on site
•Cost has been $6000 for year one, includingpedometers, health screens, speakers
•Involved school nurse, park/rec, phy ed,food service, worker comp coordinator
NEXT STEPS???
•Convene a group in southeast Wisc and inGreendale community to partner with WEAand Aurora on maximizing our resourcesfrom these groups re WELLNESS!!
•Review baseline data from U. of Michiganfrom Health Risk Assessment to driveprogramming
•Look at hiring a (part time)nurse practionerto deal with on-going disease monitoringand education, and minor health issues