The average annual payment from large U.S. companies for heart related insurance claims are $4,639! Find out here how you can help lower these costs for your company.
Why Do Heart Disease and Stroke Matter to You? In an analysis of insurance claims of about 4 million individuals from large U.S. companies, annual average payments for heart related claims were $4,639 per patient, more than double the average payment of $2,230 for all conditions examined! - Goetzel, Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 45 (1), 5-14, 1999
Heart Disease and Stroke are the leading causes of death in Utah and in the nation. Together, they account for more deaths than the next three causes combined. Both of these diseases also account for a large number of disabilities. For companies that provide insurance to their employees, this translates into a lot of money towards heart disease and stroke care and a lot of lost time and wages for employees who suffer from these diseases or whose family members suffer from them. Employees with one or more risk factors for heart disease and stroke are much more costly to employers than those with no risk factors.
Who Can Help Lower the Risks of Heart Disease and Stroke for Your Employees? There are many people in the community who can help lower your costs for heart disease and stroke.
Government can create laws that affect the health of employess; examples include anti-tobacco and seatbelt laws.
Employees' families influence what they eat as well as their level of physical activity
Communities provide ways to get excercise and nutritious foods
All of these combined can help employees to be healthier but you as an employer have the attention of your employees about 40 hours a week. That is almost one fourth of their week spent in the workplace. The example you set in your worksite has great power to influence them to make healthy decisions.
Many companies in the United States and in Utah have taken the initiative to help their employees be healthier.
Here in Utah:
Owner's Resorts and Exchange: Employees bought pedometers and were able to "walk to the resorts" by keeping track of the number of miles they walked- the furthest away is in Hawaii and the first people to get there received awards.
Cream O' Weber : Held an event in which participants could choose different wellness activities in conjunction with the Salt Lake Marathon.
Salt Lake Valley Emergency Communications Center : Hosts several wellness activities throughout the year for employees. Participants earn points for each activity, their health insurance cost is reduced based on the number of points they earn.
WesTech Engineering : Changed the contents of their vending machines to be healthier.
BD Medical :
Has a team of health and wellness professionals who offer a holistic approach to health. The team includes an on-site care manager from their insurance company, a fitness specialist, part time Employee Assitance Program (EAP) counselor and physical therapist and an occupational health nurse. The team runs an incentive wellness program, a 24-hour fitness facility, and provides disease management and health education for individuals and select groups of associates with chronic disease.
If you would like us to feature your company on this webpage, please email us your healthy worksite story .Don't forget to include your contact information.
Across the Nation :
Highsmith Co. :Have reduced health insurance premiums for healthy employees.
Fieldale Farms:Ensures employees get the best health insurance benefits they can for heart disease and also are in direct contact with hospitals and their employee clinic to make certain that the employees are getting good care. They also provide mobile screenings and personalized follow-up care.
Duke University :Provides in person and telephone based personal health counseling.
Johnson & Johnson :Offers incentives for completing a health risk assessment. They also offer tobacco cessation benefits. The tobacco cessation benefits included classes, having a stop smoking coach and the use of medications to help the smoker stop.
What Can You Do Now?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention researched creation of heart healthy workplaces and found the following to be most beneficial:
Smoke-free policies and tobacco cessation services
Health education classes and support groups with individual goal setting
Low-cost nutritious food in cafeterias and snack bars; point-of-purchase information
Places for physical activity: marked walking paths, signage to encourage stair use, health clubs/gyms
Wellness messages-warning signs and symptoms of heart attack and stroke, and when to call 9-1-1
The Utah Department of Health Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program has developed several tools to help you create a more heart healthy worksite. If you would like more information on creating a heart healthy workplace. Check out our available resources to get started.
