“Healthiest Companies in America” Winners Announced by Interactive Health Solutions

Tootsie Roll, Cummins-Allison, and Gallatin Steel Among Winners That Use Population Health Management to Address Employee Health Problems Early and Reduce Healthcare Costs

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Highly measurable progress in reducing medical costs and encouraging employee health through prevention-based healthcare has led 82 firms to be named the “Healthiest Companies in America” for 2008.

The award, based on clinical evaluations of employee participants across an index of key health indicators, was designed by Interactive Health Solutions (IHS), Arlington Heights, Ill., the leading provider of turnkey population health management programs to companies nationwide.

The Healthiest Companies in America for 2008 winners were selected from more than 1,200 organizations that participate in the IHS program. They range from educational facilities and municipalities, to manufacturers and service providers, including well-known corporate brands such as Cummins-Allison Corporation, Gallatin Steel, Takeda Pharmaceuticals and Tootsie Roll Industries.

The Healthiest Companies in America winners have come to realize how Population Health Management differs from more commonly known wellness programs. It is a strategic approach that addresses healthcare concerns before they become issues -- when employees are still at the “no risk” stage. Employees are assessed before they are symptomatic, rather than after they become ill and start incurring medical costs.

“The Healthiest Companies winners provide true preventative care because employers and employees take an active role in their own healthcare through our program, allowing them to assert added control over costs.” according to Jim Banks, IHS CEO.

IHS’ research indicates that in a typical company as many as 58 percent of employees have medical conditions that are unknown and/or not being treated, and require some type of medical intervention. The IHS program serves as a healthcare ‘detective,’ finding symptoms and indicators before they become a treatable disease.

“We work to stop the employee population of our client companies from trickling into the healthcare system due to a lack of preventative care,” says Joe O’Brien, IHS president. “Doctors are not normally paid to prevent diseases, they are called on to treat them. What we are accomplishing with our clients is focusing on healthy people who choose to remain that way.”

Medical problems carry a high price tag in lost productivity and poor service quality. For example:

* Employees who don’t get sick save money in medical costs. IHS calculates that on average, the 2008 Healthiest Companies in America spent $1,280 less per employee on annual healthcare costs.
* Healthy employees perform better on the job. Rates of presenteeism (employees that are at work – but not performing) at the 2008 Healthiest Companies workplaces are 22 percent lower than non-participants.
* Population Health Management helps slow rising healthcare costs. A 2007 study by Zoe Consulting, Inc., Catawba, South Carolina, showed that, for IHS participants, the actual medical cost growth rate was 54 percent less than the medical cost growth rates for non-participants.

IHS’ data also shows that companies with the most unhealthy employees have higher workmen’s compensation and short-term disability costs. Notably, the cost of the entire 12-month IHS preventative care program per employee amounts to less than if an employee had visited his or her physician for one regular check-up.

“IHS is proud to recognize the achievements – and especially, the commitment – of these companies and their employees,” says Banks. “The impact of preventative care extends from the individual employee, who may enjoy a longer, more active life, to the employer, who gains healthier, more productive workers, and an effective means of impacting healthcare costs.”

The two categories of this year’s winners include Most Improved and Healthiest Companies Overall. Winning companies were selected based on best year-to-year aggregate Interactive Health Index (IHI) score improvement and best overall IHI score, respectively. A complete list of winners starts on page four.

Interactive Health Solutions, Inc. (IHS) provides turnkey population health management programs to companies nationwide. Program services are clinically based and fully HIPAA compliant. The year-round IHS program includes annual, on-site Health Evaluations; individualized health goals; in-person courses and online information about specific conditions; as well as full program administration, record keeping and reporting. IHS employs a national staff of medical professionals (physicians, phlebotomists, counselors, nurses and others) that administer the tests. IHS then reviews and recommends courses of action. The company maintains a comprehensive database and a virtual medical file for each participant. For more information, contact IHS at 800-840-6100, or visit www.healthiestcompanies.com.

Attacks on Prevention and Its Role in Health Reform That Make No Sense

Two recent newspaper pieces on prevention by Carla Johnson (Associated Press) and David Harsanyi (Denver Post) repeat some long-standing misperceptions about prevention. Because prevention is central to health reform, it's time to set the record straight.

Both the articles suffer from baby-with-bathwater syndrome, brought on by lumping all kinds of prevention into one big pot. Imprecise language is dangerous, particularly in the realm of policy-making. It leads to fuzzy thinking and that produces bad policy.

Research shows that scientifically sound prevention programs for both individuals and populations improve health and save money. Research also shows that effective prevention programs are targeted. They work because they reach the right people at the right time in the right places with the right interventions. Ironically, both these journalists miss the point that good prevention, like good reporting, addresses the five Ws and an H, just like they were taught in first-year journalism class. Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How are just as fundamental to sound prevention as they are to sound reporting.

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National Business Group on Health Recognizes 63 Large Employers As '2009 Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles' Award Winners

Washington, DC -- The National Business Group on Health (NBGH) is pleased to announce 63 large employers - representing the full spectrum of the US economy - have been recognized as "2009 Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles" award winners for their exceptional commitment to a healthy workplace and for helping their employees and families make better choices about their own health and well-being, the non-profit group announced today. The award-winning large employers are recognized tonight at the National Business Group on Health's Joint Summit of the Institutes on Health Care Costs and Solutions & the Costs and Health Effects of Obesity in Arlington, Virginia.

"We are proud to recognize 63 large employers for their unparalleled commitment to a healthy workplace and for making their employees' health and well-being a top priority," said Helen Darling, President, National Business Group on Health. "Employers know first-hand that a healthy workforce is essential to increasing productivity and to maintaining a competitive edge in the new global economy."

LuAnn Heinen, Vice President, National Business Group on Health, added, "The 2009 class of award-winners is the largest ever, with companies demonstrating an unprecedented breadth and depth of programs to support employee health and wellness. More than ever, employers are making investments that should pay substantial dividends over the long term."

Winners of the 5th Annual "Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles" awards were honored in one of three categories: Platinum, for established "Healthy Weight, Healthy Lifestyles" programs with measurable success and documented outcomes; Gold, for creating cultural and environmental changes that support employees who are committed to long-term behavior changes; and Silver, for employers who have launched programs or services to promote living a healthier lifestyle. Among the noteworthy accomplishments:

- With 63 employers represented, the 2009 award-winning class is the largest ever; number of award-winners grows by 21 percent compared to 2008. As a testament to the increased value employers place on workplace health and wellness programs, the number of award-winning employers in 2009 (a total of 63) grew by 21 percent compared to 2008 when 52 employers were recognized. The 2009 tally is nearly triple the first-year number of employers, 22, who were recognized by NBGH in 2005.

- Seven large employers are first-time "Platinum" award winners. Of the 17 large employers achieving Platinum-level recognition, seven are first-time award winners. Of these, two are first-time applicants. A recurring theme of this year's Platinum-award level winners is a corporate-wide culture of health and specific commitment to improving employees' well-being through healthy choices.


2009 Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles Winners

PLATINUM
Aetna®
Baptist Health South Florida
Campbell Soup Company
CIGNA
Dell Inc.
FPL Group
Hannaford Supermarkets
IBM
Medtronic
Occidental Petroleum Corporation
PepsiCo Inc.
Pitney Bowes Inc.
Quest Diagnostics
Texas Instruments Incorporated
Union Pacific
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, UPMC Health Plan
Volvo Group Companies including Mack Trucks, Inc.

GOLD
American Specialty Health Incorporated
AstraZeneca
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Chrysler Group LLC
Cummins Inc.
CVS Caremark
General Dynamics Electric Boat
General Mills
Healthways
Humana
Intel Corporation
JPMorgan Chase
Mayo Clinic
Paychex, Inc.
Pfizer Inc.
Raytheon Company
Saint-Gobain Corporation
Sprint
The Boeing Company
Unum
Verizon
Visant Corporation
Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
WellPoint, Inc.

SILVER
Accenture
American Express
ARAMARK
Cardinal Health, Inc.
H. J. Heinz Company
Lowe's Companies, Inc.
Meijer
Michelin North America
PRO Sports Club
Qwest Communications
Rockwell Collins
sanofi-aventis U.S.
Target
Texas Health Resources
The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
The Home Depot
Unilever
Watson Wyatt Worldwide
Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company
Xcel Energy

LEANWorks! CDC Introduces New Website to Help Employers Combat Obesity and Reduce Health-Related Costs

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today unveiled LEANWorks!, a Website designed to help businesses address obesity. LEAN stands for Leading Employees to Activity and Nutrition. The new Website was announced at a National Business Group on Health meeting in Washington, D.C.

“CDC LEANWorks! was developed in direct response to organizations asking CDC for help in addressing the obesity epidemic. Specifically they wanted to know what interventions were effective in helping employees maintain a healthy weight,” said William Dietz, M.D., Ph.D., director of CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity. “CDC has identified science-based interventions that work to prevent and control obesity. CDC LEANWorks! provides the tools that employers need to take action.”

The free Website was developed particularly for small and mid-size companies, which typically have more limited resources to devote to obesity prevention efforts. However, the tools and resources available on CDC LEANWorks! can benefit companies of any size. CDC LEANWorks! can help employers calculate the cost of obesity for their organizations and develop tailored approaches to help control these costs through interventions such as fitness classes, lunchtime health education sessions, weight management programs, and more.

The Website provides a variety of resources to employers including:

* An obesity cost-calculator where employers can input employee demographic data to estimate the total costs associated with obesity and determine annual obesity-related medical costs for their companies.
* Information and resources to help employers plan, build, promote, and assess interventions to combat obesity.
* Information on how employers can estimate return on investment, a measure of the cost of an intervention compared to the expected financial return of the intervention.

Obesity is a risk factor for high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and heart disease. Obese individuals spend 77 percent more money for necessary medications than non-obese persons.

“Obesity affects more than just health care costs. It also has a significant impact on worker productivity because the more chronic diseases employees have, the more likely they are to be absent from work, or less productive if they come to work sick,” said Janet Collins, Ph.D., director of CDC’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.

Because organizations do not usually publish information about their worksite programs in the scientific literature, CDC visited select businesses to identify promising worksite obesity prevention and control practices. The CDC LEANWorks! Website provides case studies from some of those businesses to provide examples of successful worksite obesity prevention programs.

“Workplace obesity prevention programs can be an effective way for employers to reduce obesity and lower their health care costs, lower absenteeism and increase employee productivity,” said Dr. Dietz. Employers may also see other indirect benefits when they implement these programs such as improved employee morale, increased worker retention, and improved recruitment of new employees.”

To learn more about CDC LEANWorks! visit www.cdc.gov/leanworks. For more information about CDC’s efforts to combat obesity please visit www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa.

Corporate wellness on chopping block: USA Today

Companies, desperate to slice fat from their budgets during this recession, increasingly are targeting workplace wellness programs.

Smoking cessation and weight-loss programs are among those being considered for the chopping block, says Laurel Pickering, executive director of the New York Business Group on Health, a coalition representing employers on health benefit issues.

“When (companies) are looking for something to cut, and the CFO comes to the HR people and says, “Why should we keep this program?’ it’s difficult for the HR person to say, “It’s important,’ “ Pickering says.

A big problem: It can take years to analyze the impact of these programs, and even then, the return on investment isn’t always clear.

The attack on such programs comes even as political power players, benefits officers and top health care academics aggressively tout workplace wellness as a way to boost productivity and reduce health care costs.

Just last month, President Obama hosted a wellness gathering at the White House with top company executives, as well as union and public health officials, to learn more about such initiatives. He deemed the confab the start of an “ongoing process,” and his advisers have already had a follow-up meeting with corporate and academic experts on the topic.

Other governmental leaders also have latched onto the issue. For instance, a bill making its way through the Senate would give tax credits to firms that offer wellness programs.

But even with all the high-profile attention, some companies have had to revamp those initiatives in the quest for healthier bottom lines.

Pfizer, dealing with the sour economy and a corporate restructuring, scaled back on the monetary incentives it offers employees to participate in its wellness program, says Janet Rodriguez, a senior manager at the company.

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