Expanded UnitedHealth Wellness Program Helps Businesses Control Costs by Keeping Employees Healthy (press release)

Wednesday, June 29, 2005 by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger Editor of NaturalNews.com (See all articles...) Tags: corporate wellness, wellness programs, health news

https://www.naturalnews.com/009033.html

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Determined to wrestle its spiraling health care costs, Lanco turned to its insurance provider, UnitedHealthcare, to analyze its cost drivers. After discovering that back injuries and mental health claims were higher than expected, UnitedHealthcare helped Lanco launch a wellness program that changed employees' behaviors, ultimately improving their individual well-being and reducing Lanco's expenses at the same.

"Our employees are happier and more vocal about their needs," said John Boquist, Lanco's vice president of human resources. "We're trying to control something that most people think is uncontrollable. It's a nice team effort between all of us at Lanco and UnitedHealthcare."

Inspired by this example and many others like it, UnitedHealthcare is equipping employers and their workers with a comprehensive new tool to promote health and well-being. UnitedHealth Wellness(SM), its newly expanded wellness program, is designed to deliver health benefits and cost savings for individuals through a myriad of wellness services and a comprehensive discount program on health care services such as laser vision surgery. In addition, it is expected to help employers reduce absenteeism, increase productivity and job performance, reduce short-term disability and medical costs and improve employee job satisfaction and retention rates.

"UnitedHealthcare has long recognized the value of wellness programs that address not only physical well-being but also mental and emotional needs," said David Ellis, M.D., national medical director for Clinical Solutions at UnitedHealthcare. "Through UnitedHealth Wellness, we have brought together the full range of our existing wellness services with innovative and easy-to-use new tools and services into a single, comprehensive program designed to help people live healthier, well-rounded lives."

Dr. Ellis said the need for such a holistic approach to improving overall health and well-being is supported by a wide range of studies that have found, for example:

    • Chronic diseases related to lifestyle account for 70 percent of total health care spending.

    • Poor eating habits and lack of physical activity result in 400,000 U.S. deaths per year.

    • Better diet and exercise could reduce cancer rates 30 percent to 40 percent, or 300 million cases worldwide.

    • Obesity affects 59 million Americans, or 31 percent of all adults and 15 percent of children.

    • A large proportion of diseases and disorders, such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and colon cancer are preventable.

    • Many modifiable health risks such as lack of exercise, poor nutrition, obesity, stress and smoking are associated with increased health care costs.

    • Modifiable health risks can be improved through workplace-sponsored preventive medicine and health promotion programs. "UnitedHealth Wellness is just one more step UnitedHealthcare is taking to encourage people to become more proactive in their own health and well-being and make better, more informed choices," said Dr. Ellis. "And by helping each individual achieve improved health and well-being, effective wellness programs such as UnitedHealth Wellness ultimately help reduce medical costs and make health care more affordable and accessible for all Americans."

Healthy offerings promote wellness

UnitedHealth Wellness offerings range from personal health assessment tools to discounts on health-related products and services. The program, which is available at no additional cost to most customers enrolled in UnitedHealthcare plans, is currently being rolled out to new and renewing customers.

UnitedHealth Wellness features several new components:

    • MyRenewell.com(SM) is an Internet-based total well-being program focused on fitness, nutrition and personal development. The Web site features interactive tools, including a total well-being survey; a wellness library with more than 20,000 scientifically researched articles; a marketplace with discounts for services such as health club memberships, fitness gear, weight loss programs and inspirational books and music; an interactive Pathways tool that enables people to set, monitor and reach health and fitness goals; quizzes, calculators and assessment tools for evaluating health and wellness; and journaling capabilities for tracking healthy lifestyle changes.

    • UnitedHealth Allies(SM) provides average discounts of up to 50 percent on many health care services not typically covered by medical, dental and vision plans. Individuals can save on chiropractic services, acupuncture and massage therapy, cosmetic dentistry, hearing devices, long-term care programs and laser vision correction.

    • Online Health Improvement Programs help individuals make lifestyle changes and achieve health objectives in targeted areas. Individuals can choose from among a variety of six-week programs; core program elements include healthy diet planning, a daily exercise program and tools and resources that promote improved health and well-being.

    • Online Personal Health Manager enables customers to securely record information about their health status or conditions, document medical contacts, create an emergency medical wallet card, store information from doctor visits, and print reports for their records. The tool allows the customer to grant access to individuals they approve, such as physicians, health care professional and family members. Among the nationally known vendors offering discounts to UnitedHealthcare customers through UnitedHealth Wellness are Danskin, NordicTrack, Reebok, Franklin Covey, Mother Nature, Denise Austin - Fit Forever and Jenny Craig.

The new program components join an already extensive set of UnitedHealthcare health and wellness services, including:

    • NurseLine health information lines and employee assistance programs for family and relationship issues, work-related concerns, financial and legal needs, and stress and personal concerns

    • A healthy pregnancy program

    • A Reminders program, which generates reminders for preventive care and health screenings

    • liveandworkwell.com, a Web site devoted to mental health issues

    • Health and wellness publications, including self-care books and newsletters

    • Employee Health Management Solutions, a customized workplace management program that includes a health assessment survey, lifestyle intervention programs and coaching and a participation incentive program

UnitedHealthcare customers can access UnitedHealth Wellness tools and information 24 hours a day, seven days a week through www.unitedhealthwellness.com and myuhc.com(R), the company's consumer Web service and information portal.