Hammersley Stone - AGC of Wisconsin

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Adam Jensen Virchow Krause & Company Employee Benefits The time has come to take your wellness initiatives to the next level and incorporate wellness into the corporate strategy of your organization. TO THE POINT: In 1900, the top 3 causes of death in the U.S. were pneumonia, tuberculosis, and diarrhea and enteritis. In 1990, the leading causes of death were tobacco use, diet/activity patterns and alcohol. New England Journal of Medicine 26 Wisconsin Constructor / Issue 1 • 2008 HUMAN RESOURCES Wellness: The Next Evolution Just about everyone in Human Resources and Benefits has heard the statistics, read the articles and attended conferences extolling the virtues of wellness programs. However, the days of wellness fairs and occasional wellness-related communications are over. The time has come to take your wellness initiatives to the next level and incorporate wellness into the corporate strategy of your organization and design a health and productivity management model. If conventional wisdom asserts that 20% of a population drives 80% of an organization’s claims and that 50% of the detriments to one’s health are caused by the decisions one makes, what can employers do to start impacting the negative choices being made by employees, looking at both short-term and longterm ramifications and therefore affect- ing not only their healthcare costs but also their bottom line? It is important to point out that those negative behaviors do not only affect an organization’s healthcare costs but reduced productivity and increased absenteeism are also direct results of employee’s bad decisions related to their health. Most employers have the foundation in place to care for those employees who access the healthcare system. These days, case management, disease management programs and predictive modeling are industry norms for insurance carriers and third party administrators. However, it is imperative that employers start addressing the population who is not accessing the healthcare system today, but will likely need care in the future. The Healthcare Continuum Reviewing the healthcare continuum (above), the goal of a health and productivity model is to maintain the health of the population in the low risk or well category and changing the behaviors of the population in the “At Risk” category so they don’t move to the next level. Your claims data will identify claims dollars being spent today and you can probably even identify which claims are related to lifestyle choices. The problem, however, is that there is already a claim – someone has entered the healthcare system. The goal of a health and productivity model is
TO THE POINT: Researchers have estimated that preventable illnesses make up approximately 70% of the burden of illness and its associated costs. New England Journal of Medicine to affect change on your population before they incur a claim. Identifying risky choices or behaviors is the first step in determining where an organization can impact its employees. A comprehensive health risk assessment including biometric measures such as cholesterol levels, body fat testing and blood pressure will identify areas where wellness initiatives will succeed. The biometric tests compliment the self-reporting nature of the questionnaire that is included in an HRA. Follow up to the HRAs can include telephonic coaching to employees, seminars, education, low-level interventions and incentives for participation and behavior changes. The good news is that this process does not need to be as daunting as it may appear. Specialty wellness companies are available to walk you through the process and develop a complete wellness strategy. In addition, your Virchow Krause Employee Benefits professional can assist you and your organization in developing a comprehensive health and productivity strategy. ■ Adam P. Jensen, Senior Consultant with Virchow Krause Employee Benefits, LLC, has worked in the insurance and employee benefits industry since 1986. Adam leads Virchow Krause Employee Benefits’ Regulatory Compliance resource management team. He is the co-leader of the Tribal Practice Group, and is a member of the firm’s International Employee Benefits Practice Group. Virchow Krause has been a member of AGC of Wisconsin since 1986. Hausmann-Johnson Insurance… Your Bonding Experts Since 1925 PAT MCKENNA, DIRECTOR OF SURETY THE PREFERRED SURETY AGENT OF BOTH CONTRACTORS AND SURETIES pat.mckenna@hausmann-johnson.com (608) 252-9661 700 Regent Street Madison, Wisconsin Wisconsin Constructor / Issue 1 • 2008 27
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