EAGAN, Minn., Sept. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (Blue Cross) has launched BluePrint for Health custom solutions, the only integrated, measurable employee health assessment/coaching program in the market -- designed to proactively engage employees to take an active role in their health and change their behaviors.
"Custom solutions helps companies improve the health of their employees, not just treat their illnesses," explained Dr. James Woodburn, disease management medical director for Blue Cross, adding that it supports healthy employees as well as those with existing health conditions. "Creating and maintaining a healthy workplace is key to attracting and retaining employees as well as managing health care costs. Custom solutions enables companies to measure improvements in their work forces' well being year-after-year."
Custom solutions consists of four components: 1) a voluntary online health personal profile assessment initiated by the employee; 2) an individual tailored report sent to each employee; 3) proactive engagement of employees to participate in follow-up health programs; 4) employee participation tracking.
The personal profile assesses 23 health topics such as exercise, nutrition, safety, and behavior change with a specific emphasis on employee productivity and mental health. The employee will receive an instant online report indicating their wellness score, explaining what it means and letting them know what they can do to improve their health. Tailored action plans are created for employees based on their readiness to change. The report includes a personalized home page, meal and fitness planners, a program scorecard and weekly reminder e-mails. Action plan programs include "Easy Start," "Healthier Diet," "Weight Loss," "Get in Shape," "Stress Relief," "Healthy Aging" and "Disease Fighting."
The assessment helps direct employees to existing health improvement programs, such as Blue Cross' groundbreaking disease management program that has proven to reduce emergency room visits and hospital stays for employees. In addition, several new components have been added, such as health club discounts and phone counseling for weight loss, nutrition and other health goals.
To encourage employees to complete follow-up programs, employers can sponsor an incentive such as cash rewards, health club discounts, and benefit enhancements such as reduced premiums or partially funding a health expense account for copays or prescription drugs.
Blue Cross is so confident in the program's ability to impact health care costs, that it is offering the program to its own employees this fall. "We are excited to offer these tools to our own employees because we believe that over the long term, employees who are more engaged in their health will be healthier, more productive and ultimately help mitigate health care cost trends," said Roger Kleppe, vice president of human resources for Blue Cross.
Companies receive an aggregate report analyzing the overall health of their workforce with recommendations to help support employees as they complete programs. Additionally, the company continues to receive reports that allow them to actually measure improvements year-after-year. A sample copy of the report given to company management can be accessed by calling 651-662-2010.
BluePrint for Health custom solutions is available for employer groups to purchase beginning this month, with implementation of employee assessments beginning in January.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, with headquarters in the St. Paul suburb of Eagan, was chartered in 1933 as Minnesota's first health plan and continues to carry out its charter mission today: to promote a wider, more economical and timely availability of health services for the people of Minnesota. A not-for-profit, taxable organization, Blue Cross is the largest health plan based in Minnesota, covering 2.6 million members in Minnesota and nationally through its health plans or plans administered by its affiliated companies. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, headquartered in Chicago.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of MinnesotaCONTACT: Joel Swanson, +1-651-662-2882, pager, +1-651-629-3961, orKarl Oestreich, +1- 651-662-1502, pager, +1-651-610-7422, both of Blue Cross
