Overview
More than 31 percent of Oregon’s employed, insured adults have an ongoing health condition like arthritis, asthma, diabetes or heart disease. Evidence-based chronic disease prevention, education and self-management programs can help contain health care costs, increase employee productivity and morale, and decrease absenteeism. Employees who take a more active role in their health and make healthier lifestyle choices will reduce the disabling effects of ongoing health conditions.
To help employees and dependents take charge of chronic conditions, provide the following evidence-based chronic disease management benefits or services:
Health Risk Appraisal |
| Annual health risk appraisal that includes screening for chronic disease and risk factors (e.g., mental health issues, stress, blood pressure, diabetes, substance abuse, mammography, colorectal cancer, cholesterol) |
| Opportunities for education, treatment and follow-up based on results |
Disease Management Education and Counseling |
| Individual or group disease management education, such as diabetes or asthma education. |
| Evidence-based community chronic disease self-management and healthy aging programs, such as Living Well with Chronic Conditions, Tomando Control de su Salud, WeightWatchers, Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program, Walk with Ease, Breathe Well Live Well, Tai Chi: Moving for Better Balance, Better Bones and Balance, EnhanceFitness and a tobacco cessation program. |
| Evidence-based behavioral modification, education and counseling/coaching for healthy lifestyles. |
Supplies for Chronic Disease Self-Management |
| Strips and monitors for people with diabetes to test their blood glucose levels, and syringes for insulin injection |
| Blood pressure monitoring equipment |
| Nicotine replacement therapy (patches, gum, inhalers, etc) |
Benefits Structure & Operational Considerations |
| Provide a clean, private space where employees can self-test and manage chronic conditions. |
| Offer education and counseling in different formats, including individual, group, online, by telephone and at the worksite. |
| Allow the use of sick and/or flex time for employees to get recommended screenings and manage chronic conditions. |
| Make your campus tobacco-free. |
| Increase availability of healthful food and beverages at the worksite. |
| Promote physical activity opportunities at the workplace. |
| Assure a safe indoor environment for employees living with asthma and other respiratory diseases through an indoor air quality policy. |
| Promote benefits in multiple ways that could include break room signage, E-mail, social media, paycheck stuffers, and reminders on employee intranet, new employee orientation and during open enrollment. |
| Offer incentives for participation in chronic disease risk assessment, screening and management activities. |
| Provide health insurance coverage that covers US Preventive Services Task Force A and B recommended services with no cost-sharing (co-pays and deductibles). |
| Copayments and deductibles for self-management opportunities should not exceed usual co-payments for other routine medical services and may be waived. |
Resources
Standard model benefits for chronic diseases: http://www.businessgrouphealth.org/benefitstopics/topics/purchasers/part2.pdf
Evidence-based recommendations for preventive services: http://www.thecommunityguide.org/about/guide.html
US Preventive Services Task Force: http://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/
Living Well with Chronic Conditions Impact Report: http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/ph/livingwell/docs/lwimpact.pdf
Disease-specific benefits design information:
- Diabetes: Moving the Needle on Diabetes: An Employer Perspective
- Heart disease/stroke: http://www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/library/toolkit/pdfs/toolkit.pdf
- Asthma: http://www.asthmaregionalcouncil.org/uploads/documents/hria_asthma_report.pdf
- Cancer: http://wcrf.org/sites/default/files/Second-Expert-Report.pdf
Business Group on Health: Moving Science Into Coverage: An Employer’s Guide to Clinical Preventive Services: http://www.businessgrouphealth.org/preventive
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build a Healthier America: Work Matters for Health: http://www.commissiononhealth.org/PDF/0e8ca13d-6fb8-451d-bac8-7d15343aacff/Issue%20Brief%204%20Dec%2008%20-%20Work%20and%20Health.pdf (example p 12: Wal-Mart)