As 2019 draws to a close, tobacco use is still a problem in your workplace. This year the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Office on Smoking and Health declared 2019 its Year of Cessation, but our work is not done. We recently learned from our webinar that 60% of attendees, most of whom […]
Read More »
Lowering health care costs remains a top priority for most employers today, and it’s not uncommon to find incentive programs encouraging employees to maintain health and lower risk factors. While gym memberships and smartwatch discounts are great techniques to engage employees in their health, as I recently discussed in our webinar, Biometrics Value Story: Attitude, Preferences, […]
Read More »
Today, four condition categories — cancer, musculoskeletal, cardiology and kidney — drive a quarter of all health care spending, accounting for $455 billion annually.1 A large majority of employers (87%) are concerned with costs related to these conditions.2 Likewise, these conditions are overwhelming for individuals and their families. They don’t understand what their insurance covers […]
Read More »
At the HEROForum19 conference, I met with two health and benefits leaders to talk about culture of health and well-being at their respective companies. Our main topic was on the importance of community health in well-being programs as well as other issues, such as mental/emotional health and the role of loneliness. I was surprised to […]
Read More »
Complex, costly conditions take an enormous toll on those who have them — and on their family members. The four condition categories — cancer, musculoskeletal issues, cardiac conditions and renal disease — account for $455 billion in annual health care spending.1 Not surprisingly, nearly nine out of 10 employers are concerned about costs related to […]
Read More »
The 2017–2018 flu season was one of the longest in recent years. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that cases of influenza-like illness were at the highest level since the 2009 flu pandemic. Flu cases were also above the national average for 19 weeks, from November through March.1 Despite these powerful statistics, […]
Read More »
The newest edition of the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans has been released. It’s full of vital information about: Different types of activity such as aerobic, muscle strengthening, bone strengthening, balance and flexibility The levels of intensity during physical activity It also has updates including: Evidence showing more health benefits to physical activity — including […]
Read More »
In his book, Spartan Up!, Spartan Race founder Joe De Sena discusses resiliency. He writes, “In ancient times, the concept of learning how to ‘fail well’ encouraged young Spartans to develop critical skills of resiliency and self-determinantion.”1 This reflects Spartan’s organizational spirit as the global leader in obstacle course races — offering challenges for everyone […]
Read More »
More than 1,500 clients, partners, industry analysts and health care leaders will attend Optum Forum 2019 in Las Vegas next week. The annual health care event will feature thought-provoking content delivered by industry-leading speakers, interactive experiences, and extensive opportunities for our guests to connect and share. Moving health FORWARD The Optum Forum theme – FORWARD […]
Read More »
What if you could improve employee health and save your company thousands of dollars in the process? When you empower employees to quit using tobacco, you can. Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable disease, disability and death in the United States.1 More than 480,000 Americans die of a smoking-related disease, and another 16 million […]
Read More »
