A Message from the HAP Wellness Team

We had another very successful Forum on September 25 with an attendance of 30 individuals representing 22 unique groups. We would like to thank our guest speakers, Richard Paul, Varvara Burden and Lisa Mason for giving such great presentations. We appreciate and will consider your comments and suggestions for future Forums.

This is a picture of Lisa Mason from Greater Detroit Area Health Council (GDAHC) as she is presenting on Quality and the Save Lives Save Dollars program. For more information, see Worksite Diabetes Self-Management Education (DSME).

The presentations from the Forum are available on our Web site, under Worksite Wellness Forum.

Don't forget to print the Wellness by the Month flyers for your employees. These flyers offer great health information by the month and can be posted in the lunchroom or any other community area.

Tools for a Successful Wellness Program: Facts about HIPAA and Your Wellness Program

More and more employer groups are proactively managing their employees' behaviors through wellness incentive strategies. In fact, nearly 50% of large employers offer incentives and 63% plan to use incentives in the future.* When incenting employees for healthy behavior change, employers must be sure they do not discriminate on the basis of health, and that they comply with all HIPAA rules and regulations.
How do you know if you need to worry about HIPAA requirements? If your wellness program is part of a group health plan or associated with a health insurance premium discount, and based on a health-related standard (such as weight, blood sugar, or blood pressure), it is subject to HIPAA's rules. For example, if a program offers a 10% health plan premium discount for employees who meet a cholesterol target, then the reward (the premium discount) is conditioned on meeting a health-related standard. So, if your wellness incentive program is linked to a health insurance premium discount or based on meeting a health-related standard such as the example given above, then your wellness program must meet five specific HIPAA requirements.

Looking for suggested incentive programs that are not subject to HIPAA requirements? Suggested incentive programs are below. In each of these cases, the "reward" is not given or withheld based on a health related standard:

• A program reimbursing for all or part of a membership to a fitness center.
• A health screening program that rewards for participation and does not base any part of the reward on outcomes.
• A program reimbursing employees for the costs of smoking cessation programs without regard to whether the employee quits smoking.
• A program that rewards employees for attending a monthly health education seminar.

If you're unsure whether you need to be concerned about HIPAA, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has a "Wellness Program Checklist" available to help employers determine whether their program is in compliance with the HIPAA regulations. When implementing a wellness incentive, you may also want to check other regulatory organizations such as Employee Retirement Income Security Act, state laws, and/or the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to make sure you are meeting their standards as well.

* Wellness Management Program Advisor, 2007, Deloitte, Hewitt, 2006, NBGH/Watson Wyatt, Nov. 2007, Hewitt 2008

Health Topic of the Month - Diabetes

Diabetes is a condition in which the body is unable to produce or properly use insulin. Insulin is a hormone that regulates the level of sugar in your blood. Early diagnosis and treatment is crucial in reducing the complications of diabetes that can affect the eyes, kidneys, heart and feet.

According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), almost 21 million Americans have diabetes - including 6.2 million who are currently undiagnosed. In 2007 the total annual economic cost of diabetes in medical expenditures and lost productivity was estimated to be $174 billion, an increase of 32 percent since 2002.
Diabetes accounts for 15 million work days absent, 120 million work days with reduced performance, 6 million reduced productivity days for those not in the workplace, and an additional 107 million work days lost due to unemployment disability attributed to diabetes.

Corporate America is in an ideal position to help their employees get screened for diabetes, manage their condition or educate them to reduce their risk of developing it. The ADA has a program called Winning at Work which can be accessed at diabetes.org. Visit Diabetes in the Workplace to find great facts and resources. Employees with diabetes can also enjoy a self-management program through HAP's HealthTrack.

Our Health Promotion Team can assist with your screenings. Refer to the Featured Programs section for more information.

HAP Featured Programs

This month we are promoting the following programs:

Blood Sugar Screenings
With a simple finger stick, registered nurses can screen employees for abnormal blood sugar levels. Minimum of 25 required.

Workshops
These free workshops can be 30 to 60 minutes long and scheduled during lunch hours. This month we are promoting speakers on Diabetes and Smoking Cessation. Minimum participation of 25 preferred.

We would also like to encourage HAP members to access the iStrive Breathe and iStrive Care for Your Diabetes programs which are accessible at www.hap.org. The HAP member must complete the short iStrive HRA first.

To schedule any of the above services, or to request more information please contact us at livewell@hap.org.

Due to the high level of activity during flu shot season, (October, November and December), when our resources are fully deployed, it will be very difficult to schedule or change dates for events without 30 days notice. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.

To make one kilo of honey, bees have to visit 4 million flowers, traveling a distance equal to 4 times around the earth.

TIP is the acronym for "To Insure Promptness".
(www.didyouknow.cd)

Find information on the Great American Smokeout; Diabetes; Hand Washing and Flu.

Please visit hap.org for our Wellness by the Month flyers to share with your employees.

Start Planning Now!

December is noted as Alcohol Awareness Month. We will be promoting workshops dedicated to Alcohol and Caffeine use and Stress Management. These programs may help you with the hustle and bustle of the holidays.

To schedule a speaker, health fair or wellness workshop on any of our topics, please contact us livewell@hap.org

Flu Shot Clinics
Reminder: Flu season is around the corner. Have you scheduled a clinic at your site? HAP's Health Promotion team can help you coordinate a flu shot clinic at your business site. Flu shots are offered from November 1 through January 31 and are offered at no charge to HAP HMO and Alliance Health and Life Insurance (AHL) members, providing the flu shots are received from one of our approved vendors. Payment for non-HAP employees must be arranged by you (the employer group) and the flu shot vendor. The cost of the vaccine for non-HAP employees is $25.00-$30.00. The CDC has announced that the National Influenza Vaccination Week will be December 8 through December 14, 2008. Contact us at livewell@hap.org to schedule your date today or visit findaflushot.com for the flu shot clinic nearest you.

Mark Your Calendars

The January Worksite Wellness Forum is scheduled for January 22, 2009
from 9 am to 11 am. Look for a formal invitation and agenda in the mail.