CITY OF KINSTON WellBucks Program

1
CITY OF KINSTON WellBucks Program

• Ounce of Prevention Summit
• March 2, 2004
• Phil Robey, Deputy City Manager

2
Overview of WellBucks Program

• Double-digit healthcare inflation
• Shifting of costs to employees
• Opportunities created
• - benefits to City
• - benefits to employees
• Employee Wellness Committee

3
Goal of WellBucks Program

• To provide opportunity for employees to develop
  healthier lifestyles by adopting habits and
  attitudes that contribute in a positive way to
  their health and well-being

4
Focus of WellBucks Program

• A WELLNESS program not a physical fitness program

5
How WellBucks Works

• Voluntary
• Meaningful Participation
• Employees eligible to earn points to reimburse
  them for their contribution towards employee
  health insurance premiums (480/year)
• 1 point 1

6
How WellBucks Works (contd)

• Activities eligible for points
• -physical exams
• -health screenings/health risk appraisals
• -achievement of health goals established
• as result of screenings/appraisals
• -health wellness education classes
• -smoking cessation
• -weight control/loss
• -physical fitness activities
• 1 point 1

7
Development Administration of WellBucks Program

• Developed by Employee Wellness Committee and
  Employee Health Nurse
• Administered and coordinated by Employee Health
  Nurse
• Ongoing process

8
WellBucks Results

• Results for period 6/1/03 thru 11/30/03
• -369 out of total 371 eligible
• employees participated at some level
• - 173 employees (47) had routine
• physical exams
• - 90 employees had colon cancer
• screenings 5 of which were abnormal
• - 71,890 distributed

9
Conclusion

• Two-way commitment needed
• Long-term commitment needed