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Great-West Healthcare Unveils New Wellness Program

Posted on: Tuesday, 4 October 2005, 12:00 CDT

Great-West Healthcare, a national employee benefits provider, today announced its new wellness program, which complements the company's existing health and wellness resources. Effective Nov. 1, the program takes a unique approach to wellness as it focuses on unhealthy habits. It addresses the root causes of these behaviors and the underlying reason for the action, as opposed to treating a side effect of a larger problem. For example, if a member is overeating due to stress, the program focuses on what triggers the unhealthy overeating habit, not just the habit itself. This approach may lead to great success in making and maintaining health improvements.

"When a person chooses to engage in unhealthy behaviors, he or she increases the likelihood of requiring additional health care," said Terry Fouts, M.D., chief medical officer at Great-West Healthcare. "In fact, controllable behaviors such as overeating, tobacco use and physical inactivity account for 25 percent of all U.S. health care spending. Our wellness program addresses the root causes of unhealthy behaviors to support lifestyle changes that may improve people's productivity and quality of life."

With both on-line and telephonic features, the Great-West Healthcare wellness program is built around four pillars of health -- fitness, nutrition, sleep and stress management. Members begin the program by taking the on-line health and well-being assessment, which evaluates overall health risks and scores health habits within the four pillars. Based on their responses, members are identified as healthy or at risk. If at risk, they begin to receive advice and guidance through personalized e-mails and telephonic support.

The Great-West Healthcare wellness program is different from other wellness programs in that participants who score low on the overall health and well-being assessment are assigned a personal health coach who serves as their primary point of contact for the year-long program and provides individualized support. All health coaches are licensed nurses who specialize in key areas of the program. The personal health coach and member work together to establish realistic goals and forge meaningful, long-term lifestyle changes. Even participants who are not at risk may self-refer themselves and work with a personal health coach. In addition, any participant may call the program's toll-free 24/7 Great-West Healthcare nurseline to reach a licensed nurse who can answer all types of health questions. Another unique aspect of the program is its behavioral change model. The model recognizes that participants are at varying stages of readiness to change, so program coaches pay special attention to setting realistic, personalized goals. The wellness program is available to employees, dependents and spouses who are 18 years or older.

For employers, Great-West Healthcare provides quarterly reports that include participation, outcome and trend data. For employers that have incentive programs, monthly progress reports are provided as a tool for tracking employees' participation in the program. Points are awarded to participants based on tasks they complete and goals they achieve, providing employers the basis for a rewards program. The outcomes and trend data can be useful for plan administrators in making benefit decisions. Further, Great-West Healthcare provides printed and electronic support materials (fliers, posters, e-mails) to promote the health and well-being assessment and inform members of the wellness program. The materials are customizable so employers can specify their incentives, campaign dates and other program details.

About Great-West Healthcare

Great-West Healthcare, a division of Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company, is a national employee benefits provider with expertise in self-funding and health care management solutions. Nationally, the division operates a health care network that includes more than 4,200 hospitals and 530,000 providers and provides health care coverage to nearly 2 million people. Visit www.greatwesthealthcare.com for more information.

Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company, headquartered in metro-Denver, serves its customers through a full range of health care plans, life and disability insurance, annuities, and retirement savings products and services. It is an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Great-West Lifeco Inc. and a member of the Power Financial Corporation group of companies. Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company is not licensed to do business in New York. Products are sold in New York by its subsidiary First Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company, White Plains, N.Y.

Source: Business Wire

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