CMU employees break wellness records CMU FISCAL YEAR 2014 HEALTH CARE & WELLNESS REPORT
Taking CMU wellness Not just the exercise Points can be earned for many activities that make you healthier, such as drinking water, sleeping more and managing stress. Friendly competition Participants can get some friendly competition going with coworkers and family by using their Max and the online dashboard. Your Health to another level New employee rewards program focuses on total wellness All in the family Spouses or other eligible individuals enrolled in CMU health coverage can participate, receive a free tracking device and earn as much as $200 annually half of the $400 employees can earn. Scrapping the pen and paper All activity is tracked online or from a mobile device Breaking wellness records NEW REWARDS PROGRAM LAUNCHES WITH FOCUS ON TOTAL WELLNESS CMU s revamped wellness initiative, Your Health, It s Central, is giving even greater support to employees pursuing healthy lifestyles. A new rewards program through Virgin Pulse encompasses support of total wellness and sustaining healthy behaviors. The more than 1,350 CMU health plan members who enrolled received activity-tracking devices, called Max. They use Max, along with an online dashboard, to manage their health activities. Points are earned not only for physical activity, but also for efforts such as eating well, drinking water, tracking calorie intake, sleeping more and managing stress. Employees can earn up to $100 each quarter or $400 annually, which can be redeemed for rewards such as cash and gift cards. We ve broken all wellness program enrollment records we ve historically held, and we ve also surpassed many Virgin Pulse benchmarks, said Tammy Griffin, CMU s manager of employee health and wellness. The most important thing, however, is that our employees are actively engaging in healthy activities. CHERIE KUNKEL student service adviser student account services platform I ve seen this program make people more mindful of what they eat and how active or inactive they are, and they re finding ways to change unhealthy patterns. The online helps us communicate and motivate each other.
Employee health claims increase nearly $4 million in two years YET CMU REMAINS STRONG COMPARED TO NATIONAL AVERAGES Employee medical and prescription health care claims reached nearly $17.8 million during the 2013-14 fiscal year, an increase approaching $4 million in two years. This clearly impacts the university s self-insured health plans and its wellness gain-sharing program, said Lori Hella, associate vice president of human resources. Yet CMU employees still file fewer claims an indication of overall health than the national average. What s more, CMU employees are asked to contribute far less than individuals elsewhere and have strong coverage when they need to use it, Hella said. > CMU medical and prescription drug claims per employee are nearly $2,000 less a year than the national average. > Employees in 2013-14 paid 10 percent of the cost of their medical and prescription drug plans, compared to nearly 22 percent nationally. Health care costs have been increasing nationally for years we can t escape it, said Patty Tatham, director of benefits and wellness. Yet here at CMU, we continue to provide a comprehensive benefit package and a robust wellness program. Reasons behind the claims Tatham said CMU s increased claim costs reflect factors such as: > Increasing costs of medical care and prescriptions; > A rise in conditions such as joint degeneration, cancer and certain heart-related conditions; and > Greater use of benefits for routine and unexpected medical needs. She said greater use of benefits in situations such as chronic conditions and preventive health is good because they can help avoid worsening health down the road. CMU also has more covered individuals on its health plans than a year ago. Employees benefit from wellness efforts Results of employees dedication to healthy lifestyles show why despite the information above CMU employees are besting the national average in claims. > Nearly 2,950 employee wellness incentive payments worth $152,575 were distributed during the last fiscal year, up by 700 payments from 2013. > The prevalence of some serious conditions such as coronary heart disease, diabetes and hypertension is decreasing at CMU. For example, diabetes has declined from being the 5th most common health issue for employees to being No. 16. At the heart of it all, we see hundreds of employees who are healthier and happier because they re moving more and eating better, for example, Hella said. Employees know the ultimate benefit is better personal health. CMU S ANNUAL MEDICAL AND PRESCRIPTION CLAIMS Average # of medical Average # of prescription Total medical & Plan year claims per month claims per month prescription claims 2011-12 7,319 4,125 $13.9 million 2012-13 5,124 4,337 $15.9 million 2013-14 4,989 4,648 $17.8 million
Eighty-three days in the hospital show value of CMU s health coverage Last summer, Michelle Kujat, daughter of CMU employee Jon Kujat, was a healthy 18-year-old. When she came down with pneumonia in July, no one could have predicted what was ahead. Michelle got progressively worse. She was spiking high fevers and 60 percent of her lungs were filled with fluid. After 14 days of no improvement on a ventilator at McLaren Central Michigan, she was taken by helicopter to the University of Michigan Health System. There, she was diagnosed with acute respiratory distress syndrome, or ARDS, as well as Lupus. Michelle spent 10 days at U of M, five of those in ICU. As she was being discharged, she had two seizures, extending her stay in the hospital. Over the next month, she underwent blood procedures and a rare surgery, only to face more complications. She went home in October but soon experienced a loss of vision due to swelling of the brain. She was then admitted to Mid Michigan Medical Center in Midland, only to be transported by ambulance back to U of M. Michelle spent 83 days in the hospital over the course of her unexpected medical journey, bouncing back and forth between three of U of M s many intensive care units. The cost of her care is estimated at $2.3 million. This was without doubt the scariest thing I have ever come up against, Jon said. But through it all, the fact that I didn t have to worry about how I was going to pay for it was absolutely incredible. I believe out of this whole thing, we paid about $100. While in the hospital with Michelle, I often thought about the people who need care but can t afford it. Thankfully, we didn t have to worry about that. It opened my eyes to what I really have through my CMU benefits. Michelle is home now, slowly regaining her vision and making plans to start college in the fall. Take control of your health A message from Dr. Paul Simmons, a faculty member in CMU s College of Medicine and a respected Mount Pleasant internal medicine physician. We say it to each other often as a form of farewell: Take care of yourself. It is a doctor s role to help patients do just that. People who take care of their bodies say as much as they take care of their cars benefit from routine visits to doctors who know their history. They will receive advice and preventive medicine to avoid sickness. The patients I see who have yearly health exams, for example, exhibit a little more concern about their health, and they do stay healthier. It is the same with exercise. The fact is, you are either getting stiffer and more deconditioned today, or you are using all of your body to do flexibility, strengthening and cardiovascular exercises. The more you use your body, the more in many ways it delays the aging process. So please, take care of yourself. 100% covered Preventive care is 100 percent covered through CMU s health plan. Not only that, you can earn wellness program points for preventive care, including 500 Virgin Pulse points each for your annual physical and blood work.
Employee-driven health and wellness For more than 15 years, a committee of employees from across campus has worked to assess health and wellness benefit trends and to identify ways to control costs while best meeting the health care needs of employees. The committee was instrumental in recommending staff health plans move to a Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) design and in driving adoption of the new Virgin Pulse wellness program. *See a list of Health Care Committee members on the back page Our committee is worried about how rising costs of health care will affect everyone on campus. We re a family, and we take care of each other, so all of us can live healthier lives! VICKI BEGRES Health Care Committee member VIRGIN PULSE: GET UP AND MOVE! CMU employee participation and engagement, July through December 2014 1,345 1.1 billion 95% 82% 47% 44% people registered steps taken earning HealthMiles using and uploading activity-tracking devices reached the top level in the first two quarters of eligible spouses/other eligible individuals have joined
Health and wellness resources CMU benefits plan members not only have great coverage, they have answers for health and prescription-related questions, support for personal issues, and access to fitness and rehabilitation services. Our resources include: Encompass Employee Assistance Program Focused support is available to employees and family members for a variety of issues that may interfere with work or life satisfaction and productivity. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan 24-hour Nurse Line 800-775-BLUE (2583) Questions about general health or a specific condition can be addressed 24/7 by registered nurses supported by boardcertified physicians. Healthy Blue Xtras SM member savings program Take advantage of special discounts and benefits on products and services. Central Health Improvement CHIP Exercise and Rehabilitation Facility Faculty, staff, retirees, spouses and other eligible individuals have access to personalized fitness programming and physical rehabilitation services right on CMU s campus. CVS Caremark Ask-a-Pharmacist Browse the pharmacist FAQs or connect directly with pharmacists who can answer questions about managing your health. Health Care Committee members Heidi Alexander, Special Olympics Michigan Brian Baker, Public Broadcasting Vicki Begres, Development and External Relations Jeff Betts, School of Health Science Mark Blackmer, Engineering and Technology Mark Cwiek, School of Health Sciences John Fisher, Residences and Auxiliary Services Tammy Griffin, Human Resources Jon Humiston, Provost s Office Ed Pete McDonald, Facilities Management Alison Nesbitt, Global Campus Bettie Ricolo, Recreation Parks and Leisure Services Michael Sienkiewicz, Police Patty Tatham, Human Resources Denise Wilson, Facilities Management Wellness Advocates Alumni House Jean Rau Combined Services Building Linda Richter CMED Building Barb Torpy EHS Building Annie Van De Water, Sherry Yens ET Building Melissa Schlicht Foust Hall Lenora Calkins Global Campus Erica Peters Health Professions Building Deb Neubecker, Teresa Armstead, Sharon Livernois Moore Hall Joan McDonald Park Library Christa Clare, Linda Criswell, Amy Powell Pearce Hall Donna Ahlers Ronan Hall Ann Ellis Rowe Hall Kim Gribben Smith Hall Jon Kujat, Jennifer Walton Special Olympics Building Heidi Alexander University Recreation, Events & Conferences Conner Edelbrock Warriner Hall Elaine Card, Carol Haas West Hall Terri Nelson, Amy Gouin Your Health CMU, an AA/EO institution, provides equal opportunity to all persons, including minorities, females, veterans and individuals with disabilities (see cmich.edu/ocrie). UComm 9259-2,500 (3/15)