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New Health Care Benefit Changes Coming During Open Enrollment Change Will Require Employees to Contribute to Cost; Discount Available Caharrus County is joining a growing number of employers who seek ways to reduce escalating health insurance benefit costs by offering discounts to employees who have healthy lifestyles and by offering wellness programs to promote healthy habits. This initiative began more than a year ago when the employee-run Wellness for Life committee formed. Now, Caharrus County plans to imple- ment a discount program for non-tobacco users during the benefits open enrollment period in July as well as require employees to complete a health risk assessment prior to enrollment. First. every employee must complete an online health risk assessment administered by CIGNA Individual results from this assessment are confidential and will not be shared with the employer. The County only will receive group results for statistical reporting. The health risk assessment will ask employees to enter information about their health status, nutrition and exercise habits. Employees also will enter their individual readings for total cholesterol (LDL and HDL), triglyceride, glucose and blood pressure. A number of free health screen- ings will be hdd at County offices in March in order for' employees to enter their results for the online health risk assessment. When employees complete the confidential health risk assessment, they will automatically receive information to hdp them identify and better manage cur- rent and potential health risks. Second, pending approval by the Board of Commissioners, Cabarrus County employees will be required to pay a small portion (approximately 10 percent) of the biweekly health insurance premiums paid by the county on their behalf. However, non-tobacco users will receive a discount equal to the employee share of the cost, making the health insurance plan free of charge for them. This discount will equal approximately 10 percent of the $491 per month health benefit premium the County pays for each employee, Tobacco users will make a 10 percent contribution toward the Countis montWy health benefit premium. This charge will equal $46 per month. or $23 per pay peri- od - for the standard health insurance plan, Current tobacco users can receive the discounted rate - and pay no monthly fee - if they participate in a smoking cessation class, such as the County-sponsored QuitSmart class, and remain tobacco free at the time of open enrollment in July. Employees and retirees who are current tobacco users will have another opportu- nity to receive non-tobacco use status in January 2007, if they participate in a QuitSrnart class or another certified tobac- co cessation program from March 2006 to July 2006 and remain tobacco free after six months. To qualify for the discounted rate in January 2007, employees and retirees must submit a certificate of com- pletion from a smoking cessation program and a signed affidavit. Each year during open enrollment, employees will be asked to affum whether they are a tobacco user or non-tobacco user. The employee contribution toward the health insurance premium will be determined each year prior to open enroll- ment. I1We realize that there are a number of unhealthy habits and lifestyle choices that ma.y contribute to higher health care costs. We are not trying to single out smokers or tobacco users. Rather, we have looked at the hard data and determined that tobacco users spend approximately 21 percent more on health care services. It is our hope that cutrent tobacco users will realize the individual health risk and make the choice to become tobacco free in 2006," said County Manager John Day, who quit smoking 10 years ago, Some employees have wondered out loud if Cabarrus County will eventually extend this health care initiative to include employees with other health risks. such as obesity. That is not the goal, especially since a number of these other health risks often stem from heredity or genetic make- up, according to Johanna Ray, who coor- dinates benefits and wellness programs for G __ c:::' Cabarrus County. .....;) Employee Health Screenings SherlH's Offlc81 . March 14, 6 am- 10 am, SherlH training room . April 8, 6 am -10m, SheriH training room Social Services: . March 21, 8 am- noon, Human Services auditorium . March 28, 8 am-noon, Human Services auditorium General Services: . March 23, 8 am- noon Governmental Center: . March:14, 8 am- noon, multi- purpose room . March ill, 8 am- noon, multi- purpose room . April 6, 8 am- noon, rotunda . April 12,. 8 am. 10 pm, multi- purpose room HOTEl "'ore/nfo,moUon.lncludlng sign-up shftts, will be sent to employ- _ In the n/HI, future, However, the goal of the Wellness Jar Life committee is to hdp each employee reach their full potential for the healthiest lifestyle possible. Cabarrus County makes it easy for employees to make healthy choices by offering a variety of exercise classes, a Noonliting weight loss program, topical health information and occasional health screenings. To learn about the QuitSmart smoking cessation class or other Wellness for Ufe programs, log on to the intranet and click the Wellness for Life link, or call Wellness Coordinator Johanna Ray at ext. 2885.