Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2006 15:00:18 -0700

From: frankish <frankish@INTERCHANGE.UBC.CA>

Subject: Fwd: Please froward this CALL FOR ABSTRACTS - 19th IUHPE World Conference

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>Upcoming World Conference on Health Promotion & Health Education !!!!

>June 10-15, 2007 see iuhpeconference.org or admin@iuhpeconference.org

>or

>250-472-4102

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>>From: Conference Office - 19th IUHPE World Conference

>> <summit@iuhpeconference.org> Reply-to:

>>canada2007@iuhpeconference.org

>

>>The International Scientific Program Committee of the 19th IUHPE World

>>Conference is calling for the submission of abstracts of papers,

>>workshops, and symposia to be presented to the conference. For further

>>details and access to the on line abstract submission form, visit

>>submission of abstracts will be midnight, Friday, 24th November 2006!

Dr. Jim Frankish

"This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness."

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama

Upcoming World Conference on Health Promotion & Health Education !!!!

June 10-15, 2007 see iuhpeconference.org or admin@iuhpeconference.org or

250-472-4102

Homelessness & Health Research Forum.

UBC Robson Square, Tuesday, October 17, 2-4pm

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#724

Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2006 18:44:34 -0700

From: Margo Harris <margo@PNWHEALTH.COM>

Subject: Health Promotion @ Work and that $200

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Recently several posts have talked about work health promotion programs, and $200 benefits used in different ways. On Sunday, the King County (Greater Seattle area), WA Health Reform Initiative was written up in our Sunday newspaper magazine, Pacific. Now according to the subtitle, the whole nation is watching us. I say us, because I am a King County employee and an active participant in this program. It is fascinating to be an observer and also a participant in the effort. It actually has several names, including Health Matters, Healthy Incentives, etc. For the record, we have approximately 16,000 benefited employees.

The item below is a global email sent to all county employees, with a link to the article. If you choose to keep reading, consider that:

1. We are strongly unionized, and our bargaining units refused to budge on any health benefits.

2. Nothing is deducted from our pay checks for health, vision, and dental coverage, and our spouse and dependent children are also covered with nothing out of our pay checks.

3. I've worked a fair amount of time and worked at different employers, and I've never had benefits equal to my current benefits, i.e. no co-pay for any office visit, 90% coverage of health care, double the dental benefit I've had elsewhere and higher coverage of major dental procedures, no referrals, etc.

4. My spouse is on my health plan, and I did get him to (unwillingly) participate. We "got to Gold" which translates to keeping your current benefits. If you only achieve silver or bronze level benefits, as of January 1, 2007, you are paying major dollars out of pocket. You get to try again in 2007, because this is a mandatory program each year. Regardless of how well we do, it is common knowledge that the County may have to move to premium sharing by 2010.

5. No, there is no evidence that this type of program works, will save any $$$, or avoid premium sharing. King County decided they had to do something, and this is the only strategy that the union accepted.

The $200 benefit mentioned in recent weeks is also mentioned in this article, with references to several companies and how they use/apply that benefit. I'm happy to answer specific questions if folks want to send them along. The program is quite remarkable, and for some employees it is the first time in their adult lives that someone has invited them to get healthy and provided some specific tools for them to use. We have some very happy participants, and naturally we have some very unhappy participants and everything in-between. No law suits...yet! Margo

Dear King County employee,

Your efforts to improve your health are getting attention.

healing15.html>

ealing15.html.

This article confirms what we've been hearing: according to the latest information collected, employees are using the county's new Healthy IncentivesSM program to keep out of pocket expenses low and get healthy.

Seventy five percent of employees and their covered spouses or domestic partners who participated in coaching calls to improve their health report have reduced or eliminated at least one thing that put them at higher risk for developing a chronic disease.

Since January, when employees and covered spouses or domestic partners took the wellness assessment, people have lost weight, started exercising more, are eating more nutritious food and have entered disease management programs to help them better manage chronic diseases like diabetes, chronic heart failure and coronary artery disease.

Consider this:

* About 495 participants attending Weight Watchers at WorkR meetings

have shed a total of 3,879 pounds or almost 2 tons of weight loss so far this year. According to the Partnership for Healthy Weight Management, a weight loss of five to 10 percent can measurably improve health outcomes.

* More than 1,200 employees participated in the Live Well Challenge

and 75 percent said that they ate better and got more exercise as a result.

* Employees have chosen to use the Healthy Workplace Funding

Initiative for yoga classes, healthy cooking classes, stress management education, exercise equipment and subscriptions to health publications.

Put it all together and you can see that a community of wellness is evolving in the county supporting employees in their efforts to improve their health.

Keep up the good work!

Sincerely,

The Health Matters Team

Margo Harris

Seattle, WA

206/932-1273

Email: margo@pnwhealth.com

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