Town wellness program generates big savings in health care

Thanks to healthier employees, the town of Chapel Hill will be paying less in health care premiums next year.

In August, when the next fiscal year begins, an 8.5 percent decrease in medical insurance cost will come into effect. This marks the second time that premiums have decreased in the last four years, a drastic turnaround from the 17.1 percent increase in health care costs for the town in the 2009-10 fiscal year.

Town spokeswoman Catherine Lazorko said the substantial decrease in premium costs can be attributed to active participation in the town’s Wellness@Work Program.

Created in 2011, the Wellness@Work program is a collaboration between the town of Chapel Hill and the UNC Health Care Department of Family Medicine that focuses on making the town’s 660 employees healthier while also saving the town money.

The program includes tobacco cessation counseling, health risk assessments and clinic treatment for minor illnesses and chronic diseases.

It also offers wellness programs like walking groups, exercise classes, health education, immunizations and weight loss programs. Town employees do not have to pay to use these health programs.

The health risk assessments have helped identify serious chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol early.

“This type of collaboration between employers and health care providers is new and important for driving down health care costs,” said Dr. Mark Gwynne, the medical director for the Wellness@Work program.

Prior to Wellness@Work beginning in 2011, medical insurance costs for the town had been increasing by 8 percent or more for the past four years. After the program began, the fiscal year of 2012-13 marked a 3 percent decrease in health care cost.

“The primary aim of the town manager is to see healthier employees,” Lazorko said. “A side benefit is the economic benefit.”

Council member Maria Palmer said Wellness@Work is a beneficial program for the town.

“It is making employees healthier and saving the town money,” Palmer said. “Healthier employees are happier, more productive and not out sick as much.”

In 2014, there were over 1,300 total clinic visits to the nurse practitioner and tobacco cessation counseling. As of the end of January, 82 percent of town employees have completed a health risk assessment.

Gwynne said that the Wellness@Work program is another successful example of the town and the University working together in a joint collaboration.

“It is really nice to help the firefighters, police, librarians, the folks that take care of us,” Gwynne said. “It is nice to take care of them.”

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