Report Tile HealthierFeds

A Message From the President “…we've already discovered what works. And what works is to encourage people to exercise on a regular basis, and to eat good foods. It's called preventative medicine. An integral part of any health care plan is to encourage people to adopt the habits necessary to avoid disease in the first place. ” President George W. Bush

HealthierFeds HealthierFeds is a campaign for the Federal family based on four pillars: Physical Activity, Nutrition, Preventive Screening, and Healthy Lifestyle Choices. Within the scope of these pillars, focus is on living well each day. Specific attention is given to health conditions which can be prevented or positively modified through healthy lifestyle decisions.

HealthierFeds Goal The goal of the HealthierFeds initiative is: To engage all possible stakeholders in meaningful, sustainable progress towards a healthier Federal workforce.

HealthierFeds Guiding Principles  Smart consumers can and will make wise health care decisions  The patient-physician relationship should be the basis of health care decisions  Competition in the health-care market promotes innovation and produces better health care options

The 4 Pillars of HealthierFeds 1. Physical Activity 2. Nutrition 3. Preventive Screening 4. Healthy Lifestyle Choices

Supporting Positive Change  Health risks that are positively modifiable or preventable as the result of lifestyle decisions include:  Hypertension  Elevated Cholesterol Levels  Diabetes  Osteoporosis  Overweight and Obesity  Arthritis

It’s More Than Just One in a Million…  Federal Employees* (non-postal) are likely to have these conditions in the following numbers**:  Hypertension (25.5%) 473,431  Elevated Cholesterol Levels (17.0%) 315,620  Diabetes (6.1%) 113,252  Osteoporosis (55% of persons ≥ 50) 410,342  Overweight & Obesity (65.2%) 1,210,497  Arthritis (33%) 618,864 *Federal Employee numbers based on Sep 2004 figures available at **Risk percentages and medication costs are from the websites of Centers for Disease Control, National Osteoporosis Foundation and Walgreens.com

It’s Staggering… Hypertension 473,431 Federal Employees x $ Annual cost of medication $70,986,244

Heart Stopping…. Elevated Cholesterol Levels 315,620 Federal Employees X $ Annual cost of medication $295,382,445

It’s a Shocker… Diabetes 113,252 Federal Employees x $ Annual cost of medication $19,021,805

Bone Chilling… Osteoporosis 410,342 55% of Federal Employees over 50 x $ Annual cost of medication $443,120,118

A Growing Problem… Overweight and Obesity 1,210,497 Federal Employees x $ Annual cost of medication $415,805,719

Difficult to Grasp… Arthritis 618,864 Federal Employees X $ Annual cost of medication $122,398,921

Many People Have More Risks Hypertension Hypertension, Diabetes Obesity and Arthritis Hypertension, Diabetes and Obesity Hypertension & Diabetes Hypertension

News you can use… If each Federal employee who is either overweight or obese lost 1 (ONE) pound– it would equal more than 600 tons! The cost of a year’s supply (2 pairs of shoes at $50 per pair) of walking shoes for each Federal employee who is likely to have elevated cholesterol would be about $ 31,978, The savings result compared to the cost of cholesterol medication would be $167,304, The total annual estimate for just one medication for all of the health conditions presented today is $1 Billion. A savings of just 10 cents on the dollar would be over $ 1 Million dollars per year…sure makes the shoes seem like a bargain, doesn’t it?

Figures do NOT include…  Physician visits or other health care appointments  2 nd or 3 rd medications per person  Other health problems resulting from these health conditions (falls related to osteoporosis, foot problems often experienced in diabetics, etc...)  Retirees or family members enrolled in FEHB  Dieting/weight loss products such as diet plans, supplements, enrollment in groups, videos, books, surgeries etc…

Making a difference… The Role of OPM  Disseminate information from sound, reliable resources  Enhancement of the HealthierFeds Website  Meetings and networking with Agency Health and Wellness Points of Contact to discuss worksite health program progress  Provide Agency staff with guidance and support for healthier workplaces  Continue to increase awareness of best practices/benchmarking in both Federal Government and private sector businesses

Making a Difference… Collaborative Efforts With…  Federal Employee Health Benefits Program Carriers  Federal Agencies that have missions related to health promotion  Department of Health and Human Services Federal Occupational Health The President’s Council on Physical Fitness  United States Department of Agriculture Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion  Wellness, health promotion, fitness and work/life leadership organizations

Making a Difference… Carriers  Offer programs designed to meet the needs of those who stand to benefit most—that is, those who have risk factors  Develop and implement strategic marketing emphasizing preventive screening and healthy lifestyle decisions  Be available for Health Fairs and related health information events at Federal worksites  Post links to  Emphasize educating enrollees about appropriate daily living choices

Potential Impact on the Health of the Federal Workforce  Reduce increases in health care costs  Enhance employee productivity  Shift health care from a “treatment” paradigm to a “wellness” paradigm  Reduce absenteeism  Influence employees entering the workforce to take responsibility for lifestyle choices

References and Resources These slides:      Other:  

Contact Information Lucy M. Polk Work/Life Program Specialist U.S. Office of Personnel Management