Health Strategies Task Force

The Health Strategies Task Force was formed to develop recommendations for long-term health care strategies to be considered by the college’s Benefits Committee and President’s Cabinet.

Members

Marlene Landini, J.D., Chair	Executive Vice President	mashugart@occc.edu
David Churchill	Director of Budgeting and Fiscal Planning	dchurchill@occc.edu
Jennifer Kellbach	Secretary, Recreation and Fitness	jkellbach@occc.edu
Gary Lombard	Vice President for Human Resources	glombard@occc.edu
Debbie Myers	Program Director of Nursing	dkmyers@occc.edu
Max Simmons	Dean of Science and Math Division	msimmons@occc.edu
Rhonda Simpson	Director of Benefits	rsimpson@occc.edu
Denise Stewart	Administrative Assistant to the Vice President for Human Resources	dstewart@occc.edu
Lisa Teel	Director of Emergency Planning & Risk Management	lteel@occc.edu
Tad Thurston	Professor of Physics	tthurston@occc.edu
E.J. Warren	Director of E-Student Services	ejwarren@occc.edu

Background

• The college was presented with a health insurance cost increase projected at 18.1% for FY 2013 and an approximate 38% increase over the next three years. The increase was based on the FY 2012 benefits structure and claims history. Such an increase is not financially sustainable.
• A slight plan modification was made to address the issue short-term and decrease the health insurance cost increase from 18.1% to 0.7%.
• Based on OCCC health care data (this data is reviewed by a third party and presented in aggregate form):
• The five most chronic diseases are: hypertension, cancer, diabetes, heart diseases, and asthma.
• The OCCC employee community continues to grossly underutilize free preventative screenings for breast cancer, cervical cancer, and colon cancer.
• If the OCCC employee community does nothing to improve the health of our population, projections show diagnosis of diabetes, heart diseases, and hypertension more than doubling within the next ten years.
  • Research links poor health to higher health care costs, low productivity (presenteeism), high absenteeism, and high rates of disability and injury.
  • Wellness programs address these issues by creating an environment conducive to health and offering programs to help employees improve their health status.
  • Wellness programs implemented by the college to date have been Level One, “Participation Only” programs with very low participation.

Recommendation

• Implement a cost-sharing program whereby employees pay a portion of the employee premium for health insurance.
• In year one, implement a Level Two program that ties participation in the College Wellness Program to the medical plan, allowing employees the opportunity to earn back the cost-sharing premium. This first year program will establish a health baseline with no performance standards.
• In year two, move to a Level Three program that is based on meeting specific health standards, allowing employees the opportunity to earn back the cost-sharing premium.
• Identify a third-party administrator to manage all individual health data and appeals and report to the college only participation data and aggregate health information.  Absolutely NO individual health information will be made available to Oklahoma City Community College. The College, health care providers, and third-party administrators are all bound by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). The College will be adopting a HIPAA policy to reaffirm the College’s commitment to abiding by this law.

Year One – FY 2013

Beginning July 1, 2013, the College will implement cost-sharing whereby employees will pay $100 per month premium for health insurance. Employees will have the opportunity to reduce their monthly premium by participating in the College’s Wellness Program. Participation in the College Wellness Program requires:

1. 1. Completion of the online Health Risk Assessment questionnaire by April 1, 2013, which will offset $50 per month of the cost-sharing premium to be implemented beginning July 1, 2013.
   2. Participation in the Biometric Screenings to be held in February 2013, which will offset $50 per month of the cost-sharing premium to be implemented beginning July 1, 2013.

Participants completing both of the above program requirements will have the employee paid premium reduced to $0 per month.

Year Two  – FY 2014

Beginning July 1, 2014, the College will implement cost-sharing whereby employees will pay approximately $200 per month premium for health insurance. The Health Strategies Task Force will review aggregate data from the Health Risk Assessments and Biometric Screenings completed in Year One to determine what programs and/or health standards should be implemented for FY 2014. The goal is to provide opportunities for reducing the cost-sharing premium to zero for the employee. Participation in the College Wellness Program requires:

1. 1. Completion of the online Health Risk Assessment questionnaire.
   2. Participation in the Biometric Screenings.
   3. Meeting some specific health standards (e.g. four of eight) yet to be finalized, such as:
      1. Blood Pressure below 140/90 or be on medication
      2. LDL Cholesterol <130mg/dl or be on medication
      3. BMI<31, or waist circumference (males <40”, females <35”)
      4. Triglycerides <150mg/dl
      5. Blood Glucose <126
      6. Complete age/gender specific preventative screenings (mammogram, colonoscopy, pap test, etc.)
      7. Framingham Score standard (age, total cholesterol, non-smoking, systolic blood pressure and HDL cholesterol)
      8. No tobacco use or participate in smoking cessation classes

Year Three  – FY 2015 and thereafter

The Health Strategies Task Force will review aggregate data from the Health Risk Assessments and Biometric Screenings to determine what standards should be implemented for FY 2015 and thereafter. The College will also determine the cost-sharing amount paid by employees, which can be offset through participation in the Wellness Program and achieving recommended health standards.

Goals

The ultimate goal of the recommended results focused Wellness Program is to improve the health of College employees and control the cost of the College’s health care plan so as to be sustainable during a time of constrained funding and resources.