Eligible UNMC employees who wish to participate in the SimplyWell program can now download the sign-up card by clicking here. Participants should print out the card, fill out the appropriate portion and send it to ZIP 7424. Participants will then receive a Personal Wellness Profile, through intercampus mail, to confirm their participation.
Those participants should fill out the profile before attending any one of the remaining health fairs. It takes about 7 to 10 minutes to complete the health screenings at the fair.
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Thursday, Nov. 20— Kearney, 8 to 9:30 a.m. |
“We are halfway to our goal of 1,000 participants, and we’re hopeful that the word is getting out about how easy it is to participate,” said Jayme Nekuda, manager of Health Promotion at UNMC. “The process takes only a few minutes and yields some valuable information about a person’s health.”
Nekuda said there’s been some confusion that the cost of the health screenings will be taken out of the preventive care segment of an employee’s health insurance. This is not the case, she said.
“The program is absolutely free to employees, and it could end up saving them a lot of money, if the screenings detect an illness or condition that has yet to reveal symptoms to the participant,” Nekuda said. “It’s a win-win situation for participants.”
Because this is a pilot program for UNMC, only employees who are enrolled in the UNMC Blue Cross/Blue Shield medical insurance plan are eligible to participant. UNMC employees in Lincoln, Kearney and Scottsbluff also are eligible to participate. Health fairs have been scheduled on those campuses (see box).
The program also has been opened to employees of University Medical Associates who are enrolled in the UNMC medical insurance plan.
Nekuda said UNMC officials are reviewing some tangible incentives that could be given to employees who participate in the program and practice health behaviors. Details on those incentives should be finalized in the next few weeks, she said.
At the screenings, SimplyWell personnel measure participants’ blood pressure, height and weight, as well as draw blood for a lipid profile, blood sugar and a complete blood cell count to check for anemia and infection. Participants of the health fairs need to fast – eat or drink nothing – for eight to 12 hours before the lab draw. Participants should continue to take any prescribed medications with a small sip of water. If participants have any medical conditions, such as diabetes that may be affected by fasting, they should consult their physician before doing so.
Other components of the wellness program include:
- A confidential report mailed to participant’s home address to educate the employee about his or her lifestyle and medical risk factors, as well as identify possible lifestyle changes.
- With authorization, results can be forwarded to a physician
- Follow-up information and educational classes
- Free self-care guides for new participants
Using aggregate data, with no individual identifiers, UNMC will receive a wellness blueprint tailored to its population. The blueprint could include reward programs, an adjustment to the benefit’s insurance package, self-care books, wellness and disease management classes and prevention programs.
“SimplyWell gives university employees the opportunity to become healthier, while also helping us control health insurance increases,” said Don Leuenberger, vice chancellor for business and finance at UNMC. “Employees can participate in the program with the absolute assurance that their confidentiality will be protected.”
Employees can help reduce unnecessary health-care costs if they understand the health-care system and focus more on “health care” and not “sickness care,” Leuenberger said. “With SimplyWell, employees are vested in their own care and are given the tools to measure, achieve and maintain their health,” he said. “In doing so, everyone wins.”
With questions, call the SimplyWell office at 559-6786 or e-mail your question to info@simplywell.com.