HEALTH AND BEAUTY CLOSE-UP-3 July 2008-Center for Health Value Innovation Declares Achievements in Value-Based Design at Caterpillar(C)2008 - CloseUpMedia - newsdesk@closeupmedia.com

The Center for Health Value Innovation, an organization dedicated to establishing value and producing evidence

With 50,000 US employees and 150,000 covered lives in its health plans, Caterpillar reports that in 2007 its Healthy Balance initiative developed a Healthy Lifestyle Index that includes healthy Body Mass Index and diet, moderate-to-no alcohol use, no tobacco use, and regular exercise. Twelve percent of employees now meet all elements of this composite score. In Caterpillar's general employee group, the numbers demonstrate 50 percent reduction in disability days and 35 percent smoking cessation rates, even after three years.

"Our projected health care cost trend line showed an increase in direct costs of 20 percent over four years," says Mike Taylor, M.D., FACP, medical director of health promotion at Caterpillar Inc. "We wanted a targeted plan design that would identify risk early and allow us to intervene before costs skyrocketed. Our approach has paid dividends. By helping employees take an active role in their own healthcare, Caterpillar's health partnership program has progressed from trying to control spiraling healthcare costs toward improving health and productivity."

New in 2008, Caterpillar now offers on-site coaches who schedule one-on-one meetings with program participants, maintain office hours for walk-ins, deliver regularly scheduled classes, and coordinate "lunch and learns," healthy cooking demonstrations, screenings, and awareness campaigns. Telephone coaching provides further guidance for weight loss management, physical activity, stress management, and nutrition. These coaches are available for all US employees, as noted in the release.

The Group noted value-based health designs lead to lowering the healthcare cost trend in part because of less use of rescue drugs and fewer emergency room visits, as well as a reduction in disability and workers compensation claims.

According to Cyndy Nayer, president and executive director of the Center, "The Caterpillar initiative exemplifies value-based design, and employers can learn from this experience. By sharing these success metrics, the Center provides leadership and a forum for information exchange."

The Center for Health Value Innovation is a not-for-profit (501c3) organization representing industry stakeholders committed to sharing the evidence that value-based health designs improve health status and reduce health cost inflation.

((Comments on this story may be sent to health@closeupmedia.com))

((Distributed via M2 Communications Ltd - http://www.m2.com))