2006 C. Everett Koop National Award Winner

The USAA Take Care of Your Health Program

• Description
• Contact Person and Summary Data
• Evaluation Summary
• Documentation
• Critique
• Press Release

The USAA Take Care of Your Health program is a comprehensive, multi-discipline, and integrated health & productivity management program.  It includes population health management elements (health risk appraisals, lifestyle coaching, incentives, effective communications, and health improvement campaigns), consumerism, effective benefit plan design and integrated productivity management.  The program is data driven with comprehensive reporting and evaluation capabilities.  Take Care of Your Health reaches employees and their families.  Also notable is USAA’s efforts at engaging call center employees by allowing them time off to participate in certain programs.

The program has a well-established Wellness Council.  It has achieved high participation rates with about two out of three employees engaged in the program in some way.  The company makes available on-site fitness centers, healthy food choices in cafeterias and vending machines, 20-minute wellness breaks twice a week, and substantial incentives to employees who practice healthy lifestyles.  Communication is organized around clear, simple messages.  These communications are supported by program components at multiple levels; e.g., don’t smoke messages are underpinned by a campus-wide smoking ban, HRA assessments and messaging, and individual smoking cessation programs.

USAA’s evaluation methods include solid process, risk impact and cost outcome measures linked in a data warehouse with multiple health-related cost measures (i.e., medical, absence, disability, workers’ compensation).  The company has an excellent system for tracking participation in programs, and linking program engagement with other health and productivity management structures (e.g., medical, absence, disability, workers’ compensation).  USAA tracks its programs by comparing its health outcomes to Healthy People 2010 goals.  The company reimburses employees for undergoing preventive examinations recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and pays the fees for dependents that enroll in smoking cessation, weight management, and fitness center programs.

USAA estimates that it has increased worker productivity by 187,200 hours, which translates to making available an additional 90 workers to do their jobs and support their fellow employees.

2006 Honorable Mention Awarded to:

Roche, Inc.

Washoe County School District