WakeWise Wellness Update

Wake County initiated the WakeWise Wellness in 2007. Since then, it has blossomed into a full-spectrum program showcasing a number of onsite wellness initiatives, as well as integration of insurance-based health and wellness benefits that include:
 

• Annual Health Risk Assessment with incentives
• “Know Your Numbers” screening  with incentives
• Miles For Health onsite walking program
• Points to Wellness individual lifestyle modification program
• Quit Today tobacco cessation program
• Lifestyle management programs for stress reduction, weight management and tobacco cessation (with a full benefit package)
• Access to onsite and virtual opportunities  for health and wellness information
• Onsite Employee Health Services
• A WakeWise Wellness team with satellite ambassadors
• Ongoing annual wellness events that correspond with the national health events calendar Annual Employee Benefit and Health Fair
• Annual flu vaccination
• Guidelines for healthy meetings
• Tobacco-free campuses
• Employee support and communication

As a 2009 recipient of the Business Leader Healthiest Companies Finalist Award, Wake County has successfully built a culture of health for its employees.

Be sure to stay informed of new and exciting opportunities to improve your health with WakeWise Wellness.

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Be a WakeWise Health Care Consumer

To help contain health care costs and use the health care system in the best way possible, it is important to maintain good health for you and your family, which can contribute to your overall wellbeing as you age. Some tips to maintaining good health are:

• Don’t smoke or use tobacco
• Get an annual physical
• Get regular exercise
• Maintain adequate water intake
• Eat a diet high in fiber, and low in red meat, saturated fat, salt and sugar
• Get adequate sleep, meditation and relaxation

Doing as much as possible to be healthy does not completely prevent sickness. To handle sickness in the best way, consider the following:

• Establish a relationship with a primary doctor
• Determine how your doctor handles urgent situations versus regular appointment visits
• Get answers to healthcare questions using CIGNA’s 24-hour Healthcare Information line
• Know the best way to seek a cure for illness: over-the-counter medications, seeing a doctor or visiting the emergency room
• Get immediate attention through Emergency Services (911) and/or the emergency room for significant illness; symptoms that involve significant loss of blood, body function or consciousness; chest pain; onset of severe illness; or serious injury

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Receive $100 Toward Your HRA Account

Each year, Wake employees can receive a total credit of $100 in their CIGNA HRA account by participating in two opportunities for monitoring their health: completing a health risk assessment and obtaining related biometric numbers, such as blood pressure and cholesterol.

The Health Risk Assessment is an online tool that can be used to gain a better understanding of your current health and ways to improve it. This confidential questionnaire asks about current lifestyle behaviors and health habits, such as physical activity, nutrition, injury prevention and stress management. Results from the assessment are provided immediately after completion and can be used to help set goals for healthy actions in your personal health plan. A $50 credit will be applied after completion.

By “knowing your numbers” for blood pressure, triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL and LDL cholesterol, height, weight and waist circumference, employees will be eligible to receive an additional $50 credit. This information is usually available after completing an annual physical.

Participants must be screened and complete the Health Risk Assessment by December 31, 2009 to get credit.

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CIGNA Customer Service Now Open 24/7

CIGNA expanded its telephonic customer service hours to 24 hours 7 days a week. CIGNA customer service representatives are available to assist Wake County employees enrolled in CIGNA with questions about their health insurance claims and pharmacy benefits for themselves and covered dependents.
The expanded customer service hours include weekends and holidays. To speak with a CIGNA customer service representative, call 1-800-244-6224.

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Benefits of CIGNA Correspondence

Many employees have received a phone call or letter from CIGNA Health Advisors. The CIGNA Health team makes these contacts based on claims information, medication information and information on your Health Risk Assessment.

These calls or letters are to provide additional information and/or resources to help with a specific personal health-related issue. Due to confidentiality laws, health advisors cannot state a specific reason for a call on a message.

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Ready, Set, Go: WakeWise Miles For Health

WakeWise Miles For Health strives to get employees more active on a daily basis. The program started in summer 2007 as a pilot, encouraging teams to “travel” to a particular location by walking the number of miles it took to get there from Wake County. Miles For Health offers opportunities for team building among employees and health-related success stories.
 
The first virtual trip was to Las Vegas, lasting three months. Since the Las Vegas trip, WakeWise Miles For Health has had three more destinations – Seattle, the Appalachian Trail and, most recently, San Diego. A total of 682,878 miles have been “traveled” by 2,747 participants during all four events.

Reaching the one million mile mark is only 317,122 miles away.  So get your teams ready for another exciting trip announcement coming this fall!

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