The team member wellness program is an important part of Ballad Health’s benefits package. For those who select medical insurance through Ballad Health, there are significant savings on your premiums by participating in the voluntary wellness plan – which includes completing a health screening.
We’ll be announcing the 2019 health screening dates this week, so be on the lookout – because this year’s schedule starts earlier than last year and also will finish up sooner.
SCREENINGS START SOONER THIS YEAR
Due to the timing of the merger, last year’s health screenings schedule started and finished later in the year than usual. This year you’ll have a longer period of time than last year to complete the screenings. They’ll start March 18 and will be offered through June 5 at locations across the system. The new rates will take effect July 1, 2019.
HEALTH PLAN
How do the different rates apply? More details are forthcoming about this year’s rates, but here’s how it works:
- The insurance premiums are lowest for team members who are non-tobacco users AND who participate in the wellness program.
- Premiums are higher for tobacco users who do the wellness program, or non-tobacco users who choose NOT to do the wellness program.
- The highest rates apply to team members who are tobacco users and do not participate in the wellness program.
LAST YEAR’S PROGRAM
Last year’s wellness program had excellent participation, with more than 12,000 team members taking part – about 95% of the eligible team members. A couple of key findings: The top disease risk was identified as heart disease, and the top behaviors to address were weight management, depression and sleep. Statistically, more than 9 of 10 team members had at least one lab/biometric out of normal range, and 66% had high blood pressure.
ACCESSING YOUR SCREENING RESULTS FROM LAST YEAR
You can access your screening/lab work results from last year by going to the Wellness Portal located on the Ballad Health intranet. Go to “Human Resources” and click “Wellness Portal” to access the log-in screen to see your 2018 results.
If you participated last year, you’ll have a username and password but you may be asked to reset your password. If you’ve already set up an account but do not recall your username or password, click on ‘forgot.’ After entering the requested information, you should be able to reset your password and access your results.
To set up an account, click on “Create Account,” enter the requested information. For SSN, enter the last four digits of your Social Security number. For email, use your new Ballad Health address (john.doe@balladhealth.org). At that point you should be able to enter a username and password. The password needs to be:
- At least 8 characters long
- Have at least one capital letter and one number
- Must have at least one special character (! @#$% etc.…)
If you have any issues setting it up, the customer service number for Applied Health Analytics (AHA) is 1-855-581-9910.
PROGRAM GOALS
The program’s goal is to first make team members aware of what their health risks are, and then to help them find ways to improve those risks – so they can ultimately lead happier and healthier lives. The biggest reward for doing this is a healthier you, but the lower premiums are a welcome bonus!
IMPORTANT NOTES
- If you have lab work that includes a cholesterol panel and an A1C done by your own doctor or provider on or after March 1, 2019, you can substitute that for having your lab work done at one of the scheduled screenings. We’ll provide more details in the coming days on how you can do that.
- You can also submit your biometrics (height, weight, blood pressure and heart rate) that were completed by your doctor or provider along with your labs, if completed on or after March 1, 2019, and avoid the lines completely.
- It’s important to remember that the wellness program should not take the place of your regular visits with your primary care physician. The program is meant to supplement the care you receive from your regular provider.
- Remember to be on the lookout for the schedule of health screenings that will take place across the system.
- Thank you to everyone who participated last year. We hope this program will make a positive impact on your health!