41.05.541 - State employee health demonstration project -- Required elements -- Reports. - Washington Statutes

State employee health demonstration project — Required elements — Reports. (Expires June 30, 2011.)

(1) The health care authority through the state employee health program shall implement a state employee health demonstration project. The agencies selected must: (a) Show a high rate of health risk assessment completion; (b) document an infrastructure capable of implementing employee health programs using current and emerging best practices; (c) show evidence of senior management support; and (d) together employ a total of no more than eight thousand employees who are enrolled in health plans of the public employees' benefits board. Demonstration project agencies shall operate employee health programs for their employees in collaboration with the state employee health program.

     (2) Agency demonstration project employee health programs:

     (a) Shall include but are not limited to the following key elements: Outreach to all staff with efforts made to reach the largest percentage of employees possible; awareness-building information that promotes health; motivational opportunities that encourage employees to improve their health; behavior change opportunities that demonstrate and support behavior change; and tools to improve employee health care decisions;

     (b) Must have wellness staff with direct accountability to agency senior management;

     (c) Shall initiate and maintain employee health programs using current and emerging best practices in the field of health promotion;

     (d) May offer employees such incentives as cash for completing health risk assessments, free preventive screenings, training in behavior change tools, improved nutritional standards on agency campuses, bike racks, walking maps, on-site weight reduction programs, and regular communication to promote personal health awareness.

     (3) The state employee health program shall evaluate each of the four programs separately and compare outcomes for each of them with the entire state employee population to assess effectiveness of the programs. Specifically, the program shall measure at least the following outcomes in the demonstration population: The reduction in the percent of the population that is overweight or obese, the reduction in risk factors related to diabetes, the reduction in risk factors related to absenteeism, the reduction in tobacco consumption, the reduction in high blood pressure and high cholesterol, and the increase in appropriate use of preventive health services. The state employee health program shall report to the legislature in December 2008 and December 2010 on the demonstration project.

     (4) This section expires June 30, 2011.

[2007 c 259 § 41.]

Notes: Severability -- Subheadings not law -- 2007 c 259: See notes following RCW 41.05.033.