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ToolKits

Issue Briefs

  • Connecting the Dots: How Cardiometabolic Risk Drives Employer Costs, December 2006 Members Only
    This issue brief illustrates that it is the minority of people with metabolic syndrome who produce the majority of cardiovascular and metabolic risk and cost in a typical working age population. Recommendations for what employers can do to identify and manage cardiometabolic risk are included.

  • Is the Program Working?: How to Assess ROI for Corporate Health Improvement and Prevention Programs, October 2006 Members Only
    Assessing ROI is perhaps the most significant hurdle many health improvement program managers face. This issue brief assists employers in how to think about ROI and what questions should be asked before beginning a particular strategy. This brief provides a summary of common methodology in proceeding with ROI measurement; examples of the steps taken by Dell and PepsiCo, two employers and National Business Group on Health members; an interview with Dave Guilmette, managing director, Towers Perrin; and a list of resources for employers to reference.

  • Drug Therapy in the Medical Management of At-Risk Overweight and Obese Individuals, June 2006 Members Only
    There is no single solution when it comes to medically managing obesity. Losing weight and maintaining the loss involve a multifaceted approach, including some or all the following elements: nutrition counseling and calorie reduction; regular physical activity; weight management behavioral intervention; medication; and surgery. This issue brief is designed to provide sound material for making important benefit coverage decisions in the areas of medical management and plan administration, and to help employers craft employee communications.

  • Addressing Obesity and Enhancing Productivity, December 2005 Members Only
    The financial success of an organization is related to both the direct and indirect impact of the health of its workforce. In today's business environment, a company's attitude and approach to the health of its workers can have a dramatic impact on its productivity and overall performance in the marketplace. This issue brief is designed to address the adverse health and productivity impact of overweight and obesity-modifiable adverse health risk factors that are of particular concern due to their high prevalence and negative impact on physical, emotional and social employee well-being.

  • Stress, Behavior and Obesity, March 2005 Members Only
    There is ample clinical knowledge relating stress and obesity. The National Business Group on Health’s Institute on the Costs and Health Effects of Obesity, through its Stress, Behavior and Obesity Work Group, has produced this issue brief as a resource for large employers. It is a compendium of materials explaining the relationship between stress and obesity, and suggested interventions from the perspective of employers and employees.

  • Promoting Physical Activity at Work: Incentives, Program Development and Costs, February 2005 Members Only
    It is a known fact that physical inactivity can lead to various health problems. Many working employees do not have time incorporated into their daily schedule for physical activity. However, many workplaces can do a variety of things to promote physical activity within the work environment. This issue brief is designed to give an overview of the cost-effectiveness of promoting physical activity in the workplace and also outlines how to develop an effective physical activity promotion program for employers.

  • Bariatric Surgery: An Employer Dilemma, October 2004 Members Only
    Increasingly, bariatric surgery is being touted as an effective solution to obesity. But the issue is complex, in terms of both the health and cost implications of the surgery. This paper provides an overview of the critical considerations, as employers grapple with the question of including or excluding coverage of bariatric surgery in their health benefits.

  • Promoting Better Nutrition in the Workplace: Employer Strategies, June 2004 Members Only
    The purpose of this paper is to provide organizations with a set of promising practices that promote healthful eating for employees during the work day.

  • Financial Incentives for Healthy Lifestyles: Impact of HIPAA Nondiscrimination Rules, April 2004 Members Only
    Many companies want to offer financial rewards to employees who maintain healthy weights and live healthy lifestyles. When financial rewards are linked to a company’s health plan, this practice could cause a violation of federal law. The goal of this issue brief is to clarify how employers may provide financial incentives and rewards for healthy lifestyles without violating the nondiscrimination rules of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”).

  • HIPAA's Impact on Employer Sponsored Wellness Plans: Privacy Rules, December 2003 includes a description of HIPAA's privacy rules, their impact on employers that sponsor wellness programs, and a discussion of whether and how the rules may apply to common components of wellness programs. Members Only

E-newsletters

Webinars

Drug Therapy in the Medical Management of At-Risk Overweight and Obese Individuals, January 30, 2007

Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles, December 6, 2006

Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles: Lessons Learned, December 13, 2005

Best Practices & Innovations

Nutrition

Obesity Cost Calculator

Published Articles