Carrots and Sticks: An Accountable and Incentivizing Approach to Controlling Health Care Costs and Creating a Culture of Health

Manatee County, FL
Population: 322,833

Preventable illnesses make up approximately 70% of the burden of illness and the associated costs to employers. Employers continue to seek strategies to reduce health care costs as the employer can’t continue to absorb the increased costs and shifting the costs to the employee create a new set of problems. Helping employees find the motivation to get and stayed engaged is the key to reducing costs by addressing the modifiable conditions and incorporating concepts of behavior change and stages of change have significantly improved this county’s health care spend.

Manatee County Government has proven to manage costs, improve the health of their employees and create a culture of health by integrating 3 components into their health plan:

1. Creating an accountable benefit design tied to preventative care
2. Offering high-dollar incentives for outcome, not just participation
3. Providing on-site, integrated health management and advocates to help employees improve their modifiable conditions.

How do we get employees to choose a health plan that will encourage them to stay well throughout the year rather than choose a plan at annual enrollment that has the lowest premium? How do we get 93% of our employees to take advantage of free preventative care, age-based screenings and health risk assessments? How do we get 80% of our employees to participate in a weigh management program?

Learn from the practical and proven experience of a local government health plan that integrates behavioral health with wellness and health management.

Session takeaways include:
1. How and why an accountable health plan was developed
2. How and why to incorporate behavioral health into wellness and health management
3. Practical strategies to incorporate coaching, advocacy and accountable benefits to create a culture of health.