HARTFORD, Conn., Apr 20, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) --Research shows that unhealthy lifestyles cost the United States billions of dollars each year in higher health care costs and lost productivity. Aetna (NYSE:AET) today announced an expanded solution to help employees achieve and maintain healthy lifestyles while helping employers tackle these growing costs.
The new Healthy Lifestyle Coaching program, available September 1, 2010, provides one program that addresses multiple health issues including weight management, tobacco cessation, stress management, nutrition, physical activity and preventive health. The program offers personalized, one-on-one coaching sessions, as well as online self-directed programs, aimed at helping members stay engaged in improving their health over time. Healthy Lifestyle Coaching is also connected to other Aetna health and wellness services, creating a seamless, integrated approach that allows members access to the care that best meets their specific needs, and helps employers maximize the value of other programs they buy from Aetna.
"Our new Healthy Lifestyle Coaching program responds to direct feedback from our customers who are looking for a more holistic, integrated approach to helping their employees make lasting health improvements," said Karen Weinseiss, Aetna's head of Innovation, Program Development and Management. "We know that health coaching programs can help to change behaviors. In fact, Aetna's own research showed that members who participated in health coaching programs were 46 percent more likely to reduce their Body Mass Index and 48 percent more likely to get adequate exercise compared to members who did not participate in a coaching program. This program takes health coaching to the next level by connecting lifestyle coaching with other Aetna clinical programs to help members stay engaged in continuous health improvement, leading to better outcomes over time."
At the core of the program is a motivational coaching model with highly trained and experienced in-house clinical staff. A major enhancement in the new Healthy Lifestyle Coaching program is that clinical professionals will be able to see an end-to-end holistic view through Aetna's care management system. Through this technology, coaches will be able to easily connect member information to create more meaningful, personalized and relevant interactions between coaches and members. Coaches will help members eat better, get in shape, lose weight, reduce stress, quit smoking and more. Members will benefit from referrals to other programs that can address additional health issues and co-morbid conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and others beyond the Healthy Lifestyle Coaching program. The program will be delivered to members through a variety of ways including telephone coaching sessions and e-mail communication. To better support user preferences and learning styles, the program also will be integrated with Simple Steps to a Healthier Life, Aetna's health assessment and online wellness program that includes self-directed modules such as stress management, smoking cessation, nutrition programs and others. Employers will benefit from employees having access to more effective, holistic care, which can lead to better health outcomes over time.
Healthy Lifestyle Coaching will also be available for members not enrolled in an Aetna plan to support the varied health and wellness needs of an employer's entire population. For more information about Aetna's suite of health and wellness services visit: http://www.aetna.com/plans-services-health-insurance/detail/health-wellness-plans/wellness-programs.html
About Aetna
Aetna is one of the nation's leading diversified health care benefits companies, serving approximately 36.1 million people with information and resources to help them make better informed decisions about their health care. Aetna offers a broad range of traditional and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmacy, dental, behavioral health, group life and disability plans, and medical management capabilities and health care management services for Medicaid plans. Our customers include employer groups, individuals, college students, part-time and hourly workers, health plans, governmental units, government-sponsored plans, labor groups and expatriates. For more information, see www.aetna.com.