See below for examples of what other States, communities and organizations are doing to promote prevention and reverse the health care crisis:

Alabama Hits Obese Workers with Fee

State employees who don’t try to lose weight will have to pay part of their health insurance premiums. It may sound heavy-handed, but the workers’ lobbying group is not complaining.

By The Associated Press

The state of Alabama has given its 37,527 employees until 2010 to start getting fit — or they’ll pay $25 a month for insurance that otherwise is free.

Alabama will be the first state to charge its overweight workers who don’t try to slim down, while a handful of other states reward employees who adopt healthful behaviors.

Alabama already charges workers who smoke — and has seen some success in getting them to quit — but now has turned its attention to a problem that plagues many people in the Deep South: obesity.

The State Employees’ Insurance Board earlier this month approved a plan to charge state workers starting in January 2010 if they don’t get free health screenings.

If the screenings turn up serious problems with blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose or obesity, employees will have a year to see a doctor at no cost, enroll in a wellness program or take steps on their own to improve their health. If they show progress in a follow-up screening, they won’t be charged. But if they don’t, they must pay starting in January 2011.

“We are trying to get individuals to become more aware of their health,” said state worker Robert Wagstaff, who serves on the insurance board.

William Ashmore, executive director of the State Employees’ Insurance Board, said the state will spend an extra $1.6 million next year on screenings and wellness programs but should see significant long-term savings.

Ashmore said research shows someone with a body mass index of 35 to 39 generates $1,748 more in annual medical expenses than someone with a BMI of less than 25, which is considered normal.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, a few states offer one-time financial incentives for people pursuing healthy lifestyles. Ohio workers, for instance, get $50 for having health assessments and another $50 for following through with the advice.

Arkansas and Missouri go a step further, offering monthly discounts on premiums for employees who take health risk assessments and participate in wellness programs to reduce obesity, stress and other health problems.

Alabama’s new policy is drawing no objection from the lobbying group representing state workers.

Mac McArthur, the executive director of the Alabama State Employees Association, said the plan is not designed to punish employees. “It’s a positive,” he said.

Gaithersburg, MD

Fiscal Year 2009 brings a new benefit to full-time City of Gaithersburg employees - the GFit Wellness Program! The GFit Wellness Program is a healthy lifestyle incentive program dedicated to educating, motivating, and empowering full-time employees to take an active role in preserving their good health and improving their overall quality of life.

Through the GFit Program, full-time employees may be reimbursed up to a maximum of $35 per month for expenses related to health and wellness activities that contribute to their improved fitness, health and well-being. Expenses for spouses or other dependents are not reimbursable through this Program.

Eligible expenses include (but are not limited to):

• Fitness Center/Gym Membership
• Personal Trainer Fees
• Sports League Registration Fees (e.g., softball, basketball, bowling)
• Lesson/Class Fees (e.g., dancing, swimming, golf, aerobics, yoga)
• Managed Weight Loss Programs* (e.g., Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers)
• Managed Smoking Cessation Programs (e.g., hospital sponsored)
• Nutritionist Advice Fees

*Weight Loss supplements are not eligible

Items reimbursed through Flexible Spending Accounts are not eligible for reimbursement through the GFit Program.

Steps to a Healthier Pennsylvania

2004

The Steps to a Healthier US 5-year cooperative agreement program funds States, cities, and tribal entities to implement chronic disease prevention efforts focused on reducing the burden of diabetes, overweight, obesity, and asthma and addressing three related risk factors: physical inactivity, poor nutrition, and tobacco use.

For FY 2003, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) allocated $13.6 million to fund 24 communities; in FY 2004, HHS allocated $35.8 million to increase funding to the existing 24 communities and to fund an additional 16, including 3 in Pennsylvania, for a total of 40 communities.

Amount of Award $1.5 million.

Project Area Rural Tioga County (North Central Area Health Education Center (AHEC)), population 41,373).

Urban Fayette County (Southwest AHEC, population 148,644).

Urban Luzerne (Northeast AHEC, population 319,250).

Demographics of Project Area 126 public schools, 58 private schools, 15 insurance carriers, and 13 hospitals.

Arlington County (as reported on WashingtonPost.com)

A few years ago, the Arlington County government added Local Motion, a team-based approach to wellness and exercise, to its wellness efforts. “I feel a lot better,” says Cassedy, a lieutenant in the county’s police department, who dropped nearly 30 pounds over two years participating in Local Motion and Weight Watchers, for which county workers pay a reduced membership fee.

Local Motion participants receive a pedometer, water bottle, weekly incentive gifts, e-mail newsletters, and advice from a registered nurse and fitness experts. Participants are tracked through biometric measurements before and after joining the program.

The county hopes to expand Local Motion to family members next year.

Over two years, 559 employers have completed the entire program, with more than 3,300 total pounds lost, nearly 403,000 miles logged on pedometers, reduced blood pressures, lots of thinner waists and improved hydration overall.