Wellness Benefits and Opportunities

Welcome to Missouri State University Wellness Incentive Program

It is again time for the annual Wellness  Incentive Program that determines what you will be charged for health insurance premiums for 2012.  The University supports the culture of employee wellness based upon healthy lifestyle choices and offers all employees the opportunity to take advantage of the annual wellness initiatives offered through Taylor Health and Wellness Center and Campus Recreation.  Our objective for the wellness program is to not only improve health but also reduce health related costs.   As in the past, full-time employees electing to be covered under the University's medical insurance plan will continue to contribute a portion of the cost for their individual coverage.  (The amount of the contribution is established annually.) Even though rising healthcare costs are an issue, we are pleased to report that there is no change in your premium contribution of $30 per month.  Also, as in previous years, MSU is offering an opportunity through participation in wellness activities to offset the $30 per month.

Employee Wellness Incentive Program

Employees hired on or before September 1, 2011 who participate in the University's Wellness Incentive Program can save up to $30 per month or $360 for the calendar year.  This year the incentives are:

1. Biometric Measurements* and Health Risk Assessment-$20/per month
   *(Blood Screenings)  Cholesterol panel Total Cholesterol, HDL, LDL, Triglycerides
   • Blood sugar level
   • Body Mass Index (BMI)
   • Blood Pressure
   • Heart Rate
   Employees must provide biometric measurements in order to complete the Health Risk Assessment and the “tobacco use” questions.
2. Tobacco Use -$10/per month
   • Non-smoker or smoker who begins cessation program

For your convenience, all elements of this $30 savings can be found in one tool (HRA).  MSU has contracted directly with Wellsource, a national wellness company that has successfully operated Health Risk Assessments (HRA) for 30 years. The HRA tool will contain your biometric measurements and also the questions pertaining to tobacco use.  Therefore, Biometric measurements must be obtained before taking the HRA assessment.  Without the biometrics, it is not possible to participate in the HRA.  Participation in the HRA with your biometric measurements will result in a savings of $20/month on health insurance premiums for 2012.  If you choose not to participate in the biometrics you will not be able to complete the HRA and will not be able to save the full $30 per month.

Since the tobacco use questions are found in the HRA, you no longer need to complete a hard copy “Tobacco Use Statement” but will simply need to respond to the question(s) in the HRA.  As before, your response to tobacco usage question(s) will determine whether you incur a $10/month health insurance premium for 2012.   Taylor Health offers a tobacco cessation program at no cost.  Tobacco users who begin a tobacco cessation program by December 1, 2011 and non-tobacco users who complete the HRA will not incur the $10/month health insurance premium in 2012.  Thus, the only way to take advantage of the $10 per month tobacco use incentive is to complete the HRA including your biometrics. Those that choose not to participate in both wellness initiatives will incur a $30/month health insurance premium in 2012.

Biometric Screenings and HRA Dates Extended - Please read below:

Taylor Health and Wellness will be providing biometric screenings on campus between Thursday, September 1st and Friday, November 18th  at no cost to the employee (new deadline).  This is a new benefit in addition to your current $400 Wellness Benefit. You can schedule online at My learning Connection for a date and time to have your biometrics screening at Taylor Health and Wellness.  The biometric screenings have been reopened until Friday, November 18th to support Benefit Eligible employees who would like to still have an opportunity to complete their Biometrics as part of the Wellness Incentive Program.  Please refer to the resources below for the three (3) possible ways that you can complete your biometrics  for the HRA and Wellness Incentive Program:

• Visit Taylor Health and Wellness Center lab to have your labs completed.  Please complete the Taylor Health and Wellness Center Release Form  - Fast for 12 hours prior to having your labs draw and drink plenty of water!  

Or

• If you have had biometric measurements within the calendar year of 2011, you have the option of using those results.  You may obtain a signed copy of your biometrics from your personal physician, as long as the test is dated within the calendar year 2011. Please complete the Taylor Health and Wellness Center Release Form.

Or

• Physician Statement in Lieu of Biometric Screening - Employees who are electing to submit a Physician Statement in lieu of completing their Biometrics through Taylor Health and Wellness for the HRA can submit the following Physician Statement Form by 5pm on Friday, November 18, 2011.  Employees who submit this form will be eligible for the incentives, be exempt on the biometric portion of the wellness incentive, and be eligible for the $20 per month waiver on their health insurance premiums for 2012. 

Additionally, the HRA deadline date has been extended to Friday, November 25th for employees to complete their HRA as part of the Wellness Incentive Program.

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Dates to Remember

•  New/previous biometric measurements or Physician Statment must be completed and received by Taylor Health by 5:00 PM on Friday, November 18th in order to be used in the HRA tool.
• The Biometric measurements and HRA are for all medical plan eligible participants hired on or before September 1, 2011.  Employee dependents are not eligible for this wellness incentive at this time.  Premium deductions for 2012 will begin in December 2011.
• The HRA tool is open for participation from Monday, October 31st through Friday, November  25th. Those who chose to complete their Biometrics or provide a physician’s statement will receive an e-mail notification that provides additional instructions for completing the online Health Risk Assessment (HRA), which also contains the tobacco related questions. 

Please contact HRWellnessIncentive@missouristate.edu  if you have questions or need assistance in completing your HRA.  Thank you for participating in this year’s Wellness Incentive Program!

Additional Incentives!

Biometric measurements must be received by the cutoff date of Friday, October 7^th, 2011.  Employees will receive their choice of a 3-month membership to the new recreation center ($54 value) on campus that opens in the spring of 2012 or a $25 gift card to the MSU University Bookstore.  In addition, employees who submit their biometric measurements by Friday, September 16^th, 2011 will have their names entered into a special drawing for one of the following items:

• One of ten iPad’s courtesy of the University Bookstore ($500 value – upgradable)
• Two tickets to Juanita K. Hammons performance of The Importance of Being Earnest – Aquila Theatre for Tuesday, October 25^th courtesy of Juanita K. Hammons. 
• Two tickets to Juanita K. Hammons performance of In the Mood for Friday, November 4^th courtesy of Juanita K. Hammons. 
• Two tickets to Juanita K. Hammons performance of The Blanks for Saturday, November 5^th courtesy of Juanita K. Hammons. 
• Two tickets to Juanita K. Hammons performance of Ballet Memphis on Wednesday, February 29^th courtesy of Juanita K. Hammons. 
• Two tickets to Juanita K. Hammons performance of Danu on Tuesday, March 7^th courtesy of Juanita K. Hammons.
• Two field seats for home Bears football game, courtesy of Athletics 
• Two sets of two tickets for courtside seats to any Bears Basketball game at MSU courtesy of Athletics. 
• Two sets of two tickets for courtside seats to any Lady Bears Basketball game at MSU courtesy of Athletics. 
• One of two faculty/staff 10-meal plans at any Chartwells venue on campus courtesy of Chartwells. 
• One of three $100 incentive cards courtesy of Employee Wellness. 
• One $500 bicycle with helmet from Sunshine Bicycle courtesy of Employee Wellness.

Results of the 2011 Biometric Measurements Incentive Drawing are now availabe.

Certification Process for Verification

Your participation in the Wellness Activities will be documented electronically via Wellsource, our vendor. If you have questions regarding the University's Wellness Incentive Program, please contact Julie Dubinsky, Office of Human Resources, at X66616 or Sheila Bowen, Taylor Health and Wellness Center, X64064. 

Additional Wellness Benefits and Opportunities

As mentioned above, the University supports the culture of employee wellness through the Wellness Programming offered through Taylor Health and Wellness Center and Campus Recreation. Additionally, the University provides an Annual Preventive Care Benefit for employees with a maximum of $400 per person per calendar year where they can be eligible for costs associated with their annual physical examination (e.g., pap smear, PSA test, mammogram, urinalysis, blood test, office visit). 

Please refer to the Fringe Benefit Summary for detailed information (Staff / Faculty).  Participation in the Wellness Programs includes both fee based and non-fee based opportunities with the majority of the programming authorized for use with the non-credit fee waiver benefit by full time faculty and staff.  The University's Wellness Program includes:

• Periodic health and wellness screenings (lipid profiles, fitness assessments, blood pressure checks, nutrition analysis, etc.).
• Non-credit fitness and wellness classes (CPR/First Aid, yoga, tai chi, aerobics, water aerobics, meditation, financial peace and more).
• Smoking Cessation Programs.
• Coronary Health Improvement Project (CHIP).
• Journey for Diabetic Control.
• Well Coaching via group and one-on-one meetings.
• Weight Management Program - Weight Watchers at Work.
• Educational programs and presentations (Women’s and Men’s health forums and lunch-and-learn opportunities).
• Resource materials (pamphlets, handouts, CD’s, DVD’s, websites, etc.).
• Immunizations and travel medicine assistance.

Additional Information

For additional information regarding the above wellness programs, please contact the following areas:

• Employee Wellness Coordinator at Taylor Health and Wellness Center at X64064 or by visiting the Employee Wellness website .
• Campus Recreation at X65334 or by visiting Campus Recreation website .