Holding down health care costs
What you can do ... Take care of yourself
In the United States, we spend more than $1.8 trillion a year on health care. Chronic disease accounts for about 75% of that total. Many of these diseases are largely preventable. So it is important to eat healthy, exercise regularly, and get enough sleep each night. You’ll feel better, reduce your stress, and improve your overall health and well-being. Use the emergency room
for emergencies only
Don’t hesitate to use an ER in an emergency, but if you go there when it’s not an emergency you often face a long wait and added costs. A typical ER visit costs at least five times more than an office visit. Use generics when appropriate
When you are being prescribed medication, ask your physician if there is a generic drug suitable for you. You’ll have a lower copayment, and your health plan will save money. |
Fundamental
health care reform Ultimately, any attempt to get a handle on health care costs is likely to require state or national reform. The Trust continues to work with different groups in the state, including legislators and business leaders, to push for changes that will help reduce the cost not just for public school employees, but for all Wisconsin citizens. |
By Scott Culver
Communications Specialist
WEA Trust
June 2006
As an organization created to serve Wisconsin public school employees, the WEA Trust is actively working on several fronts to help our health plan members manage the health care cost crisis.
Our goal at the Trust is to help members identify health risks and help those who need care get the right care at the right time. That’s why we offer an array of health and wellness resources.
Programs: We offer several programs to help members manage risk, including an annual health assessment, smoking cessation, maternity education, and flu vaccination.
Partners in Health: Research has shown that individuals who actively participate in their medical care — that is, they research their condition and work with their medical providers — get better medical care. That’s why we designed an education campaign to help members understand that it is their money that pays their health insurance costs. If they stay healthy, reduce risks, and use the health care system wisely, they can help get better care and help reduce costs at the same time.
Support: Many patients with chronic conditions often don’t get care that is consistent with national medical standards. That’s why we work with our members with conditions such as diabetes, asthma, and heart disease to ensure they are receiving appropriate care. We also provide care management for our members dealing with difficult medical conditions such as oncology, transplant, or high-risk pregnancy.
Resources: We connect members with resources to help them receive the right care at the right time at the right place. These resources include a self-care book, an online medical guide, and a monthly health newsletter.
Only by working with you and providing you with the necessary tools can we make a difference in the health care cost crisis.
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Writer pack in 35-year tobacco habit
WEA Trust health writer Susan Morris now hosts a blog dedicated to her own effort to quit smoking and participation in the Trust’s Quit Smoking—Your Way! program at
callinitquits.com. The blog is live and will be running during the summer break.
“I’ve got to pull the plug on this addiction before it pulls the plug on me,” Morris says. “I’ve vowed to quit a number of times. This time I am going to do it.”
callinitquits.com includes:
- Daily (or close) posts by Susan.
- The opportunity for site visitors to post questions and comments – and to cheer Susan on.
- Links to Quit Smoking – Your Way! and other online resources.
- Tools to help quit smoking, including smoking journals, a quit meter that calculates the money a person can save by quitting and e-cards.
- Regular additions and surprises.
Because her nicotine addiction spans decades, watching Susan quit might be the ultimate edge-of-your-seat reality show. You are invited to watch, or even participate, by going to Susan’s tobacco cessation blog at
callinitquits.com!
Posted June 2, 2006