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Meritain Health’s 2010 Worksite Screening Study Reveals Improvements Among Employee Population
Contact:
Donna Hofmeister
410.645.1878
Donna.hofmeister@meritain.com
Healthy MeritsSM wellness program help participants impact health
BUFFALO, N.Y. October 24, 2011 – Meritain Health, one of the nation’s largest providers of self-funded health and wellness plans, has released the results of its 2010 Worksite Screening Study. 2010 marks the fifth anniversary of this report. The annual study reviews year-to-year progress of employees from Meritain Health clienats who participate in biometric screenings.
The 2010 study reviewed the health of 22,176 members from 172 employers, revealing risk factors for heart disease, diabetes and certain types of cancer. The screening report also showed evidence of successful health improvements, including improved blood pressure levels and fewer members with high LDL cholesterol.
Notable 2010 Worksite Screening Study findings include:
- 89% of participants improved blood pressure
- 77% reduced LDL cholesterol
- 70% reduced high triglyceride levels
- 62% improved glucose levels
- 36.1% actively taking steps to improve their health
For the first time in 2010, study results were broken into three categories of wellness programs. These findings help support the effectiveness of employee wellness programs, a welcome achievement in the current face of increasing chronic illness and soaring annual healthcare costs.
Dr. Larry Luter, Chief Medical Officer of Meritain Health, commented, “We are pleased to note that our [Healthy Merits] wellness program components are not only being accepted by our members but are also showing effectiveness in helping them achieve greater health outcomes.”
About Meritain Health
Meritain Health, an Aetna company, serves over 2,300 clients nationally. The company provides plan administration and innovative wellness, medical management, disease management, network management, and cost management services. Meritain Health is also a leading provider of Consumer-Directed Health Plans. Meritain Health employs more than 1,400 people, with headquarters in Buffalo, N.Y., and regional offices in 30 cities across the country. For more information, visit www.meritain.com.
About Healthy MeritsSM
The Meritain Health Healthy MeritsSM program includes wellness, disease management and lifestyle management programs that provide employee health screenings and assessments, smoking cessation programs, weight loss assistance, lifestyle coaching and more. The programs are designed to reach employees at all levels of health: employees who are currently well, employees considered at-risk or high-risk, who need to take immediate action to prevent illness, and employees with chronic or acute disease.
