THE SENATE

S.C.R. NO.

94

TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2012

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

Requesting the department of health and the department of labor and industrial relations to conduct a study to promote workplace wellness programs.

 

 


     WHEREAS, in an environment of rising health care costs, local and national policymakers, insurers, and employers are expressing an interest in improving health while lowering costs; and

 

     WHEREAS, sixty percent of Americans receive health insurance through an employment-based plan, and health insurance in the United States is expected to continue to be employer-based; and

 

     WHEREAS, because many employees in the United States spend a majority of their waking hours in the workplace, the workplace has become a venue for investments in health; and

 

     WHEREAS, large employers adopting wellness programs see a substantial return on investment within a few years, with medical costs falling approximately $3.27 for every dollar spent on wellness programs and absentee day costs falling approximately $2.73 for every dollar spent; and

 

     WHEREAS, insurers also largely support wellness incentives -- sixty-six percent of insurers reported being somewhat or very likely to provide incentives for health enhancing behaviors; and

 

     WHEREAS, comprehensive worksite health promotion programs recommended by the Institute of Medicine's Healthy People 2010 include health education, worksite screenings linked to appropriate medical care, and integration of the wellness program into corporate culture; and

 

     WHEREAS, workplace wellness programs with positive returns on investments include health risk assessments in the form of surveys that gather self-reported health data from employees which are then used by the employer to tailor interventions, and clinical screenings of risk factors that can motivate employee participation; and

 

     WHEREAS, workplace wellness programs that do not use health risk assessments may feature an on-site gymnasium or exercise facility that employees are encouraged to utilize; and

 

     WHEREAS, wellness intervention provisions can include self-help education materials, health counseling with a health care professional, or on-site group activities; and

 

     WHEREAS, wellness intervention provisions can also focus on the top two causes of preventable death, obesity and smoking, as well as other risk factors including stress management, nutrition, and preventative care; and

 

     WHEREAS, there are numerous benefits for employees and employers when workplace wellness programs are adopted, including long-term health benefits to employees, increased productivity, lower replacement costs due to absenteeism, and incentives for new workers; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-sixth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2012, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Department of Health and the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations are requested to conduct a study to promote workplace wellness programs; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the study include direct subsidies or easing of regulatory barriers for large and small companies who adopt workplace wellness programs, methods of improving long-term health outcomes for employees, and methods of reducing medical costs and health insurance premiums for employers in Hawaii; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Health and the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations are requested to submit a report on the study, including findings, recommendations, and any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2013; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Health and the Director of Labor and Industrial Relations.

 

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

 

 

Report Title: 

Workplace Wellness; DOH; DLIR