CATHY BONNSTETTER
Creating a
Healthier
Tomorrow
PEIA Program
Promotes
Wellness Among
West Virginians
Health statistics in the state paint
West Virginians as sedentary and
overweight people at risk for a
multitude of diseases that stem
from unhealthy lifestyle choices.
West Virginia’s Public Employ-
ees Insurance Agency (PEIA), an agency that covers one in eight
West Virginians, has expanded its Healthy Tomorrows program
in a continued effort to turn around those dismal statistics and
give its clients the tools they need to take charge of their health.
Humana Go365, the next phase of the Healthy Tomorrows
program, is designed to give PEIA-insured policyholders op-
portunities to get and stay healthy. The platform includes op-
portunities and rewards for making healthy choices, as well as
health education.
“We looked at a number of different platforms and compa-
nies,” says Cheryl Jackson, West Virginia PEIA wellness pro-
gram manager. “This is the one we thought would work for
us. It is being used with great success in Kentucky, and I think
our population mirrors them a bit. More than a million people
are participating in this program with different companies.”
In 2014, PEIA began the Healthy Tomorrows program and
asked insured policyholders to designate a primary care physician.
The second year of the program, participants were asked to get
their biometrics data from their physician. Building on the success
of the first years of this health-focused initiative, PEIA is now
asking members to focus on getting those biometrics, such as
blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol, into healthy ranges.
“This program is the next step,” says Jackson. “Now our
members have the resources and a primary care physician and
know their biometrics. This platform is a toolbox.”
Those who participate in the Healthy Tomorrows program
will be rewarded for their personal health engagement activi-
ties. The platform offers rewards, such as fitness devices and
Amazon gift cards, to keep clients motivated.
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WEST VIRGINIA EXECUTIVE
“People want to be rewarded for making the right choices,”
says Jackson. “This is about engagement and people being aware
of their health. There are so many different ways to earn points.
If you engage, you can be successful.”
Humana Go365 divides healthy activities and education into
four different categories: education, fitness, prevention and
healthy living. Each preplanned activity in the program is as-
signed a point value. For example, members garner 200 points
for getting a flu shot. Participants also achieve points for par-
ticipating in athletic events or sports leagues, as well as donat-
ing blood or taking a CPR course or daily health quiz. Thanks
to Healthy Tomorrows, participants do not have to walk the
road to wellness alone.
“The program offers master’s level-trained health coaches for
people who want to lose weight or quit smoking,” says Jack-
son. “There is also a network of gyms and facilities that report
attendance.”
Jackson hopes to incorporate West Virginia’s great outdoors
into the state’s version of the program to encourage even more
active participation. “We are working with state parks, and our
hope is to get activities going on in the parks where people can
earn points,” she says. “There are unlimited routes to get your
points, and no two people do it the exact same way.”
Go365 will be the hub of all the wellness programs PEIA
offers, including Face to Face Diabetes Management and Face
to Face Weight Management. As Go365 grows and evolves,
Ted Cheatham, PEIA executive director, says he wants to see
the positive impact grow as well.
“The mission of the West Virginia Public Employees Insur-
ance Agency is to administer affordable insurance programs and
services that protect, promote and benefit the health and well-
being of our 76,000 active policyholders covered by PEIA,” he
says. “By offering our Healthy Tomorrows initiative that pro-
motes healthy living, we hope to play a vital role in changing
the mindset and well-being of West Virginians.”