Consider the following:

• For the obese employee population, annual health care costs are 37.4 percent higher
• Annual hospital inpatient days for this population are 45 percent higher
• 39.3 million workdays are lost annually due to obesity¹

At Aetna, we want to partner with you to promote a healthier lifestyle for your employees. The Aetna Healthy Body, Healthy Weight Program^® can help with its innovative and integrative approach to promoting weight management in the workplace.

Aetna members who participate in the program receive outreach and support from a team of registered nurses, weight loss therapists and nutritionists. Qualified participants may receive additional outreach from a weight loss therapist. Our nurses, nutritionists and therapists provide support, education and information while your employees are enrolled in the program.

Our integrated approach to weight management also allows us to identify and refer program participants to our disease management programs, and identify and support members’ use of and adherence with prescribed medications.

Research shows that employer participation and physician partnership are key components of a successful weight management program. We address these important issues through educational interaction with the participating physician community and the development of tools and resources that promote weight loss for use in the workplace.

A voluntary, one-year program, the Aetna Healthy Body, Healthy Weight Program is currently available to eligible members of the following self-funded Aetna plans: Aetna HealthFund^® and PPO-based medical plans.

Members access the program by taking the Web-based Simple Steps To A Healthier Life^® Health Assessment. Eligible members who do not have access to Simple Steps To A Healthier Life, our online health and wellness program, may access the program through a written Health Assessment.

Using our sophisticated risk-stratification processes, participants are categorized as low, intermediate or high risk. The frequency and intensity of program interactions are determined based on the member’s risk stratification and health status.

All program participants receive an initial call from an Aetna registered nurse or nutritionist who:

• Provides information on nutrition, healthy menus and exercise
• Reviews available health information resources (for example, Informed Health® Line, our 24-hour health information line)
• Offers additional resources and tools, including a discount to a participating community-based weight loss program of the member’s choice and a pedometer
• Identifies opportunities for referral to other Aetna programs (for example, disease management, case management, behavioral health)

Participants also receive follow-up calls to assess program success and provide additional education and support throughout their participation in the program.

Based on their individual risk factors and health status, participants may also receive:

• Ongoing telephone outreach from and access to a weight loss therapist, to include nutritional and “readiness-to-change” assessments
• Additional motivational tools to encourage participation
• Regular follow-up at 3, 6 and 9 month intervals to monitor weight loss, medication compliance (if applicable) and adherence to the recommended exercise program

¹Jacobsen, M. The Epidemic of Obesity: The Costs to Employers and Practical Solutions. Washington, DC; December 2002.