SAN MATEO COUNTY EMPLOYEE WELLNESS PROGRAM FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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1 SAN MATEO COUNTY EMPLOYEE WELLNESS PROGRAM FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 1. SAN MATEO COUNTY EMPLOYEE WELLNESS PROGRAM What is the San Mateo County Employee Wellness Program? The San Mateo County Employee Wellness Program is an employee service designed to promote your health & well being through a variety of health, fitness and educational programs. As a County employee, retiree or family member, you are encouraged to take an active role in taking good care of your health. One way is to participate in the Employee Wellness activities offered at your work-site. You can attend many employee wellness programs on County time at little or no cost to you. Wellness Screening The County works with its wellness coordinator and contractors to offer onsite wellness screenings, wellness classes and health coaching services. It also manages internal County communications about the Healthy Lifestyles Reward Program to Blue Shield members. The Employee Wellness Program is using two current contractors, Baysport and Susan Vana NP, to conduct wellness screenings and post-screening outreach to those with elevated test results. Who s eligible to participate? Any employee of the County of San Mateo can participate in the San Mateo Employee Wellness Program. I don t have health coverage through the County. Can I still participate in this program? If you have not selected County health insurance, you may participate in the Wellness Screenings on County time and at no cost just like everyone else. You will not be eligible for any rewards. You can schedule your Wellness Screening by visiting the Employee Wellness website ( clicking on the Blue Shield icon, then the Get Started button, and following the directions. At this time, extra help, interns, and temporary workers are not eligible to participate. 1

2 (Public Works employees only) I have elected to get my health insurance coverage through the Operating Engineers. Can I still participate? You may participate in the Wellness Screenings on County time and at no cost just like everyone else. You will not be eligible for any rewards. You can schedule your Wellness Screening by visiting the Employee Wellness website ( clicking on the Blue Shield icon, then the Get Started button, and following the directions. Why is the County doing this right now? The County is committed to keeping County employees healthy. And we presume that you want to be your healthiest, too. Is this program mandatory? No. How long is the program? The County program dates for this year are January 1 to December 31, What should I do first? The first step is to schedule your Wellness Screening. There is an extensive schedule of Wellness Screenings offered from January to April Participation is voluntary and you are not required to participate. Will my health benefits be affected if I choose not to participate? No. 2. WELLNESS SCREENINGS What is a Wellness Screening? The Wellness Screening is offered to members to increase their awareness and knowledge about key health indicators, specifically blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose, and weight. It s recommended that everyone have these tests done on a regular basis (how often depends upon your age). It s important that to know your numbers and what you can do to keep them in the healthy range. It s also important to know if a doctor needs to step in and help improve those numbers through medication or other medical care. A Wellness Screening is an important first step. What happens at the screening? At the screening, you will be asked to complete some required paperwork. You will then go through a series of stations, each one with a different purpose. 2

3 At one station, the staff will measure your height and weight. At another, the staff will take a finger stick sample of blood to obtain cholesterol and glucose values. At another station, your blood pressure will be taken. At the end, a health educator will review the results and help you set one or two goals or action steps. You ll sign a ledger indicating that you have participated, which will be sent to your health plan. Blue Shield will issue you a $25 Wellness Reward. This reward will be posted on your Healthy Lifestyle Rewards page generally within 2-3 weeks of your Wellness Screening appointment but no later than April 30, At some County locations, you may be able to proceed to a nearby computer room and complete your Wellness Assessment as part of your appointment (and earn an additional $25 Wellness Reward). These locations will be clearly indicated on the online scheduling system. When will the Wellness Screenings happen? From January through April Where will the Wellness Screenings be scheduled? We are making every effort to schedule Wellness Screenings at many County worksites, adjusting the schedule and days to meet special department needs. We are scheduling more screening dates at our larger worksites, specifically the County Government Center in Redwood City and the Medical Center/Health Dept in San Mateo. Although screenings are not available at every County worksite, most are scheduled at locations that are within a minute drive of where most County employees work. The Wellness Screening contractor, Baysport, is located at the Pacific AthleticClub in Redwood City. If you prefer, you can make an appointment for your Wellness screening at the Pacific Athletic Club for almost anytime of day. The phone number is Can I do this on County time? Yes, Wellness Screenings are offered on County time. Be sure to get supervisor approval before scheduling your appointment. How do I schedule my appointment? Baysport maintains an online scheduling system, available 24 hours. 3

4 To schedule your appointment, go to click on your health plan icon, and then click Get Started button. If you do not have a computer at work or at home, call Baysport during normal business hours at (408) to make your appointment. The County highly encourages you to schedule your appointment online. How much time does my Wellness Screening take? The Wellness Screening takes 20 to 30 minutes. At some locations, you may complete the Wellness Assessment as part of your appointment and it will take 50 to 60 minutes to complete both. This will be clearly indicated when you make your appointment. I work in the evenings and on weekends. It s not convenient for me to do this. I m bummed; I won t be able to earn a $25 reward. Because there are many 24/7 facilities at the County, the County has scheduled a number of Wellness Screenings that start very early in the day at those locations. The County encourages you to find the most convenient time, date, and location, given the published schedule of screenings. Also, you can make an appointment with Baysport at its office at the Pacific Athletic Club in Redwood City during normal business hours. The phone number is Will my employer know my information or results from the Wellness Screening? Baysport is responsible for the safekeeping of your Wellness Screening results, adhering to national guidelines for confidentiality. You will be asked to sign a release statement to transfer your test results to a Nurse Coach (Susan Vana) for post-screening outreach. Both Baysport and the Nurse Coach are independent contractors and adhere to HIPAA standards. The County will receive only the names of individuals who have participated in the Wellness Screening. No other information will be given. I really just want to go to the Wellness Screening and get tested. Am I required to complete the Wellness Assessment? No, but you are highly encouraged to do so as soon after your appointment as possible. The wellness assessment is a valuable tool that increases your personal understanding and awareness of your health. It is a more complete picture about you than just your test results. It is also unique, based upon a foundation of information that you provide about yourself along with your Wellness Screening test results. It s focused on 4

5 helping you achieve your best health and a high quality of life now and in the future. It takes just 20 to 25 minutes to complete and can be done on County time. What happens if my test results are out of range? You will be contacted by the Nurse Coach to discuss your next steps. These steps may include making an appointment with your provider, getting retested, or referring you to appropriate health plan or County wellness programs or classes. You may be invited to participate in the County s nationally recognized Health Coaching Program to work with you on an individual basis to make changes in your food & eating habits, physical activity and stress management practices that can improve your health status, specifically related to heart health, diabetes, and/or weight management. Participation in the Health Coach program is voluntary and can be conducted on County time with your supervisor s approval. You may also choose to participate on your own time, if you wish. It is FREE. 3. WELLNESS ASSESSMENT What is the Wellness Assessment (WA)? The WA can help you understand how your behavior affects your health by asking you a series of questions about yourself and the way you live. Once you answer all of the questions, the program will use your answers to create a oneof-a-kind, personal health report just for you. Some of the questions will ask you for biometric data, such as blood pressure, cholesterol or weight. The County is offering an extensive schedule of Wellness Screenings for you to get tested and get current information. Schedule and participate in the Wellness Screening first, get your test results then enter the numbers into your WA. How do I sign up for the Wellness Assessment (WA)? The WA is only available online to County or courts employees who have selected one of the County s Blue Shield health plans for their health insurance. It is available online only there are no paper and pencil versions available. To take the WA, go to the Employee Wellness website ( click Blue Shield, click Take the Wellness Assessment ) 5

6 You may be able to complete the WA as part of your Wellness Screening appointment (depending upon the location). This will be clearly indicated on the Wellness Screening schedule. You may complete your WA at any time after January 1, In order to earn rewards as part of your health plan s reward program, you must complete it before December 31, Can I make changes to my wellness assessment (WA) after I submit it? Once you submit your WA, you will be able to update your responses at any point in the program year. You will also have the chance to complete a new WA at the beginning of each program year. I m concerned about my privacy. Will my employer know if I have taken a wellness assessment (WA)? Blue Shield and your employer may know if you have taken a WA only to have the necessary information for the purpose of administering your reward, such as , name and address. The personal health information from your WA is maintained by WebMD. WebMD is responsible for the safekeeping of your Wellness Assessment results, adhering to national guidelines for confidentiality. The personal health information from your WA will not be shared with Blue Shield or your employer. The County, its staff and contractors cannot view any personal health information, findings or recommendations from your WA or from any of the online health programs you complete. Can I complete the wellness assessment (WA) on County time? Yes. It will take about 20 to 25 minutes. 4. REWARDS What actions must I complete in order to earn a reward? Rewards are offered for participation in the following activities: Completion of a biometric screening (25) Completion of the online wellness assessment ($25) Completion of the Quit for Life Smoking Cessation Program ($50) or completion of up to three (3) wellness training sessions What rewards am I eligible for when I participate in County sponsored events? Completion of the Wellness Screening = $25 6

7 When do I need to complete these actions? To earn a reward, you must complete one or more actions between January 1 and December 31, 2012.When is the latest that I can start doing this and still earn the maximum reward? Wellness Screenings are scheduled between January and April 2012 only, so you must participate during this time to be eligible for a reward for this action. If you opt to complete three online Health Programs, the total online program requirement is 30 weeks. So the latest you can register and begin earning rewards for your online participation is June 1, Who should I contact if I have questions about the County sponsored activities? You can contact Pamela Gibson, Employee Wellness Program Coordinator at or pjgibson@smcgov.org. For Wellness Screening questions, contact Brian Schonfeld at Baysport, bschonfeld@baysport.com or at (408) Will my reward be taxed? Your reward is taxable under the Internal Revenue Code. However, you will not receive a Form 1099-MISC from your health plan reporting this amount to you and the IRS. If you have additional questions, consult your tax advisor. 7