(UNEDITED) We all know the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. Whether through personal experience, or the growing body of research that proves it, we all know that simple lifestyle choices -- such as a healthy diet, routine health screenings and regular exercise -- extend and enhance lives. What we are learning now is that these same habits individuals adopt to improve our own lives can also have a positive impact on business productivity and the overall cost of health care in America. This connection of better health with lower costs is especially timely as the work of expanding coverage through federal health care reform gets underway.
It's simple enough: When we do the right things to take care of ourselves, we have fewer chronic health problems. When we feel better, we enjoy life more -- we're able to spend more time playing with the kids and enjoying our beautiful outdoors -- and we are more productive at work. When employees are ill, businesses pay nearly twice as much in lost productivity as they do in actual medical bills, according to a study published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
About 70 percent of our health care dollar nationally goes to treat chronic diseases that are strongly correlated with lifestyle choices, from obesity to diabetes, from heart disease to cancer. One of the best ways to counter high medical costs is to promote health and wellness. But understanding the benefits of adopting a healthy lifestyle is a lot easier than actually making those changes.
Regence is committed to helping our members and their communities have similar opportunities to live healthy, happy lives. We encourage everyone to join us and our community partners for Be Well Utah September 13-18. There will be free educational opportunities, health screenings and a free Be Well Utah Family Health Fair on Saturday, September 13 at Stillwell Field at Fort Douglas. You can learn more at http://healthcare.utah.edu/bewellutah/.
Utah Gov. Gary R. Herbert is expected to sign a declaration proclaiming September 13-18 Be Well Utah Week in recognition of the importance of promoting a happy and healthy lifestyle. The governor is expected to issue a formal declaration in support of the efforts to encourage residents to take responsibility for their individual health and to provide screenings and health education for state residents.
We hope everyone will join us as we launch this important public health initiative.
Robert A. Hatch
President of Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah.
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