Health News
- 90 Percent On State's Kentucky Employee Health Plan Are Enrolled In Its Wellness Program
If a focus on wellness and prevention is the key to living a longer life, then Kentucky public employees are well on their way with 90 percent of them now participating in the HumanaVitality? wellness program, which is offered through their Kentucky Employee...
- State-property Smoking Ban Seems To Cut Share Of Smokers In Executive Branch, More Than Other Employees In State Health Plan
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News State-government moves against smoking have reduced it among Executive Branch employees at a greater rate than among state employees who were not affected by Gov. Steve Beshear's order that banned smoking on...
- Beshear Cites Signs Toward Better Health: Kids Are More Active And Getting More Dental Care; Adults Are Getting More Screenings
Kentucky Health News Kentucky is moving toward achieving the broad, ambitious goals for better health that Gov. Steve Beshear laid out when he started the "Kyhealthnow" initiative in February 2014, his office says. "More Kentuckians have health insurance,...
- Women Leading Kentucky Health: State Health Commissioner Sees 'stars Aligned' For Kentucky To Finally Get Healthier
Health Commissioner Stephanie Mayfield GibsonThis is the third in a series of stories about four high-ranking female state officials who have guided the state's embrace of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. By Melissa PatrickKentucky...
- Beshear Lays Out Plan For Improving Kentucky's Health, With Specific Goals And Largely Administrative Strategies
By Al Cross Kentucky Health News Gov. Steve Beshear set seven specific, numerical goals Thursday for improving Kentucky's "dismal" health status, which he said is hurting the state's education, productivity, attractiveness to employers, state...
Health News
Group overseeing effort to make state healthier hears of 'dire need,' tools for improvement
Kentucky's health is "in dire need of improvement," but the state has some tools to do that, including health-care reform and the insurance program for its own employees, the group of officials charged with improving the state's health heard at its first meeting Thursday.
Dr. Stephanie Mayfield, commissioner of the Department of Public Health, told the group overseeing "Kyhealthnow" that the state is near the bottom of national rankings on nearly every goal set for the effort, but "is poised to make strong progress through school-based programs and the fact that federal health reform has made preventive services free," a state press release said.
The goals are that by 2019, Kentucky will reduce its smoking, obesity and uninsured rates by 10 percent; cut its death rates from cancer and cardiovascular disease by 10 percent; reduce deaths from drug overdoses and the average number of poor mental health days by 25 percent; reduce the percentage of children with untreated dental decay by 25 percent, and increase adult dental visits by 10 percent.
The effort is overseen by state cabinet secretaries, other key state officials, Mayfield as co-chair and Lt. Gov. Jerry Abramson as chair, by appointment from Gov. Steve Beshear. They are to meet quarterly.
The oversight group also heard from Department of Employee Insurance Commissioner Joe Cowles, whose agency provides health insurance coverage for 266,000 members, including employees of state agencies, school boards and local government, as well as retirees under age 65 and their dependents.
Cowles talked about the two insurance plans that contain a wellness component designed to encourage plan members to lead healthier lifestyles. "These plans provide lower coinsurance, deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums," Cowles said. "But more importantly, those who choose a LivingWell plan are required to complete an online health assessment. This helps them become more aware of their current well-being and understand their health risks. And, they get a personalized plan of action so they can get or stay healthy."
The department also offers a diabetes prevention program at no cost, and it has shown encouraging results, as participants are improving their physical activity and overall health, Cowles said. And it has anti-fraud measures that track the distance members drive to fill prescriptions, what drugs they are buying, how often, and so on.
The officials also heard from Dave Adkisson, president and CEO of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, which has made the health and wellness of Kentuckians one of its top three priorities because health-insurance costs have increased and an increasing share of companies? tax dollars go to pay for health care. He said the state's health problems have reached
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The goals are that by 2019, Kentucky will reduce its smoking, obesity and uninsured rates by 10 percent; cut its death rates from cancer and cardiovascular disease by 10 percent; reduce deaths from drug overdoses and the average number of poor mental health days by 25 percent; reduce the percentage of children with untreated dental decay by 25 percent, and increase adult dental visits by 10 percent.
The effort is overseen by state cabinet secretaries, other key state officials, Mayfield as co-chair and Lt. Gov. Jerry Abramson as chair, by appointment from Gov. Steve Beshear. They are to meet quarterly.
The oversight group also heard from Department of Employee Insurance Commissioner Joe Cowles, whose agency provides health insurance coverage for 266,000 members, including employees of state agencies, school boards and local government, as well as retirees under age 65 and their dependents.
The department also offers a diabetes prevention program at no cost, and it has shown encouraging results, as participants are improving their physical activity and overall health, Cowles said. And it has anti-fraud measures that track the distance members drive to fill prescriptions, what drugs they are buying, how often, and so on.
The officials also heard from Dave Adkisson, president and CEO of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, which has made the health and wellness of Kentuckians one of its top three priorities because health-insurance costs have increased and an increasing share of companies? tax dollars go to pay for health care. He said the state's health problems have reached
- 90 Percent On State's Kentucky Employee Health Plan Are Enrolled In Its Wellness Program
If a focus on wellness and prevention is the key to living a longer life, then Kentucky public employees are well on their way with 90 percent of them now participating in the HumanaVitality? wellness program, which is offered through their Kentucky Employee...
- State-property Smoking Ban Seems To Cut Share Of Smokers In Executive Branch, More Than Other Employees In State Health Plan
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News State-government moves against smoking have reduced it among Executive Branch employees at a greater rate than among state employees who were not affected by Gov. Steve Beshear's order that banned smoking on...
- Beshear Cites Signs Toward Better Health: Kids Are More Active And Getting More Dental Care; Adults Are Getting More Screenings
Kentucky Health News Kentucky is moving toward achieving the broad, ambitious goals for better health that Gov. Steve Beshear laid out when he started the "Kyhealthnow" initiative in February 2014, his office says. "More Kentuckians have health insurance,...
- Women Leading Kentucky Health: State Health Commissioner Sees 'stars Aligned' For Kentucky To Finally Get Healthier
Health Commissioner Stephanie Mayfield GibsonThis is the third in a series of stories about four high-ranking female state officials who have guided the state's embrace of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. By Melissa PatrickKentucky...
- Beshear Lays Out Plan For Improving Kentucky's Health, With Specific Goals And Largely Administrative Strategies
By Al Cross Kentucky Health News Gov. Steve Beshear set seven specific, numerical goals Thursday for improving Kentucky's "dismal" health status, which he said is hurting the state's education, productivity, attractiveness to employers, state...