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Healthy Babies, Healthy Business:

A worksite wellness program

Presented to

What We are All About

March of DimesMission:

– To improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality

– 4 Strategies to Reach our Mission• 1: Research

• 2: Advocacy

• 3: Community Services

• 4: Education

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Background• Labor Force (Women 16-44) – 41.7 Million

– Women (16-44) as % of Labor Force – 46%

• Birth Rate (per 1000) among women 16-44 in labor force – 48

• U.S. Births – 4.1 Million

• Births among women 16-44 in labor force –2.0 Million

March of Dimes Prematurity Campaign

A multiyear, multimillionA multiyear, multimillionA multiyear, multimillionA multiyear, multimillion----dollar campaign to address dollar campaign to address dollar campaign to address dollar campaign to address

awareness, education and research to help families have awareness, education and research to help families have awareness, education and research to help families have awareness, education and research to help families have

healthier babieshealthier babieshealthier babieshealthier babies

Preterm Births: US, 1996-2006

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Major Factor in Neonatal and Infant Illness

– Neurodevelopmental handicaps (cerebral palsy, mental retardation)

– Chronic respiratory problems– Intraventricular hemorrhage– Infection– Necrotizing enterocolitis– Neurosensory deficits (hearing, visual)

Prematurity – Economic Burden

• The Institute of Medicine estimates the societal economic cost of prematurity to be $26 billion annually.

• Almost half (44%) of all hospital charges for premature and low birthweight babies were billed to employers and other private insurers.

Distribution of $26 billion societal economic costs of preterm birth

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Average Payment by Health Plan for Newborn Care

Source: Thomson Healthcare Babies were chosen from MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounter database for 2005 and were only included if they had at least twelve months of continuous enrollment after birth.

$3,859

$46,004

$9,280 $9,331

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

Uncomplicated Prematurity/ LBW Other Selected

Complications

All Births

Dollars

Average Inpatient Hospital Stays for Newborn Care

Source: Thomson Healthcare Babies were chosen from MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounter database for 2005 and were only included if they had at least twelve months of continuous enrollment after birth.

2.3

14.2

3.5 3.8

0

4

8

12

16

Uncomplicated Prematurity/ LBW Other Selected

Complications

All Births

Days

$8,106

$11,657$12,870

$9,781

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

Vaginal C-Section Complicated

Deliveries

All Live Births

Source : Thomson Healthcare Mothers were chosen from the MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounter data base for 2005 and were only included if they had at least nine months of continuous enrollment before birth and three months after birth.

Average Payment by Health Plan for Maternal Care

Uncomplicated Deliveries

Dollars

5

2.3

3.6

4.1

2.9

0

1

2

3

4

5

Vaginal C-Section Complicated

Deliveries

All Live Births

Source : Thomson Healthcare Mothers were chosen from the MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounter data base for 2005 and were only included if they had at least nine months of continuous enrollment before birth and three months after birth.

Average Inpatient Hospital Stay for Maternal Care

Uncomplicated Deliveries

Days

Total Direct Costs by Maternal-Newborn Complication Status

$44,367$46,009$77,805Complicated Delivery +

Complicated Newborn

$13,886$15,506$27,949

Uncomplicated Delivery

+ Uncomplicated

Newborn

Net

Payments

Total

Payments

Provider

Charges

Maternal / Newborn

Combination

Source : Thomson Healthcare

96.4 %

89.5%

% Payments

by Plan

Total Wage and Productivity Matrix

Maternal

Newborn Uncomplicated Complicated

Uncomplicated $15,477 $17,598

Complicated $15,367 $16,646

Source : Thomson Healthcare

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Maternal/Newborn Pair

Maternal => Uncomplicated Complicated

Newborn=> Uncomplicated Complicated

Direct Costs

Health Plan

Payments

$13,886 $44,367

Indirect Costs

Short Term

Disability Days 55.8 60.0

Wages $8,464 $9,103

Productivity $15,477 $16,646

Total Costs

$29,363 $61,013

Total Direct Costs + Wage and Productivity Costs

• Chronic health problems (High blood pressure, diabetes, obesity)

• Medical risks in current pregnancy

• Behavioral & environmental risks (Smoking, alcohol or drug use)

• Demographic risks (African-American, over 35)

• Other risks – stress, periods of standing

Risk Factors for Negative Pregnancy Outcomes

Smoking among women of childbearing age US, 1995-2006

21.2

25.126.3 26.0 26.4

27.1 26.3 25.5 24.922.8 23.5

22.423.8

0

10

20

30

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Smoking is defined as having ever smoked 100 cigarettes in a lifetime and currently smoking everyday or some days. Source: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Behavioral Surveillance Branch, Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention. Prepared by March of Dimes, Periantal Data Center, April, 2008.

Percent of women ages 18-44

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Obesity among women of childbearing age US, 1995-2006

14.315.7 16.3 17.4

18.5 18.619.6

21.0 21.7 22.123.6

14.1

0

5

10

15

20

25

1995 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Obesity is defined as a Body Mass Index of 30 or more. Source: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Behavioral Surveillance Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Prepared by March of Dimes, Periantal Data Center, April, 2008.

Percent of women ages 18-44

The Business Case for Investing in Worksite Health Promotion

Savings per dollar invested in worksite health promotion programs.

• From a review of 73 published studies of worksite health promotion programs

– Average $3.50-to-$1 savings-to-cost ratio in reduced absenteeism and health care costs.

• From a meta-review of 56 published studies of worksite health promotion programs

– Average 27 percent reduction in sick leave absenteeism

– Average 26 percent reduction in health costs

– Average 32 percent reduction in workers' compensation and disability management claims costs

– Average $5.81-to-$1 savings-to-cost ratio

Source: U.S. Workplace Wellness Alliance

Programs Employers May Have Available to Address Risk Factors

• Smoking Cessation Programs

• EAP Programs to address substance abuse, depression, etc.

• Health Risk Assessments

• Fitness club discounts

• Childbirth education classes

• Flexible spending accounts

• Pregnancy and newborn benefits

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An educated employee may improve the chances of a positive pregnancy outcome

Thus, March of Dimes created a NO COST tool

to help employees make better

health care decisions…

www.marchofdimes.com/hbhb

“My 9 Months”

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March of Dimes Print Materials

Online Community for Families of Premature Babies

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Results to Date• Currently over 190 organizations ranging from 25 to over 1 million employees are using “My 9 Months”

• Average monthly unique users = 1300

– Average monthly page views = 2700

• Most popular content:

– Getting Healthy (9 Questions)

– How Your Baby Grows

– Due Date Calculator

– Ovulation Calculator

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Contact

Steve Abelman, Director, Worksite Wellness Programs

– 914-997-4226

– sabelman@marchofdimes.com

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, ATTENTION, AND HELPING TO GIVE EVERY BABY A HEALTHY

START!