Extension Confirms Health Benefits Company’s Long-Term Commitment
to Improving Health and Well-Being
INDIANAPOLIS & NASHVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 15, 2012--
In a continuing effort to promote well-being, WellPoint, Inc. (NYSE:
WLP) has extended its current contract offering Healthways (NASDAQ:
HWAY) award-winning SilverSneakers® Fitness Program to
eligible members of several WellPoint affiliated health plans.
SilverSneakers, the acclaimed exercise program designed to keep older
adults active and healthyi, is provided to more than 700,000
eligible Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement members of
WellPoint’s affiliated plans.
The SilverSneakers Fitness Program is designed exclusively for older
adults. The program engages participants in active behavior change
through access to a variety of physical activity venues and
senior-specific programming that incorporates physical activity,
nutrition, cognitive and social experiences.
“SilverSneakers is a great way for Medicare beneficiaries to get started
or continue with an exercise program because it groups participants with
their peers and provides them with age appropriate exercises,” said
Leeba Lessin, senior vice president and president of WellPoint’s senior
business. “We are very pleased to be able to offer it to eligible
members in many WellPoint affiliated plans and we encourage them to take
advantage of it.”
Physical activity can play a critical role in the prevention and
treatment of various chronic illnesses. A published Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention study found that individuals who participate in
SilverSneakers programs have lower long-term medical costs and require
fewer hospital admissions.ii A separate CDC study found that
SilverSneakers provided tangible health benefits for high-risk members.
Members with diabetes who were active in SilverSneakers were admitted to
the hospital less often, had lower inpatient care costs and had
significant reduction in overall health care costs after only a year of
participation.iii
“There is growing recognition that the most effective solutions are
based on collaborative efforts that help individuals, wherever they may
be on the health continuum, avoid the next episode of care. Research has
consistently demonstrated that SilverSneakers improves the health and
well-being of participants through its unique combination of exercise
and social support,” said Ben R. Leedle, Jr., Healthways president and
chief executive officer. “Many of WellPoint’s affiliated plans have
provided SilverSneakers access to eligible Medicare Advantage and
Medicare Supplement members since 2003. By continuing to offer the
SilverSneakers program, WellPoint has confirmed its commitment to
providing time-tested, proven solutions to help improve not only the
physical health of plan members, but also their overall well-being.”
The SilverSneakers Fitness Program was founded in 1993 and serves more
than 9 million eligible members. The Healthways fitness center network
offers convenient access to more than 15,000 participating fitness and
wellness facilities nationwide.
The benefit information provided is a brief summary, not a complete
description of benefits. For more information, contact the plan.
Benefits may change on Jan. 1 of each year. Limitations, co-payments and
restrictions may apply. The SilverSneakers Fitness Program is provided
by Healthways, Inc., an independent company. SilverSneakers®
is a registered mark of Healthways, Inc.
About Healthways
Healthways is the largest independent global provider of well-being
improvement solutions. Dedicated to creating a healthier world one
person at a time, the Company uses the science of behavior change to
produce and measure positive change in well-being for our customers,
which include employers, integrated health systems, hospitals,
physicians, health plans, communities and government entities. We
provide highly specific and personalized support for each individual and
their team of experts to optimize each participant’s health and
productivity and to reduce health-related costs. Results are achieved by
addressing longitudinal health risks and care needs of everyone in a
given population. The Company has scaled its proprietary technology
infrastructure and delivery capabilities developed over 30 years and now
serves approximately 40 million people on four continents. Learn more at www.healthways.com
or www.silversneakers.com.
About WellPoint, Inc.
At WellPoint, we believe there is an important connection between our
members’ health and well-being—and the value we bring our customers and
shareholders. So each day we work to improve the health of our members
and their communities. And, we can make a real difference since we have
approximately 34 million people in our branded health plans, and
approximately 65 million people served through our subsidiaries. As an
independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association,
WellPoint serves members as the Blue Cross licensee for California; the
Blue Cross and Blue Shield licensee for Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia,
Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri (excluding 30 counties in the Kansas
City area), Nevada, New Hampshire, New York (as the Blue Cross Blue
Shield licensee in 10 New York City metropolitan and surrounding
counties and as the Blue Cross or Blue Cross Blue Shield licensee in
selected upstate counties only), Ohio, Virginia (excluding the Northern
Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C.), and Wisconsin. In a majority of
these service areas, WellPoint’s plans do business as Anthem Blue Cross,
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia
and Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield, or Empire Blue Cross (in the New York
service areas). WellPoint also serves customers across the country
through our UniCare subsidiary and in certain California, Arizona and
Nevada markets through our CareMore subsidiary. Our 1-800 CONTACTS, Inc.
subsidiary offers customers online sales of contact lenses, eyeglasses
and other ocular products. Additional information about WellPoint is
available at www.wellpoint.com.
A health plan with a Medicare contract.
i http://www.silversneakers.com/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=QTHlzC-8A9E%3d&tabid=84
ii http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2008/jan/07_0148.htm
iii http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/31/8/1562.full
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50441288&lang=en
Source: Healthways
Healthways
Chip Wochomurka, 615-614-4493
chip.wochomurka@healthways.com
or
WellPoint
Doug
Bennett Jr., 502-889-2103
doug.bennettjr@wellpoint.com
