• BHCG Consumer education modules are drawing interest from other coalitions
  Two years ago the BHCG developed, A Buyers Guide to Health Care, a series of online education modules to help consumers learn how to navigate the health care system more effectively. The eight modules contain helpful hints and interactive, entertaining tools for making better health care decisions.
  
  Now the education modules are getting “play” outside of southeastern Wisconsin. The Tri-State Health Care Coalition in Quincy, Illinois and the Maine Health Management Coalition recently purchased the modules to share with their members and their members’ employees. One key stipulation in the purchase agreement states the purchasing coalition cannot use the modules with southeastern Wisconsin-based employees, thereby maintaining exclusivity for BHCG members and their employees.
  
  Other coalitions around the country have also expressed an interest in purchasing the modules from the BHCG.

• The BHCG joined The Leapfrog Group
  The BHCG became a member of The Leapfrog Group, a national organization of health care purchasers committed to making breakthrough improvements in the safety, quality and affordability of health care. Launched in 2000, The Leapfrog Group’s membership consists of many of the nation’s largest employers and health care purchaser organizations. Leapfrog members purchase health care for more 37 million people in all 50 states.
  
  Our involvement with The Leapfrog Group provides many benefits for member employers. All individual employer members gain access to Leapfrog’s member Web site portal where they can find a wealth of information including the annual report of individual hospitals’ progress in meeting quality and safety standards, a communications toolkit to help employers engage their employees in health care purchasing and updates from Leapfrog on current government policies and quality measures.
  
  We believe our support of Leapfrog will demonstrate to the area’s provider community Leapfrog’s importance and motivate them to report their data to Leapfrog. Increasing the number of providers that report their data to Leapfrog will result in a more comprehensive database for purchasers to utilize.

• You can do more to engage employees in health and wellness efforts
  The BHCG wants to help its member employers build internal cultures that emphasize health and wellness and encourage participation in wellness programs that are offered. Employers should consider:
  • Improving coverage for preventive care
  • Using employee “champions” to promote wellness at work
  • Requiring or providing incentives for participation in health screenings and health risk assessments
  • Tracking member participation in lifestyle management programs that are offered and recognizing “graduation” or completion
  • Asking their EAP vendor to refer employees to other appropriate company programs

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