Active Living Program News
HMO Reimburses Members For Active Living Every Day Participation
There are countless benefits for working physical activity into daily life: decreased risk for many chronic diseases; weight control; healthier bones, muscles, and joints; relief from arthritis pain; and reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression. Health America/Health Assurance, one of Pennsylvania's largest health insurance providers, is now giving its members even more incentive to get active with full reimbursement of Active Living Every Day.
Active Living Every Day provider, the University Fitness Center at Penn State College of Medicine and Penn State Hershey Medical Center, initially proposed to make the program fully reimbursable. Health America/Health Assurance approved it as such, extending the offer to all of its members in Central and Western Pennsylvania. A collaboration between Human Kinetics and The Cooper Institute, Active Living Every Day is a 20-lesson course that gives people the tools to become and remain physically active. The program uses a variety of behavior modification strategies to help people find realistic ways to fit physical activity into their daily lives—permanently.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 300,000 U.S. deaths per year are attributed to lack of exercise and poor diet—second only to tobacco use. Inactivity often leads to increased medication, doctor’s office visits, and hospitalizations with associated medical costs rising from $29 billion in 1987 to nearly $76.6 billion in 2000. Today, the approximate $117 billion annual price tag on obesity further stresses the need for moderate, regular exercise to decrease the associated risks of heart disease, colon cancer, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
While most Americans are aware of the benefits of physical activity, many still cannot seem to take that first step toward becoming active. The support of HMO’s such as Health America/Health Assurance will encourage member participation in Active Living Every Day, and other programs that promote the long-term commitment to a healthy, active lifestyle.
Active Living Partners also provides the Active Living Every Day course online at www.ActiveLiving.info. For more information contact Michelle Maloney, Active Living Partners associate at 1-800-747-4457, ext. 2522 or e-mail michellem@hkusa.com.
Active Living Program News Archive
