Health Benefits Trust Highlighted at U.S. Senate H.E.L.P. Committee

SEIU Healthcare NW Health Benefits Trust was mentioned in the testimony of Dr. David Grossman, Group Health’s Medical Director for Population and Purchaser Strategy, before the U.S. Senate’s Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee our unique approach to addressing high ER and hospital utilization through a three-step incentive program rewarding beneficiaries with $100 for completion.

[Excerpt from Dr. Grossman’s testimony]:

“Group Health recently worked closely with one purchaser – the SEIU Healthcare NW [Health] Benefits Trust – to address high emergency department and hospital utilization. Working together, we devised a unique approach to addressing the problem. The Trust offered $100 to any worker who completed three tasks: (1) registering with Group Health’s online member portal; (2) completing a health risk assessment; and (3) making one preventive office visit. Surfacing health issues through an HRA and establishing a relationship with a primary care provider made a remarkable difference; these simple steps (over a four year period) led to a 27 percent reduction in emergency department and a 14 percent reduction in hospital admissions.

This example illustrates an important point – meaningful engagement by employers with health systems and by employees with their own health are critical success factors for workplace wellness programs…the SEIU Healthcare NW [Health] Benefits Trust offer powerful examples of very engaged employers who have created their own very significant positive outcomes.”

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