ELCA NEWS SERVICE
December 22, 2008
Nutrition, Weight, Emotional Health among Health Risks for ELCA Leaders
08-208-KL*
MINNEAPOLIS (ELCA) -- The results of the 2008 Mayo Clinic
Health Assessment are in and show a clear picture of the health
of leaders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
Of the more than 11,000 pastors, church workers and spouses who
took the assessment through the ELCA-primary health plan:
76 percent are at risk for poor nutrition
67 percent are at risk of being overweight
60 percent are at risk for poor emotional health
57 percent are at risk for high blood pressure
50 percent are at risk for lack of exercise
23 percent are at risk for high cholesterol
The results of the assessment give the ELCA Board of
Pensions aggregate information about the health of the ELCA's
pastors, church workers and spouses covered under the ELCA-
primary health plan, providing data on which to develop the plan
for 2009 and beyond. It will also help the ELCA benefits
provider to further develop ELCA leaders who are healthy in mind,
body and spirit.
Participation in the assessment -- 60 percent of those
eligible -- came on the heels of a redesigned ELCA-primary health
plan offering monetary incentives for eligible pastors, church
workers and spouses to take the assessment and pursue health
improvement activities. People with ELCA-primary health plan
coverage were offered $100 for completing the assessment, and an
additional $200 for completing health improvement activities on
the EmbodyHealth Web portal. Across the plan, people earned more
than $1.9 million in "personal wellness dollars" to help them
offset their medical deductible costs.
To help motivate health assessment participation, a
2 percent discount on ELCA health contributions was offered to
all sponsoring congregations and ELCA organizations if more than
75 percent of eligible people completed the health assessment in
their particular synod, seminary or churchwide ministry. Four of
the ELCA's eight seminaries, congregations in five of 65 synods
and two other ELCA organizations earned the discount for
collective health contribution savings of $152,000.
The financial incentives were developed by the ELCA Board of
Pensions to encourage the health plan's eligible pastors, church
workers and spouses to become healthier by using their health
benefits proactively.
Of the 11,000 people who took the assessment:
+ more than 4,000 completed wellness activities, such as
enrolling in and completing the site's fitness, nutrition or
stress management programs
+ more than 3,000 qualified for a lifestyle coaching program
+ more than 8,600 agreed to be contacted for lifestyle coaching
if they presented a qualifying risk profile
Nearly 800 people covered under the ELCA's Medicare-primary
health plan took the health assessment without the incentive of a
financial reward.
-- -- --
A report on synods, seminaries and churchwide ministries
that received discounts on ELCA health contributions in 2008 is
available at
https://www.ELCAbop.org/Home/BenefitsAdmin/2_percent_progress.aspx
on the ELCA Board of Pensions Web site.
EDITORS: EmbodyHealth is spelled correctly as a single word.
* Kami Lund is a public relations and advertising specialist,
ELCA Board of Pensions, Minneapolis.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog
