indiana state of wellness - small employer qualified wellness program tax credit
DESCRIPTION
Ashley will discuss the details of the role of the Indiana State Department of Health in processes related to Indiana's Small Employer Qualified Wellness Program Tax Credit. She will also discuss past and present experiences and updates about the tax credit as well.TRANSCRIPT
STATE OF WELLNESS –
INDIANA
Ellen Whitt, INShape Indiana
Ashley Peeples, Indiana State Department of Health
Jennifer Taylor, Indiana State Department of Health
January 20, 2011
About Indiana
Approximately 3 million adultsoverweight or obese
1.8 million+ at-risk if we don’t do something
“In an average year, Indiana residents pay $1.6 billion in obesity-related medical costs.” (Source: Finkelstein, E.A., Fiebelkorn, I.C., & Wang, G. (2004). State-level estimates of
annual medical expenditures attributable to obesity. Obesity Research, 12, 18-24)
Indiana has more than 115,000 small businesses, accounting for 97.6% of the state's employers and 48.6% of its private-sector employment.
(Source: U.S. Dept. of Commerce: Bureau of the Census.)
Many pieces to the puzzle
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
%
53% of IN adults report
being a normal weight in 1990
36% of IN adults reported being a normal weight in 2008
% of IN Adults who Self-Report Being at a Normal Weight, 1990-2008
The Challenge
Source: Indiana BRFSS Data, 1990-2008
Our Environment
Our Charge
Help create environments in
Indiana where the healthy choice
is the easy choice
INShape Indiana
History
INShape Indiana seeks to motivate, educate and connect individuals to resources that help them eat better, move more and avoid tobacco.
Established by Governor Daniels in 2005 as a web-based initiative with statewide reach (inshape.in.gov)
Prior to launching, wellness policies put in place in each of the state agencies and special outreach was made to state employees
Development of worksite focus
Early efforts directed at state employee population
through SPD (benefit design, smoke free workplace,
secure bike parking, etc.)
2007 Summit in cooperation with Purdue University
focused on Worksite Wellness
2008 launching of the “Indiana Worksite Wellness
Partnership” with Anthem, Kroger and others
2010 partnership formed with Indiana Chamber of
Commerce and the Wellness Council of Indiana
Making the connection
CDC funding for state obesity prevention plan
Expanded staffing with worksite focus
Policy and environmental change in state
government buildings (IDOA and FSSA)
Efforts to reach unemployed population through
DWD/Work One Centers
Individuals as change agents within their
communities (including worksite settings)
Indiana State
Department of Health
Worksite Wellness Initiatives
Small Employer Qualified
Wellness Program Tax Credit
2007
History
House Bill 1678: Health Matters
Introduced in January 2007
Passed in May 2007
Took effect in July 2007; retroactive to January 1
August – September
Roundtable/Focus Group meetings
2 drafts of wellness program
1st draft - large, comprehensive, point system
2nd draft – much easier to manage, still comprehensive
2007
Small Employer Qualified Wellness Program Requirements
Employee Appropriate Weight Loss
Assessments, Interventions/Education, Rewards Program,
Measurement Tool
Smoking Cessation
Assessments, Interventions/Education, Rewards Program,
Measurement Tool
Pursuit of Preventive Health Care Services
Assessments, Interventions/Education, Rewards Program,
Measurement Tool
2007
Application/Certification steps determined
To Qualify:
Registered Vendors
Small Employers
Advisory Board Chosen
Launch
INShape Indiana Health Summit. October 15, 2007
2007 tax year results
2008
Website Established
www.wellnesstaxcredit.in.gov
October 2008
Registered Vendor status
2008 tax year results
2009
No more Registered Vendors
2009 General Assembly
Report Due
Proposed amendment to cap the Small Employer
Qualified Wellness Program Tax Credit
Not acted upon
2009 tax year results
2010
Cap Proposed
Small Employer Application Results:
Of 87 Small Employer Applicants…
57 have 50 or fewer full time employees
Areas of Success Areas for Improvement
78 Approved 14+ Multiple Attempts
77 Use vendor/provider 39 have tobacco policy
84 Conduct blood screenings 23 from northern region
58 from central region 6 from southern region
2011
Improvements
Website
Application
Supporting Documents
Evaluation
Questions added to application
Report Due
December 2011
Small Business
Workplace Resource
Looking at traditional workplace
wellness
The Goal
Enhance the knowledge, skills and capacity for small
businesses to assess, identify and implement policy
and environmental supports at the worksite to
facilitate improved nutrition and physical activity
opportunities and behaviors.
The road traveled
Extensive review of current resources, available
tools, and recent research.
Interviewed 24 small businesses across the
state.
Worksite Toolkit
“The choices we make are driven by the choices we have…”
In the process of finalizing a resource for small
businesses to use to introduce policies and
environmental supports into the workplace.
Evaluation
Evaluation of the toolkit will look at the following
characteristics of each pilot site:
Workforce characteristics
Health programs and activities
Food environment
Physical activity opportunities
Policies
Incentives
Workplace health norms
Next Steps
Pilot of the resource kit to at least 25 small businesses in Indiana.
Looking at a variety of settings/industriesGrain elevators Metal Manufacturing
Real Estate Agricultural Consultants
Insurance Agencies Brokers & Service Computer Software
Social Services & Welfare Private Investigation
Health Care Services Business Management Consultants
Decals Manufacturing Printing and Manufacturing
Chamber of Commerce Attorneys
Multimedia Automobile Dealers
Laboratories – Research and Development Counseling Services
Contact Us!
Ellen Whitt Ashley Peeples Jennifer Taylor
Director Small Employer Wellness
Program Coordinator
Worksite Coordinator
INShape Indiana Indiana State Department of
Health
Indiana State Department of
Health
317-232-1200 317-234-7728 317-233-8204