EVERYONE WINS WHEN HEALTH BENEFITS SUPPORT QUITTING SMOKING

Atlanta (September 22, 2010)—

For Immediate Release: September 22, 2010

Contact: June Deen, 770-544-0520 (o)   404-550-4956 (c)

EVERYONE WINS WHEN HEALTH BENEFITS SUPPORT QUITTING SMOKING

Today, the American Lung Association in Georgia has released survey data finding 29 percent of large employers in Georgia and South Carolina offers quit smoking benefits to their employees.  Information for the survey came from more than 258 employers with 250+ employees who responded to a telephone survey conducted in June 2010 by Pioneer Marketing Research, based in Atlanta. The survey was conducted among human resource managers and provides a snapshot of the smoking cessation benefits currently offered. Sixty-three percent of the total interviewed was Georgia employers. Atlanta’s own Emory Healthcare/Emory University is among the top five leaders providing quit smoking benefits.

“Tobacco use has long been associated with greater health insurance costs and claims,” said June Deen, State Director for the Lung Association in Georgia. “This survey confirms that many of our larger employers are moving in the right direction. Tobacco use causes significant health problems, costs our economy in lost productivity and remains the leading cause of preventable death in the United States.”

Georgia private employer policies contrast strongly with the State of Georgia employee benefits for quit smoking assistance. Despite the well established health and cost benefits of employer-assisted quit smoking options, the State of Georgia provides little coverage for their employees seeking help in quitting smoking, and is one of only five states that does not provide coverage for Medicaid recipients who want help in kicking their habit.

The newly-released American Lung Association study, Smoking Cessation: The Economic Benefits, found that helping smokers quit not only saves lives but also offers favorable economic benefits to states. The study found that for every dollar spent by the State of Georgia helping their workers, quit line callers and Medicaid recipients quit smoking, the state has a potential return of $1.28.

“This is money that the state government and consumers could be spending in other places,” said Deen. “As states look for ways to reduce costs, helping people quit smoking is an economically viable solution. Providing quit smoking benefits would be a win-win for smokers and taxpayers alike.”

The Georgia/South Carolina employer survey found that nearly half (49 percent) of businesses with more than 2,000 employees offer smoking cessation benefits to their employees.  An overwhelming majority (80 percent) of employers agreed that their health insurance offering is a key component in recruiting and retaining quality employees. Additional findings revealed:

• The typical employer interviewed has fewer than 1,000 employees and covered lives, and is self-insured.
• 49 percent of employers with more than 2,000 employees offered quit smoking benefits.
• Almost half (48 percent) of the employers with fewer than 1,000 employees do not cover quit smoking benefits.
• The most common quit smoking benefits offered are coverage of prescription medicine (44 percent) and counseling sessions (33 percent).
• Two business sectors stand out:

o   Health Services - larger, more likely to be self-insured, more likely to require a higher smoker’s premium (co-payment), and more likely to see their health insurance as a key recruitment/retention tool.

o   Manufacturing - also more likely to be self-insured, and more likely to cover smoking cessation, to have recently added smoking cessation, and to cover prescription medicine in their benefit.

• Smoking cessation is the benefit most likely to be used by employees (only 21 percent of employers report no usage). 
• Most employers feel that good health benefits are a key component of recruiting and retention success.

The Georgia/South Carolina employer survey was framed in terms of an assessment of industry practices regarding prevention and wellness programs, especially those involving smoking. The survey was funded by a grant from Pfizer, Inc.  For more information, contact the American Lung Association in Georgia at (800) LUNGUSA (800-586-4872)

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The American Lung Association is the leading organization working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease through Education, Advocacy and Research. With the generous support of the public, we are "Fighting for Air." When you join the American Lung Association in the fight for healthy lungs and healthy air, you help save lives today and keep America healthy tomorrow.

QUIT SMOKING EMPLOYER BENEFITS SURVEY, JUNE 2010

American Lung Association in Georgia/Pioneer Marketing Research

(Sept 22, 2010) A telephone survey conducted among Human Resource Managers representing large employers in Georgia and South Carolina identified companies taking an active role in prevention and wellness regarding tobacco use and smoking cessation benefits. The survey provided a snapshot of the smoking cessation benefits currently offered. Information from the sample came from 258 employers in Georgia and South Carolina with a minimum 250 employees.  The typical employer interviewed has fewer than 1,000 employees and covered lives, and is self-insured.

• 162 interviews were completed with Georgia employers (63 percent of the total) and 96 with employers in South Carolina (37 percent of the total).
• Smoking cessation benefits are offered by 29 percent of the employers surveyed.
• Among CDC-recommended smoking cessation benefit components, coverage of prescription medicine (44 percent) and counseling sessions (33 percent) are most commonly implemented.

Two business sectors stand out:

• Health Services - larger, more likely to be self-insured, more likely to require a higher smoker’s premium (co-payment), and more likely to see their health insurance as a key recruitment/retention tool.
• Manufacturing - also more likely to be self-insured, and more likely to cover smoking cessation, to have recently added smoking cessation, and to cover prescription medicine in their benefit.

• Almost half (48 percent) of the employers with fewer than 1,000 employees cover no smoking cessation benefits.
• Employers in manufacturing are more likely to cover smoking cessation assistance (41 percent) than those in other sectors.  Employers in wholesale and retail trade are more likely to cover none of these services (51 percent).
• Smoking cessation is the benefit most likely to be used by employees (only 21 percent of employers report no usage). 
• For the majority of these employers (71 percent), smokers do not pay a higher health insurance premium.  About 25 percent do require a higher premium for smokers. 
• Coverage of prescription medicine (44 percent) and counseling sessions (33 percent) are the most common components of smoking cessation programs as implemented by these employers. 

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