Program areas at Western Health Advantage
Public benefit Health coverage wha promotes the common good and general welfare of the community by offering Health benefit coverage to the public through multiple, easily accessible channels. Wha serves individuals, small employer groups, and large employer groups. Wha benefits the community and promotes social welfare by reason of (1) enrollment that is open to individuals (both on and off the California Health benefits exchange, covered California) and small groups, (2) serving low income, high risk, medically underserved, or elderly persons, and (3) having hmo premiums on a community-rated basis coverage to all group and individual members. Wha communicates with its members and providers through quarterly printed publications. Advantage magazine is a quarterly magazine aimed at promoting healthy lifestyles and assisting members to take Advantage of their Health benefits coverage. Provider insider is a quarterly informational magazine for providers. Wha wellness programs wha provides wellness resources and support for individual and employer/broker-driven wellness initiatives, the overall goal of which is to reduce healthcare costs for society. Our online wellness program reaches individuals by offering Health assessments and tracking tools. Wha's wellness initiatives reach beyond wha's base of members. Educational seminars and programs at the employer group level are offered to all employees regardless of Health plan affiliation. Health resources and information are freely given at Health events, and wha's wellness manager appears regularly in media driven campaigns, including giving interviews on local television news programs seen throughout northern California, promoting healthy eating and activity. Whafit whafit is wha's own Health and wellness program, formed in 2013, to promote the Health and well-being of its employees. Promoting positive behavior changes among wha's employees benefits the community, as these employees are members of the community that wha serves. Wha stands for not only Western Health Advantage, but in this context, wellness, Health and action. Communityfit wha offers communityfit, a no cost fitness in the park program, twice a year for 6-8 weeks. The purpose of this program is to promote movement during the workday. Communityfit is available to all members of the community and currently administered in various parks in downtown sacramento during spring and fall sessions. With classes such as yoga, pilates, circuit training, and mindfulness meditation, communityfit strives to reach the public by making fitness affordable and convenient, with the hope of lowering Health care costs and improving the well-being of the community. Wha and the american heart association additionally, wha's wellness manager leads a coordinated "workplace achievement index" wellness program with the american heart association (aha), which brings the aha's vast resources on heart-healthy living to many worksites in the region. Through this program the aha and wha help create healthy work environments, which increases productivity, reduces absenteeism (due to fewer Health problems experienced by employees), and lowers turnover which increases productivity, reduces absenteeism (due to fewer Health problems experienced by employees), and lowers turnover.
Community outreach and support wha supports member Health systems' missions through charitable grants. Wha provides benefits to the community beyond Health care benefits through funding programs for the promotion of Health and other charitable purposes, including support for the charitable activities of the member Health systems. For fiscal year 2018-2019, wha budgeted over $1,200,000 to support charitable programs which benefit the community served by wha, including (1) a $115,000 contribution to the american heart association for a community Health awareness program, (2) a $100,000 contribution to the crocker art museum for outreach, (3) a $100,000 contribution to the big day of giving, and education programs, and (3) sponsorship of healthy kids day, which is intended to increase awareness of healthy lifestyles for children and offers free Health, dental and vision screening for children, and free flu shots for members of all ages. Additional grantees include the nonprofit resource center and lighthouse counseling and family resource center. Contribution of wha employees to wha's community. Wha employees exemplify our organization's objectives and philosophy of "giving back" to those we serve each year, they donate more than 2,000 volunteer hours serving on boards, working in schools and supporting local non-profit organizations in a wide variety of ways. Wha's mission is to improve and enrich the lives of community members by supporting local organizations. Throughout the year wha announces giving opportunities that have a positive impact on the Health and wellbeing of the community. In support of this mission, wha encourages employee participation, whether through financial donations, volunteer efforts or community activities like weekend fun runs and an annual bike trek with supervisor approval, employees can also attend events that may occur during regular work hours. Dollars for do-ers. Western Health advantages dollars for do-ers program will donate up to $100 per year to a selected charity on behalf of the employees who have confirmed their volunteerism of 20 or more hours with the organization. Wha employee matching charitable contributions. Wha matches employee charitable donations dollar for-dollar, up to $250 per fiscal year per employee. Employees can give via payroll deductions or one-time cash donations. Donations must be made to qualified nonprofit organizations. Wha offers employees 8 hours of paid time-off each year to volunteer at the organization of their choice. In addition, employees are given the opportunity to participate in 8 hours of volunteer activities at Western Health Advantage sponsored events. Wha ceo involvement in the community. The president and ceo of wha, garry maisel, supports various community charities and causes, in addition to improving healthcare for the community as an active board member of wha.