As a result of earning the designation, WellCity Award recipients will receive a 2% premium discount on their Regence BlueShield Health and Group Health medical coverage in 2015. This savings is roughly equivalent to a 1% property tax in the City of Anacortes.
“I’m proud of our employees who understand the value of wellness and the positive impact it can have on their physical and mental well being. City employees also understand the cost savings impact that earning this award has on our City budget. We are lucky to have a devoted wellness team who promote programs that appeal to a diverse population,” said Emily Schuh, City of Anacortes Human Resources Director.
“Employers that promote wellness empower their employees to become healthier. These employees address health concerns earlier and have less costly medical claims. Both the city and the community benefit from more productive employees, it’s a win for everyone”. Said Mike McCarty, AWC CEO.
A total of 96 cities and public entities demonstrated their commitment to employee health promotion and met the stringent standards set forth for the award. Each of these cities are part of AWC’s Employee Benefit Trust, a health insurance pool that provides coverage to over 14,000 city employees across the state.
The award recipients demonstrated their commitment by creating policies, committees, and champions at the local level that focused on topics such as: work–life balance, healthy food, physical activity, personal care, and employee safety. Each community is encouraged to implement what works best for their employees, with an eye towards meeting the standards set forth by the program.