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Helping Your Employees Quit Smoking: Good for Their Health

Good for Your Bottom Line

TJ Harrington, MA tharrington@quitdoc.com

 

-  The leading cause of preventable death in Florida and the United States.

-  More addictive than heroin or cocaine, nicotine

changes the brain’s chemistry and becomes necessary in the life of a tobacco user.

-  Once inhaled, nicotine reaches the brain in 7

seconds, affecting thought processes and changing moods.

Cigarette Smoking is…

Smoking Contributes to Development of Many Cancers and Chronic Diseases

USDHHS. http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/sgr/sgr_2004/chapters.htm. Accessed February 27, 2008.

Cancers –

Larynx Esophagus Trachea Bronchus Lung Stomach Pancreas Kidney Ureter

Chronic Diseases –

Stroke Blindness Cataracts Aortic aneurysm Coronary heart disease Pneumonia Asthma Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) Other respiratory effects Hip Fractures

Smoking-Related Monetary Costs in Florida

- Annual health care costs in Florida directly caused by smoking are $6.32 billion.

- Portion covered by the state Medicaid program is

$1.2 billion. - Residents' state & federal tax burden from smoking-

caused government expenditures is $582 per household.

The Bottom Line?

- Tobacco use is a chronic, relapsing, medical condition.

-  The personal and economic costs are enormous. - Tobacco cessation saves lives and is cost-effective.

How Smoking Affects the Workplace

The Economic Implications

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According to the CDC, additional lifetime medical expenses for smokers compared with nonsmokers (in 2002 dollars):

- Male smokers exceed $15,800

- Women smokers exceed $17,500

$15,800$17,500

Male  Smokers Female  Smokers

Thou

sand

s, $

18,000

16,000

14,000

12,000

10,000

8000

6000

4000

2000

0

Additional Lifetime Medical Expenses

Smokers Create a Higher Economic Burden Than Nonsmokers

Adapted from CDC. http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/quit_smoking/cessation/00_pdfs/ReimbursementBrochureFull.pdf. Accessed February 11, 2008.

$1760/smokerLost productivity

$1623/smokerExcess medicalexpenditures

Additional Costs to Employers ~$3400 per Smoker*

Additional Annual Employer Costs Due to Lost Productivity and Medical Expenses

*Based on 2002 dollars. CDC. http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/quit_smoking/cessation/00_pdfs/Reimbursement BrochureFull.pdf. Accessed April 8, 2008.

Greater Absenteeism *  Smokers are absent 1.5

times more often than nonsmokers *  Smokers average 6.7

health-related absences per year compared with nonsmokers (4.4 days)

Impact on Employee Productivity from Smoking

Bunn WB III et at. J Occup Environ Med. 2006;48:1099-1108.

Reasons to Help Employees Quit

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-  On average, smokers cost company drug plans twice as much as nonsmokers.

-  Business pay higher life insurance premiums for smokers.

-  Smoking during pregnancy is the most important preventable cause of poor pregnancy outcomes.

-  Medical costs of a complicated birth are 66% higher than for pregnant nonsmokers.

Helping your Employees Quit Smoking

What Works and What Doesn’t Work to Break Nicotine’s

Deadly Addiction

The Good News: Employees Want to Quit

- Among current U.S. adult smokers, 70% report that they want to quit completely, and millions have attempted to quit smoking.

- The average smoker attempts to quit 5-9 times

before permanent success.

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- Just like any other medical condition, everyone responds to treatment differently.

- It is normal for patients to try more than one

treatment before finding the right one. - It is important that cessation benefits offered to

smokers are comprehensive.

Quitting is Not “One Size Fits All”

Medications *  5 Nicotine Replacement

Therapies (over the counter or by prescription)

*  Prescription Only - Bupropion (Zyban) and Varenicline (Chantix)

3 types of behavioral counseling *  Individual (face-to-face) *  Group *  Phone

What is Comprehensive Tobacco Cessation Treatment?

The CDC recommends insurers should: *  Pay for counseling and medications, together or

separately. *  Provide counseling and medication coverage for at

least 2 cessation attempts per year. *  Cover at least 4 counseling sessions of at least 30

minutes. *  Eliminate or minimize co-pays or deductibles for

counseling and medications.  

What  Should  Be  Covered?   National Business Group on Health Recommends Employers Extend Coverage

The NBGH recommends employers: - Cover a variety of tobacco cessation treatment

options such as counseling, prescription medications, and over-the-counter medications.

- Eliminate fees or restrictions that are obstacles to

treatment. - Institute workplace smoking bans to reduce tobacco

use and protect from secondhand smoke.

What Will it Cost?

How Providing Comprehensive Tobacco Cessation Treatment

Can Save Your Business Money

Comprehensive Coverage

Comprehensive tobacco cessation benefits (including counseling and medications) costs less than 50 cents per employee per month or $6 per year. In 2007, annual health insurance premiums for an employee averaged $4,400.

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Tobacco Cessation Is One of the Most Cost Effective Benefits to Cover!

Tobacco Cessation is more cost-effective than other common and covered disease prevention interventions, such as the treatment of hypertension and high blood cholesterol.

Contact your health insurance, wellness plan, or employee assistance plan provider or insurance broker to determine what is available for your organization.

How Does A Business Add Tobacco Cessation Benefits?

What Can My Business Do?

Next Steps

Step #1 – Conduct Research -  Assess current tobacco use.

-  Find out what benefits you offer.

-  Consider what your employees think.

Next Steps

Step #2 – Prepare Your Message -  Prepare Key Messages. -  Provide Information.

-  Use Encouraging and Hopeful Messages.

Next Steps

Step #3 – Develop Your Communication Strategy

-  Who are you trying to reach?

-  What is your message?

-  When should you promote benefits or programs?

-  Where do employees get information?

-  How should you promote tobacco cessation?

Next Steps

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www.tfp-marion.org

www.floridatobaccocessationalliance.org

www.cdc.gov/tobacc/quit_smoking/cessation/

www.businessgrouphealth.org/tobacco/cessation efforts/

Resources