The June 16th meeting of the Worksite Wellness Council of Massachusetts was held at Tufts Health Plan in Watertown, MA. During this meeting, we discussed the role that business can play in making Massachusetts the national leader in health and wellness with our guest speaker, Valerie Fleishman, executive director of the New England Healthcare Institute (NEHI). Many thanks to Valerie for her presentation and insight on the Healthy People/Health Economy Initiative.

1. Valerie Fleishman
Executive Director, NEHI
Co-Chair, Healthy People/Healthy Economy
The national network for health innovation
June 16, 2011 ~ Tufts Health Plan

2. Health Care
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3. Healthy People in a Healthy Economy Initiative
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4. Economic Dependence on Older Workers
Changes in Working Age Population in Massachusetts
2005 - 2015
200,000
150,000
100,000
50,000
0
-50,000 16-19 20-24 25-29 30-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+
-100,000
-150,000
-200,000
Number of people
Source: MassINC and Northeastern University Center for Labor
Market Studies, Mass Economy: The Labor Supply and Our
Economic Future, December 2006
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5. Economic Costs of Chronic Disease
Source: Milken Institute, An Unhealthy America, 2007
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6. Power of Prevention
The Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) estimates…
• 80% of heart disease and stroke
• 80% of type 2 diabetes
• 40% of cancer
…could be prevented if only Americans
were to do three things:
1. Stop smoking
2. Start eating healthy
3. Get in shape
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7. Pop Quiz
How many Americans lead healthy lifestyles?
1. Non smokers: 76%
2. Healthy weight (BMI of 18.5-25.0): 40%
3. Consume 5+ fruits/vegetable per day: 23%
4. Exercise regularly (30 min – 5 days/week): 23%
All of the above: 3%
Source: Reeves & Rafferty, Healthy lifestyle characteristics among adults in the U.S., 2000, Archives of Internal
Medicine, 2005;165:854-857. BRFSS 2000 data, N=153,000.
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8. Adult Obesity
Adult Obesity Rates Stark Disparities
1 Mississippi 33.8%
2 Alabama 31.6%
2 Tennessee 31.6%
4 West Virginia 31.3%
Back Bay/Beacon Hill 9%
5 Louisiana 31.2%
10 North Carolina 29.4% Brookline 10%
15 South Dakota 28.5%
Newton 14%
20 Delaware 27.9%
24 Wisconsin 26.9%
35 New Hampshire 25.4% Peabody 26%
41 California 24.4%
43 Montana 23.5%
Revere 29%
44 Utah 23.2% Roxbury and Mattapan 35%
45 Rhode Island 22.9%
46 Vermont 22.8%
47 Hawaii 22.6%
48 Massachusetts 21.7%
49 District of Columbia 21.5%
50 Connecticut 21.4%
51 Colorado 19.1% 8 Source: Trust for America’s Health, MA Department of Public Health

9. Adult and Childhood Obesity
Adult Obesity Rates Childhood Obesity Rates
1 Mississippi 33.8% 1 Mississippi 21.9%
2 Alabama 31.6% 2 Georgia 21.3%
2 Tennessee 31.6% 3 Kentucky 21.0%
4 West Virginia 31.3%
4 Louisiana 20.7%
5 Louisiana 31.2%
15 Arizona 17.8%
10 North Carolina 29.4%
20 Nebraska 15.8%
15 South Dakota 28.5%
25 Pennsylvania 15.0%
20 Delaware 27.9%
24 Wisconsin 26.9% 33 Delaware 13.3%
35 New Hampshire 25.4% 33 Massachusetts 13.3%
41 California 24.4% 35 South Dakota 13.2%
43 Montana 23.5%
40 Connecticut 12.5%
44 Utah 23.2%
42 Idaho 11.8%
45 Rhode Island 22.9%
44 Utah 11.4%
46 Vermont 22.8%
48 Washington 11.1%
47 Hawaii 22.6%
48 Minnesota 11.1%
48 Massachusetts 21.7%
50 Wyoming 10.2%
49 District of Columbia 21.5%
51 Oregon 9.6%
50 Connecticut 21.4%
51 Colorado 19.1% 9 Source: Trust for America’s Health

10. Physical Activity
Percentage of High School Students Without 60 Minutes
of Physical Activity on Any Day in a Week
10.5% - 13.6%
13.7% - 16.0%
16.1% - 18.2%
18.3% - 23.3%
No Data
Note: Did not participate in at least 60 minutes of any kind of physical activity that increased their heart rate
and made them breathe hard some of the time on at least 1 day during the 7 days before the survey.
Source: State Youth Risk Behavior Surveys, 2009
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11. Access to Healthy Foods
Uneven Distribution of Supermarkets
Massachusetts has 3rd lowest
supermarkets per capita in the nation
11 Source: The Food Trust, 2011

12. Spending Mismatch
$2.5 trillion
Source: UCSF, NEHI 12

13. Spending Mismatch: Massachusetts
80 72
70
60
$ Billions
50 Healthcare
40
Public Health
30
20
10 0.50
0
Source: NEHI calculations based on data from Mass Taxpayers Foundation,
DHCFP, and MA Budget and Policy Center 13

14. Fiscal Crowd Out
Source: NEHI calculations based on data from Mass Taxpayers Foundation,
DHCFP, and MA Budget and Policy Center 14

15. Healthy People/Healthy Economy
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16. Leadership Group
Co-Chairs of the Healthy People/Healthy Economy Initiative
Paul Grogan, Valerie Fleishman, Ranch Kimball
The Boston Foundation NEHI
John Auerbach, Commissioner, Lynn Nicholas, President,
Massachusetts Department of Public Health Massachusetts Hospital Association
Valerie Bassett, Executive Director, Fawn Phelps, Policy Director, Health Care For All
Massachusetts Public Health Association Rebecca Onie, CEO, Project Health
Harold Cox, Associate Dean, Steve Ridini, Vice President,
BU School of Public Health
Health Resources in Action
Anne Doyle, Executive VP, Chief Compliance Officer, Frank Robinson, Executive Director,
Fallon Community Health Plan
Partners for a Healthier Community
Christina Economos, Associate Prof., James Roosevelt, CEO, Tufts Health Plan
Tufts/Friedman School of Nutrition, Science & Policy
Phil Edmundson, CEO, William Gallagher Associates James Seagle, President, Rogerson Communities
Barbara Ferrer, Executive Director, Amy Whitcomb Slemmer, Executive Director,
Health Care for All
Boston Public Health Commission
Mary Giannetti, Director, Nutrition & Wellness Services, Alice Tolbert Coombs, President-elect,
Massachusetts Medical Society
Montachusett Opportunity Council
Deborah Goldberg, Goldberg Civic Initiative Karen Voci, Executive Director,
Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare Foundation
Irene Hernandez, City of Fitchburg, Office of the Mayor Bert Yaffe, President, New England Coalition for Prevention
Eileen McAnneny, Senior Vice President, Barry Zuckerman, Chairman,
Associated Industries of Massachusetts
Department of Pediatrics, Boston Medical Center
Kevin McCall, President, Paradigm Properties
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17. Healthy People/Healthy Economy
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18. Healthy People/Healthy Economy
Expand investments in Expand physical
health and wellness activity
Encourage citizen Increase access to
education and healthy foods
engagement
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19. Expand Physical Activity
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20. Increase Access to Healthy Foods
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21. Encourage Citizen Engagement and Education
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22. Expand Investments in Health and Wellness
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23. Bills Filed
An Act to Promote Healthy People and a Healthy Economy
Sponsored by Representative Jeffrey Sanchez
– Including Body Mass Indexing in student’s physical examinations
– Physical activity for all students
– Tax credits for healthy food businesses
– Health impact reports for public capital building projects
An Act to Reduce Childhood Obesity
Sponsored by Representative Kay Khan
– Remove the sales tax exemption for
soda and candy
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24. Public Opinion
Majority think soda and candy are taxed already
Source: The Boston Foundation Poll by MassInc, March – April 2011
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25. Public Opinion
Support rises if funds are targeted
General Support
For Childhood Obesity
For Aid to Local Schools
Source: The Boston Foundation Poll by MassInc, March – April 2011
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26. Health and Wellness IS Health Reform
We need to make comprehensive action on health and wellness
part of our reform strategy
Health Insurance and Access Reform
Payment Reform
Health Health Reform
and Wellness
2006 2009 2011
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27. Role of the Business Community
Expand programs
• Within your companies
• To other companies
Measure and share results
• Share best practices
• Public reporting of results
• Raise visibility of worksite wellness
Speak out
• Be visible (e.g. media, hearings, publishing results)
• Engage in and support policies that advance health and reduce health
care costs
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28. Valerie Fleishman, Executive Director, NEHI
www.healthypeoplehealthyeconomy.org
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