December 22, 2008

MINNEAPOLIS – The results of the 2008 Mayo Clinic Health Assessment are in and show a clear picture of the health of leaders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Of the more than 11,000 pastors, church workers and spouses who took the assessment through the ELCA-primary health plan:

• 76 percent are at risk for poor nutrition

• 67 percent are at risk of being overweight

• 60 percent are at risk for poor emotional health

• 57 percent are at risk for high blood pressure

• 50 percent are at risk for lack of exercise

• 23 percent are at risk for high cholesterol

The results of the assessment give the ELCA Board of Pensions aggregate information about the health of the ELCA's pastors, church workers and spouses covered under the ELCA- primary health plan, providing data on which to develop the plan for 2009 and beyond. It will also help the ELCA benefits provider to further develop ELCA leaders who are healthy in mind, body and spirit.

Participation in the assessment – 60 percent of those eligible – came on the heels of a redesigned ELCA-primary health plan offering monetary incentives for eligible pastors, church workers and spouses to take the assessment and pursue health improvement activities. People with ELCA-primary health plan coverage were offered $100 for completing the assessment, and an additional $200 for completing health improvement activities on the EmbodyHealth Web portal. Across the plan, people earned more than $1.9 million in "personal wellness dollars" to help them offset their medical deductible costs.

To help motivate health assessment participation, a 2 percent discount on ELCA health contributions was offered to all sponsoring congregations and ELCA organizations if more than 75 percent of eligible people completed the health assessment in their particular synod, seminary or churchwide ministry. Four of the ELCA's eight seminaries, congregations in five of 65 synods and two other ELCA organizations earned the discount for collective health contribution savings of $152,000.

The financial incentives were developed by the ELCA Board of Pensions to encourage the health plan's eligible pastors, church workers and spouses to become healthier by using their health benefits proactively.

Of the 11,000 people who took the assessment:

• more than 4,000 completed wellness activities, such as enrolling in and completing the site's fitness, nutrition or stress management programs

• more than 3,000 qualified for a lifestyle coaching program

• more than 8,600 agreed to be contacted for lifestyle coaching if they presented a qualifying risk profile

Nearly 800 people covered under the ELCA's Medicare-primary health plan took the health assessment without the incentive of a financial reward.

A report on synods, seminaries and churchwide ministries that received discounts on ELCA health contributions in 2008 is available at https://www.ELCAbop.org/Home/BenefitsAdmin/2_percent_progress.aspx, on the ELCA Board of Pensions Web site.

ELCA News Service
Kami Lund is a public relations and advertising specialist, ELCA Board of Pensions, Minneapolis.