Coloradans paid by Kaiser to lose weight
Kaiser in April 2011 started paying people in Colorado when they lose weight
This is everyone in the state who signs up, not just Kaiser customers
Kaiser is jump starting the weigh and win program with $500,000 and hopes that other groups will carry it on.
People joining the program get their weight measured quarterly at 12 kiosks around the state.
Quarterly payments range from 5% loss = $15 up to 30% loss = $150
Program is being run by Dr. Eric France, Kaiser's chief of population care and prevention services.
Dr. France works in Colorado and actively supports use of bikes.
Benefits to Kaiser of this program appear to be:
- Current Kaiser customers may lose weight
- Save Kaiser money by reducing medical needs
- Reduce turnover of current Kaiser customers by increased respect for company and longer life
- Bigger market share
- Gain new customers as individuals or as groups ==> bigger market share
People do not have to be near a kiosk to appreciate Kaiser
It is interesting to speculate how Kaiser chose Colorado for the pilot project
Colorado has the least obesity of the US
Colorado has the highest mean elevation in the US (6800 feet) - and probably the most annual UV of any state.
Note: Colorado area has more than North Florida, and much less heat
Perhaps people in Colorado get the most UVB/vitamin D of any US state
Vitamin D reduces obesity in about 1/3 of overweight women
CLICK HERE for study which has the UV map
Kaiser Colorado
515,000 members (which is 10% of the 5 million people living in Colorado)
named “Highest in Member Satisfaction” among Commercial Health Plans by J.D. Power and Associates for the third straight year.
top-ranked private health plan in Colorado
Brainstorm on what Kaiser could do in a similar program with vitamin D
Give away, or provide at low cost, vitamin D capsules
Provide for vitamin D for just customers or for everyone (in area, state, country)
Provide to all people or just those at high risk
Could even have KP printed on each capsule - great reminder