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Coloradans paid by Kaiser to lose weight – Dec 2011

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

details at: http://www.vitad.org/tiki-index.php?page_id=2272US Obesity Map 2007.gif

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

See also Vitamin D Life

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