| News |
April 16, 2007
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Joins National Workplace Fitness Effort
Employees join thousands of Americans for National Walk @ Lunch DaySM on April 18
On Wednesday, April 18, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana employees will join thousands of Americans across the country by participating in the first annual National Walk @ Lunch DaySM. With Louisiana ranked 4th in the nation in adult obesity, this lunchtime fitness event is just one way the company is encouraging all state residents – not just Blue Cross members – to add more physical activity to their daily routines. The National Walk @ Lunch Day event will take place Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. outside of Blue Cross’ corporate headquarters at 5525 Reitz Avenue. In case of rain, the event will be moved into the atrium of the company’s Administrative Building. The company’s chief medical officer, Dr. James Carney, will welcome employees at 11:30 a.m. After a brief warmup by a local Jazzercise instructor, Carney will lead the first “wave” of walkers along a one-mile course around the Blue Cross campus. Employees will walk at their own pace throughout the lunch hour and record the steps logged on their pedometers by 1 p.m. so that a corporate tally can be announced at the end of the day. National Walk @ Lunch Day is a workplace walking program that encourages people to take time during their lunch breaks to start walking toward better health. Most Americans’ schedules are built around their workdays, so National Walk @ Lunch Day is designed to fit into – not compete with – their daily routine. Many employers are supporting National Walk @ Lunch Day by encouraging their workforces to participate. At Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana, some 800 employees are expected to walk at lunch, including employees at the company’s eight district offices statewide. All employees are being encouraged to wear casual clothing and shoes to work on April 18. At the Baton Rouge headquarters, the walk event will include a mini-health fair with more information on health and wellness and small incentives for employees who take part. The national walking effort is the next step of WalkingWorks®, a Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association program to help Americans live healthier lives and reduce unnecessary medical costs due to physical inactivity. The WalkingWorks program was developed in partnership with the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana joins companies and employees nationwide hosting lunchtime walks. Employers recognize the health benefits of incorporating walking into employees’ daily activities. “There is no topic more important and vital to us than wellness,” said Gery Barry, president and CEO of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana. “Wellness and prevention benefit each of us as individuals as well as benefiting our company by decreasing claims expense.” “National Walk @ Lunch Day is designed to educate millions of consumers about how their daily decisions can have an impact on their health and well-being. It also creates an opportunity for employers to engage their employees in physical activity that promotes a healthier workplace environment,” said Scott Serota, president and CEO of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. “Better informed and more physically active consumers also can mean fewer serious health problems down the road, which helps better control the rising cost of healthcare in our nation,” Serota said. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates that the cost to treat illness and chronic disease caused by inactive lifestyles is nearly $1,000 for every family in America, every year. Simply getting 30 minutes of moderate physical activity, such as a brisk walk, at least five times a week has significant health benefits, such as lowering the risk of developing or dying from cardiovascular disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes and improving the health of muscles, bones and joints. Closer to home, obesity is our state’s No. 1 health problem, and Louisiana ranks 4th in the nation in adult obesity. Obesity-related diseases account for nearly half of Louisiana’s health care budget, and nearly 1 in 3 Louisiana school-aged children is overweight or obese. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is taking a leadership role in both of these areas by: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is Louisiana-owned and -operated. Marking its 73rd anniversary this year, the company is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. It is a tax-paying mutual company, owned by its policyholders. Headquartered in Baton Rouge, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana also has district offices in Alexandria, Houma, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Monroe, New Orleans and Shreveport. The company’s subsidiaries include HMO Louisiana, Inc. and Southern National Life Insurance Company, Inc.