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New tool to help Kentucky fight battle of the bulge

Healthcare Strategist Trend Watch, December 1, 2006

Kentucky will offer a weight education program to 235,000 state workers and their dependents as part of Governor Ernie Fletcher's "Get Healthy Kentucky" initiative, which aims to lower obesity rates and associated healthcare costs.

The "Why Weight Kentucky?" program uses a variety of mechanisms to identify candidates, including a predictive modeling tool, analysis of pharmacy claims data, and patient self-referrals. Once enrolled, participants are paired with nurses, who offer a plan of care and counseling.

The state, which spends more than $1 billion each year on obesity-related illnesses, is one of the first to offer a wellness plan to fight obesity among its employees.

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