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R&R Insurance Blog

WEA Trust Provides Wellness Solution for Municipalities

Posted by Bill Lewis

iStock_000047451796_Double.jpgThe WEA trust is bringing a proven, best-in-class wellness solution to municipalities through their League Health Plan with Vitality.  Vitality is an interactive rewards based wellness program that engages its members through education and coaching to improve their health and lives.  It helps members realize how lifestyle choices impact health, and how activity and exercise can enhance their lives. 

A well implemented wellness plan can drive a handful of improvements for you as the employer as well.  A more active and healthy workforce improves productivity and lowers risk factors that drive your health claims.  Additionally, creating a wellness program provides opportunities for leadership among your employees who participate on a wellness committee, and can help brand your organization and make you an employer of choice in your community. 

Here are some of the key elements of the Vitality Wellness program through WEA and the League Health Plan:

  • Biometric Screenings – Your employees will ‘know their numbers’ for blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, triglycerides etc.
  • Vitality Health Review – This is a health risk assessment that helps bring lifestyle into the mix of your biometrics results and paints a picture of overall health.
  • Vitality Bucks – Employees earn points for the Biometric Screening, the Health Review, and also for tracking activities through a phone, smart watch or pedometer. Earning bucks allows you to buy rewards like movie passes, make charitable donations, gift cards.  Points do not expire!
  • Goal Setting – Vitality will set goals for activities like steps per day, workouts per week and provides motivation to improve results of the health screening. These goals are attached to bucks, so the more you participate the more you can gifts you can purchase.
  • Coaching – Vitality provides health content, articles and provides goals for improving the health of your whole organization

There are two levels of the program available.  Activate is the base level, and Elevate is a ‘buy up’ option that includes more involvement with spouses, higher levels of engagement with the program and some additional resources to help you build your wellness platform. 

If you have any questions or would like to discuss how this wellness plan can be implemented into your organization, contact me.  We have our own Certified Wellness Specialist on staff, and I would be happy to help you improve the lives and health of your employees!

Topics: Employee Health, Wellness, group benefits, Municipalities LWMMI, municipalities

Q&A: Local Government Property Insurance Fund

Posted by Rick Kalscheuer

State Budget

Leading up to the 2015 budget decision regarding the LGPIF, below is a list of common Q&As provided by the LWMMI. Our knowledge brokers have been following the issue closely and understand the business, the coverage forms, and the insurance markets that would replace the LGPIF if needed.

 

What is the Local Government Property Insurance Fund?
The Fund is established by Chapter 605, Wis. Stat. The purpose of the Fund is to make property insurance available for local government units. The Commissioner of Insurance by law is designated as the Fund’s manager.

 

Why is the Governor considering discontinuing the Fund?
Based on wording within the proposed State Budget, property insurance is an area that the Governor believes is best handled by the private sector. The Fund’s surplus is currently in a deficit position, so the move is not an attempt by the State to take money from the Fund for use in the General Fund.

 

Will Fund Coverage Pricing Change?
According to the OCI and ASU, coverage will remain the same. Pricing could change based on each insured’s experience and the experience for all municipalities in the Fund.

 

When will I know whether the Fund is being changed or discontinued?
The proposal to close the Fund is part of the State Budget Proposal, which is currently being considered by the State Legislature. The process of reviewing, amending, and adopting the budget typically takes until June. We will continue to provide information and updates to you as they become available.

 

What if I have been contacted by an agent that said I have to get bids?
With access to unlimited markets, working with R&R can save you time and the headache of working with multiple agencies.

 

Please contact one of our knowledge brokers if you have additional questions. Or, join our webinar on March 23 at 3 p.m. to learn more about “What Happens if the LGPIF Closes.”

Topics: Schools, Local Government Property Insurance Fund, Municipalities LWMMI, LGPIF, municipalities

Are Municipalities Covered by OSHA?

Posted by Bill King II

Recently one of our LWMMI (League of Wisconsin Municipalities) insureds asked this question, "Are municipalities (and related entities) covered by OSHA?" and an issue of The Municipality, confirmed a response we initially provided...

"Local governments are not subject to state regulations, which are at least as stringent as OSHA, does not have jurisdiction over the state or local governments because the definition of "employer" under the OSHA Act of 1970 specifically excludes states and any political subdivision of a state."

"Instead, the State of Wisconsin has jurisdiction and the Wisconsin Statutes requires that the Department of Commerce adopt, by administrative rule, standards to protect the safety and health of public employees. These standards must provide protection at least equal to that provided to private sector employees under OSHA standards." - The Municipality (a publication of the League of Wisconsin Municipalities)

Topics: Wisconsin, Safety, OSHA, Health, regulations, OSHA standards, local governments, public employees, jurisdiction, LWMMI, employees, Department of Commerce, state governments, Municipalities LWMMI, municipalities