Illinois e-News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 14, 2023
CONTACT: Cathy Kwiatkowski, CMS
State of Illinois Receives Platinum Level 2023 Aetna Workplace Well-being Award for Second Consecutive Year
Award celebrates the State’s dedication to workplace wellness, emphasizing consistent growth in programs and resources for employees.
The Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS) has once again been honored with the prestigious “Leading the Way” Aetna Workplace Wellness Award for 2023. For the second year in a row, CMS achieved the Platinum level, the award’s most coveted recognition. This accolade is presented to employers who not only maintain but also enhance the quality of the workplace environment by continually integrating effective programming, tools, and resources tailored to each individual's well-being journey.
"We understand the imperative of centering the health and wellness of every employee, retiree, along with their dependents within the State of Illinois,” said CMS Acting Director Raven A. DeVaughn. ”Receiving this award for the second consecutive year reaffirms our commitment to uplift employees’ whole selves - their physical, mental, and financial wellbeing.”
Responsible for an expansive healthcare management portfolio that averages around $5 billion in annual expenditures and safeguards nearly 450,000 lives, CMS's relentless effort in partnership with integral stakeholders throughout Illinois has led to remarkable achievements. Enhancing operational efficiency, implementing beneficial changes to pre-existing programs, and expanding awareness and education for members about available resources are among the significant milestones.
“The State of Illinois continues to enthusiastically and passionately embrace wellness, which positively impacts members’ lives, setting up employees, retirees and their families for a lifetime of optimal health,” said Aetna Senior Vice President, Public and Labor, Erich Twachtman. “Aetna is pleased to partner with the State to prioritize well-being as part of their culture through expanded support and offerings for mental well-being and increased opportunities to identify health risks via a colorectal cancer campaign, biometric screenings, skin cancer screenings, and much more.”
The past year saw CMS further develop several pivotal programs and initiatives. The State's hallmark wellness initiative, Be Well Illinois, continued to prioritize the prevention and education of health conditions. Using insightful data analytics, they identified new avenues to motivate and educate through diverse programs. This program introduced newer and more impactful initiatives such as:
- Expanded topics in the Health Wellness and Equity Virtual Webinar Series, shedding light on pressing health disparities and societal challenges.
- The much-anticipated "Fall Into Fitness" virtual 5k/10k, which saw an increase in participation, with attendees completing their challenges and collectively taking a staggering number of steps.
- Building on the success of the previous year's Colorectal Cancer Detection campaign, this year saw an expanded outreach, impacting even more lives and amplifying cost savings.
- Higi smart health stations with increasing utilization and positive user feedback at State facilities
- Robust communication strategy: Webinars, email, Facebook, LinkedIn, wellness webpage, etc.
- Regular educational opportunities through webinars and demonstrations
About CMS:
Central Management Services (CMS) is the operational engine working behind the scenes to enable the State’s more than 80 agencies, boards, and commissions to deliver efficient, reliable services to all Illinois citizens. The Agency’s mission is to support the State by delivering innovative, responsive, and effective services that provide the best value for Illinois State government and the people it serves.
The CMS Bureau of Benefits oversees the provision and administration of group health benefits for approximately 295,000 members and almost 450,000 covered lives, in four different insurance programs.
The Bureau also oversees the administration of basic and optional life insurance, dental and vision insurance, the Medical Care Assistance Program (MCAP), Dependent Care Assistant Program (DCAP), Commuter Savings Program (CSP) and the newly implemented Health Savings Account (HSA), as well as several other programs for employees and retirees.
About Be Well Illinois:
Be Well Illinois was launched in January 2021 by the Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS) to improve the overall health and wellness of the State of Illinois’ workforce. Be Well Illinois uses a comprehensive approach to wellness and incorporates educational resources and activities designed to improve physical, financial, and mental health and raise awareness about the benefits of healthy eating, exercise and cultural topics.
Each month, the program sponsors targeted events and provides new articles, wellness webinars and resources on the Be Well Illinois website, Facebook page and via direct email communications to participants to support their overall health and wellness goals.
About Aetna:
Aetna, a
CVS Health business, serves an estimated 34 million people with information and resources to help them make better informed decisions about their health care. Aetna offers a broad range of traditional, voluntary and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmacy, dental and behavioral health plans, and medical management capabilities, Medicaid health care management services, workers' compensation administrative services and health information technology products and services. Aetna's customers include employer groups, individuals, college students, part-time and hourly workers, health plans, health care providers, governmental units, government-sponsored plans, labor groups and expatriates. For more information, visit
www.aetna.com.
IlliniCare Health is now Aetna Better Health of Illinois. Aetna® is one of the nation's leading health care providers and a part of the CVS Health® family. They have over 30 years of experience serving Medicaid populations including children, adults and people with disabilities or other serious health conditions. They bring national experience to our communities. They understand how important it is to get care close to home. Aetna is proud to be members of our communities, living and working here in Illinois.
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