Aetna once again raises the bar for all major carriers regarding the enhancement of healthy living. They are giving away $1.5 million to communities that make strides towards a healthier lifestyle for the population. This is to influence communities to become some of the healthiest cities. Aetna has also partnered with the American Public Health Association and the National Association of Counties to make this opportunity possible.
Why is Aetna doing this?
Aetna found that half of the Americans, who were surveyed, gave the communities they live in a grade of “C” or lower regarding whether their area was a healthy place to live in or not. Because of this, Aetna acted on their concern and partnered with two other organizations. Their goal is to help influence a better and healthier way of living. Despite the low grade received in these communities, 94 percent of them are willing to make their communities healthier places to live, work, learn, and play.
A case study found that only 10 percent of a person’s life expectancy is related to clinical care. Forty percent is related to lifestyle. Knowing that a majority of life expectancy is due to lifestyle, Aetna proposed this plan to decrease the use of medication and decrease overall health costs in the health industry. The Aetna Foundation hopes to inspire communities across the U.S. and create local solutions.
How do they plan on doing this?
Communities across the United States are influencing their citizens to make healthier choices in various ways, such as the following:
- Getting people to quit tobacco
- Creating new walking trails
- Making it safer for people to walk city streets
- Finding ways to get fresh food into city “food deserts”
Aetna is taking many more actions to make their communities healthier. These are also just a few actions the communities have to take to be a contender in Aetna’s contest. Cities that have applied have five distinct areas to focus on. These include healthy behaviors, community safety, built environment, socioeconomic factors, and environmental exposures. Depending on how well each city does in each of these categories will determine who receives the prize money of $1.5 million. The judges chosen will then decide what cities have put forth the best effort.
If your community isn’t in the contest, that’s okay. You can start your own trend of starting a healthier and happier life style. Challenge your own community and others to become some of the healthiest cities in the U.S.!
Interested in what Aetna can do for you? Talk to a product specialist today!
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