Texas Mutual Wins National Employee Well...( AUSTIN Texas Feb. 10 /- Texas Mutual ...),Health

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Texas Mutual Insurance Company is one of 10 employers across the country that have won UnitedHealthcare's Well Deserved Award. The award recognizes employers who demonstrate a commitment to improving their employees' health.

UnitedHealthcare provides health benefit plans and services to more than 26 million consumers, including more than half of the Fortune 100 companies. An external panel judged the award applicants. Criteria included executive support for the health program, the presence of wellness committees and/or champions, and health education and coaching.

Texas Mutual's wellness program includes online health improvement tools, health risk assessments, wellness coaching, fitness centers at each of its five locations, on-site flu shots, yoga classes, a walking program, Weight Watchers at Work, and wellness incentives.

Ed Coates, employee benefits manager at Texas Mutual, said the program's goal is similar to that of the safety services the company offers its policyholders: identify risks and provide resources to reduce or eliminate those risks. Coates added that the program has seen positive results, which have contributed to below-market increases in the company's health plan expenses the last few years.

"Our program has had some great success stories, with employees losing significant amounts of weight participating in the Weight Watchers program," said Coates. "The most recent statistics indicate that our employees are improving their overall health. They are reducing their risk for cancer, heart disease and diabetes, and they are improving their exercise and nutrition habits.

"More importantly, they are lowering their risk for serious complications later in life. Ultimately, we see the payoff in terms of a healthy, productive workforce."

According to UnitedHealthcare, 50 percent to 70 percent of all disease
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