<p><strong>SEATTLE, Wash. February 29, 2012 </strong>- Alere Wellbeing (formerly Free & Clear) will be hosting the complimentary live webinar, Best Practices for Premium Differentials in Tobacco Cessation, on March 13 and March 20 at 11:00am PST. Clients Sherwin-Williams, WellPoint, and Family Dollar will present lessons learned and best practices for implementing a premium differential for smokers and smokeless tobacco users.</p>
<p>Tobacco use continues to be one of the most costly, deadly addictions in the U.S., and <a href="http://www.alerewellbeing.com" target="_blank">tobacco cessation</a> remains the most cost-effective health benefit employers can provide. Yet at many organizations, human resources professionals find it is one thing to offer a proven <a href="http://www.alerewellbeing.com/our-services/quit-for-life/" target="_blank">tobacco cessation program</a>, and quite another to see real results. The current trend among employers is to implement a premium differential — charging a higher premium for tobacco-using employers than non-tobacco users. This has the twofold benefit of financially motivating tobacco users to quit while helping employers reap immediate savings on healthcare: the average smoker costs his or her employer more than $7,000 per year in excess medical expenses and productivity losses.</p>
<p>“By the end of 2011, 40 percent of our client base offered a premium differential for smokers,” says Yuki Yang, Vice President of Client Services and in-house incentives expert at Alere Wellbeing. “Many companies approach us wanting our help to design and effectively implement a premium differential. This webinar will help companies learn best practices from the experience of those who have done it.”</p>
<p>Join Ms. Yang and a panel of human resource professionals from Sherwin-Williams, WellPoint, and Family Dollar as they share lessons learned and best practices. They’ll cover what a premium differential is, why one size does not fit all organizations, and how to plan, launch, and implement a premium differential at the worksite.</p>
<p>To register for the complimentary webinar on Tuesday, March 13 or Tuesday, March 20, visit <a href="http://www.alerewellbeing.com/clearinsights" target="_blank">Clear Insights</a> at <a href="http://www.alerewellbeing.com" target="_blank">www.alerewellbeing.com</a>.</p>
<p>About Alere Wellbeing<br />
Alere Wellbeing (formerly Free & Clear) brings together science, technology, and personal interaction to help people recognize and modify unhealthy behaviors to avoid chronic illness and live longer, more vital lives. Alere Wellbeing’s evidence-based programs address modifiable health risks that contribute to chronic disease: tobacco use, poor nutrition, physical inactivity, and stress. Current clients include 27 state governments and more than 675 health plans and employers, 75 of which are in the Fortune 500. Alere Wellbeing is known and respected for its pay-for-performance business model, intense focus on scalable service quality, dedicated account management, continuous program improvement, and transparent reporting of measurable outcomes at the individual participant and aggregate population level. Alere Wellbeing has contributed to more than 100 published research studies and maintains collaboration with the American Cancer Society® and an active research program funded by the Centers for Disease Control, American Legacy Foundation, and the National Institutes of Health. More information about Alere Wellbeing can be found at <a href="http://www.alerewellbeing.com" target="_blank">www.alerewellbeing.com</a>.</p>
<p>About Alere<br />
By developing new capabilities in near‐patient diagnosis, monitoring and health management, Alere enables individuals to take charge of improving their health and quality of life at home. Alere’s global leading products and services, as well as its new product development efforts, focus on cardiology, women’s health, infectious disease, oncology and toxicology. Alere is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts. For more information regarding Alere please visit <a href="http://www.alere.com" target="_blank">http://www.alere.com</a>.</p>
<p>For More Information:<br />
Sharen Ross<br />
Alere Wellbeing<br />
(206) 876-2276<br />
Sharen.Ross@alere.com<br />
###</p>
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