Smoking Cessation Counseling Program

CarePro Health Risk Management uses trained Pharmacists to conduct American Lung Association Freedom From Smoking� Program to promote and help employees become tobacco-free. The counseling program is held at the employer site in a small support group session. The first session is an orientation session to cover the program details, with the following sessions consisting of setting a quit date and supporting information as the employee strives to be tobacco-free.

CarePro's Goal:

  • Help employees become tobacco free.
  • Help lower the insurance cost for potential high risk employee tobacco users.
  • Create a support group atmosphere at the worksite location.

Facts that are associated with smoking:

Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States and produces substantial health-related economic costs to society. Total annual cost of adult smokers considering productivity cost and medical expenditures was $3,383 in 1999. www.cdc.gov

Helping smokers quit not only adds years onto their lives, but improves their quality of life. Former smokers are less likely than current smokers to be afflicted with chronic diseases associated with smoking, such as COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema), heart disease and lung and other cancers.

Coverage of smoking cessation treatments has proven a wise financial investment for governments, insurance companies, and employers. A 2008 study in the state of Florida found that "the ratio of benefits to cost varies from $1.90 to $5.75 saved per dollar spent on smoking cessation programs, depending on the type of intervention."

In 2006, the National Commission on Prevention Priorities estimated that lifetime savings in tobacco-related health expenditures for every former smoker who does not relapse is $22,434. The study also found that when comparing the cost of a cessation program (medications and counseling) to the savings gained from smokers quitting, the net savings were $542 per smoker.

Sources:

Washington Economics Group, Inc. The Net Benefits and Economic Impacts of Investing in Employee-Smoking Cessation Programs in the Public and Private Sectors of Florida. March 6, 2008.

Solberg LI, Maciosek MV, Edwards NM. Tobacco Cessation Screening and Brief Counseling: Technical Report Prepared for the National Commission on Prevention Priorities,2006. July 2006, 325(7356):128.