WA: King County Health Incentives Earns Innovation Award

David Peters | May 9, 2014 | Washington

Health Incentives, a King County program, earned Harvard University’s Innovation Award on May 6 in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

The Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University today announced King County, Washington’s Healthy Incentives program as a winner of the 2013 Innovations in American Government Award from a pool of more than 600 applicants.

This honor belongs to all of our King County employees. Healthy Incentives has created a culture in which employees make the tough choices and do the hard work to live healthier lives. By adopting an early morning exercise routine, sticking to a healthy diet, or trying again until they finally kick cigarettes, they have become healthier while saving tens of millions of dollars in health care costs, preventing cuts to critical public services.

The Healthy Initiatives Program was originally launched in 2006. At the time, employee healthcare costs were rising at three times the Consumer Price Index. Central to the program’s success is its employee outreach strategy which leveraged presentations, events, email, social media, and worksite posters.

The Innovations in American Government Award Program has honored almost 200 federal, state, local, and tribal government agencies since 1985.

Send your congratulations:

Visit King County’s Health Initiatives Site