Recent Report Shows Smoking Cessation Saves Health Care Costs

Earlier this month the National Business Coalition on Health (NBCH) released a 

report about employers and tobacco cessation. "Tobacco cessation is one of the most cost-effective activities an employer can implement to improve the health and productivity of their employees while reducing health care costs," the report stated. The report  also, "finds that health plans are playing an important role in administering smoking cessation benefits and encouraging physicians and other providers to focus on smoking cessation through education, tools, and incentives."

What you need to know:

• Employers pay the cost of higher health care, increased absenteeism, increased life insurance premiums, and lower productivity when they have employees who smoke
• Employer-based tobacco cessation programs should follow CDC best practice
• Employer-based tobacco cessation programs save money and save lives 
• Working with employers locally to improve their coverage is an important pathway to reducing Wisconsin's burden of tobacco

Helpful resource to use with employers who are ready to save valuable healthcare dollars:

• Coverage for Tobacco Use Treatments

UW-CTRI also has great information for employers trying to reduce their costs.