Worksite Health Promotion and Health Care Reform

R. William Whitmer, M.B.A., is President and CEO of Wellness South, Inc., Birmingham, Alabama, and Coordinator of the Worksite Health Promotion Alliance. Health care reform is a topic generating a high level of interest and considerable conversation. However, in spite of all the attention, there remains much uncertainty. No one knows what the President will recommend, and there is even more question about what Congress will approve. Hillary Rodham Clinton and the President’s Task Force on Health Care Reform have floated many trial balloons to provide information and gage public and Congressional reactions. From this, certain basic elements of the Task Force’s concept of health care reform are evident. During the presidential campaign, when Mr. Clinton discussed health care reform, prevention was usually mentioned. However, preliminary information from the Task Force and White House about the design of health care reform includes very little about prevention and nothing about health promotion. This omission presents a major concern for many health promotion professionals. Because of this concern, a group of individuals representing a broad spectrum of worksite health promotion interests have formed a coalition which is called the Worksite Health Promotion Alliance. The purpose of this alliance is to produce a position paper about why health care reform should include worksite health promotion and recommendations about how it can be accomplished. This editorial provides the background on this project, who is involved, and shortand long-term objectives.