Smoking vs. vaping. Dual use. Continuum of risk. If these terms have you confused about what to recommend to your employees or health plan members who smoke, read on. What happens when you quit smoking Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death. Quitting smoking is the most important step someone can take to protect [...] Read More... from What Happens When You Quit Smoking and Start Vaping? The post What Happens When You Quit Smoking and Start Vaping? appeared first on EX Program ..read more

Smoking is expensive and contributes to a wide range of costly diseases, including some that may not be on your radar. You likely know the most expensive medical conditions associated with smoking—chronic illnesses like cancer and heart disease. These conditions cost over $600 billion each year and make up a large percentage of health plan [...] Read More... from 5 Sneaky Ways Smoking Is Expensive for Healthcare The post 5 Sneaky Ways Smoking Is Expensive for Healthcare appeared first on EX Program ..read more

Who needs a tobacco use survey these days to assess prevalence in their population? The answer might be you and your company. Here’s why: With more remote workers, smoking, vaping, and chew tobacco use in the workplace today aren’t always obvious.  And that’s led some company leaders to believe tobacco addiction isn’t a big issue [...] Read More... from Tip Sheet: How to Conduct a Tobacco Use Survey with Employees The post Tip Sheet: How to Conduct a Tobacco Use Survey with Employees appeared first on EX Program ..read more

The costs of smoking and kidney disease are a substantial burden across healthcare systems and payers. But helping individuals quit smoking can significantly reduce the risk of kidney disease. Among those with kidney disease, quitting smoking can also improve outcomes. Here are the facts you need to know. Prevalence of kidney disease and smoking More [...] Read More... from Smoking and Kidney Disease: See the Impact on Spending The post Smoking and Kidney Disease: See the Impact on Spending appeared first on EX Program ..read more

[...] Read More... from An Anti-Vaping Arsenal The post An Anti-Vaping Arsenal appeared first on EX Program ..read more

Those working in white-collar professional services typically have lower rates of smoking and vaping than other industries. But a creeping trend of nicotine pouch use among workers in demanding industries, such as finance and technology, could be changing things. Nicotine pouches are tiny bags of nicotine that fit under the lip. Zyn nicotine pouches are [...] Read More... from 4 Things to Know about Nicotine Pouches Like Zyn The post 4 Things to Know about Nicotine Pouches Like Zyn appeared first on EX Program ..read more

On college campuses, the sights are often predictable: school colors, packed libraries before finals, and now, an increasing number of vape/smoke-free campus signs. As of 2023, over 2,600 campuses in the U.S. have implemented tobacco-free policies, up from 1,816 in 2017, with many more following suit thanks to Truth Initiative’s tobacco/vape-free college program. Students are [...] Read More... from How to End Smoking on a Smoke-Free Campus The post How to End Smoking on a Smoke-Free Campus appeared first on EX Program ..read more

So, your company is ready to implement an incentive or a tobacco surcharge on insurance for employees who use tobacco products. The next task at hand is identifying individuals eligible for the incentive or premium discount. To achieve this, many organizations rely on self-reported data through a tobacco attestation form. But how do you ensure [...] Read More... from How to Ensure Honesty on a Tobacco Attestation Form The post How to Ensure Honesty on a Tobacco Attestation Form appeared first on EX Program ..read more

Helping members quit tobacco offers many advantages to your health plan, including improved health outcomes, lower costs of care, and healthier families. While the benefits of quitting tobacco are widely known, you may still see low engagement in the tobacco cessation program you offer. You are not alone. See impactful and proven initiatives that change [...] Read More... from Impactful Strategies to Ignite Member Engagement in Quitting Tobacco The post Impactful Strategies to Ignite Member Engagement in Quitting Tobacco appeared first on EX Program ..read more

If you use a tobacco surcharge on health insurance, properly Implementing it with a reasonable alternative standard is critical—not just for employees but for your organization as well. Below are essential details about how to properly implement a tobacco surcharges and pitfalls to avoid from active legal developments.   Tobacco surcharge rules by state Even [...] Read More... from Tobacco Surcharge on Health Insurance in Legal Crosshairs: Is Your Wellness Program Compliant? The post Tobacco Surcharge on Health Insurance in Legal Crosshairs: Is Your Wellness Program Compliant? appeared fi ..read more