Posted January 26, 2015

Wellness program offers free resources, rewards

James Duffy
Temple Police Officer Richard Nagy is on the road to better health, thanks in large part to his commitment to Temple’s Total Wellness program.

When Temple Police Officer Richard Nagy attended a biometric screening in 2011, his cholesterol of 280 and blood pressure of 215/115 were so high, he needed to sign a waiver declining medical treatment in order to leave.

He had been smoking for 30 years and hadn’t seen a doctor in 25.

Since then, Nagy, 55, has been on the road to better health, thanks in large part to his commitment to Temple’s Total Wellness program, which includes biometric screenings and wellness workshops. 

Nagy now sees his doctor regularly, his cholesterol and blood pressure have stabilized, and he quit smoking two years ago.

“I felt like I never had any problems, even though I did,” said Nagy, a university employee of 33 years who is stationed at Temple University Ambler. “I could have easily had a stroke.”

Through Total Wellness, Temple faculty and staff who are enrolled in one of the university’s health insurance plans (Personal Choice or Keystone Health Plan East) have access to a variety of free resources to improve and maintain their overall health and well-being.

These benefits include free on-site biometric screenings, individual nutrition counseling sessions, group informational wellness workshops, team wellness challenges, and one-on-one access to Independence Blue Cross wellness coaches and health coaches.

Employees can also accumulate points by participating in activities, such as completing an online wellness profile or going to a routine doctor’s visit, and achieving certain milestones.

Throughout the plan year, employees with enough points can earn up to $200 in reward cards and up to a $300 annual reduction in employee health plan contributions, said Gerry O’Kane, Temple’s director of wellness. There is still time to participate in the Total Wellness program, and potentially qualify for the contribution reduction, before the next health plan year begins July 1.

In the past year, Nagy has earned all four of the available $50 reward cards—from a variety of retailers through Hallmark Business Connections—and he intends to qualify for the new $25 monthly reduction in his health plan contributions beginning July 2015.

“It helps you keep on doing what you’re supposed to be doing,” he said. “Having the rewards is definitely a great incentive.”

With his health continuing to improve, Nagy takes a daily walk on Loop Road around Ambler Campus and no longer gets winded walking an 18-hole golf course.

“My passion now is golf,” said Nagy, who is considering moving south after retirement so he can hit the links more often. “If you take care of yourself, I see guys 80, 90 years old who can still play.”