Quit Tobacco in 2011
With Free & Clear’s Quit For Life^® Program

And go for the gold out-of-pocket expense level

If you’ve been thinking about trying to quit smoking, 2011 could be your time to quit.  King County has partnered again with Free & Clear’s Quit For Life program to provide you customized support.  Your participation could earn you the gold out-of-pocket benefits expense level.   More than 370 King County employees and partners participated in the program last year.  Is it your turn?

Free & Clear’s Quit For Life program is a benefit for employees, spouses, domestic partners and dependants 18 years of age or older.  Quit For Life is the nation’s leading tobacco cessation program.  Hundreds of thousands of people have quit tobacco with this program, and quit rates for people enrolled in the program are 8 times higher than for people who quit “cold turkey.”

• The Quit For Life program integrates telephone coaching with free nicotine replacement therapy (patch or gum) mailed directly to your home with educational/support materials.
  
• You can participate in Quit For Life and earn the gold out-of-pocket expense level with Healthy Incentives^SM.  Make sure you take the wellness assessment before January 31st, and enroll in Quit For Life (call 1-866-QUIT-4-LIFE / 1-866-784-8454).  Just complete 5 telephone counseling sessions prior to July 1, 2011 to earn the gold level.  It is the participant’s responsibility to make sure all calls are completed prior to July 1.  We understand that it may take several tries to successfully quit tobacco for good.  What counts as completion for Healthy Incentives^SM is that you’re trying to quit.

Even if you choose a different individual action plan, you can participate in Quit For Life.   All King County benefits covered employees, spouses/domestic partners and dependants 18 years of age or older may participate in the program at no charge to them.  Even the cost of nicotine patches/gum is covered through the program.

King County’s other Quit Tobacco benefits have not changed.  If you receive health benefits from King County, you get the following coverage:

• Visit your doctor and talk about quitting tobacco.  Your provider can help you determine which quit methods (prescription, over the counter and support-based) are right for you.  Your visit is covered at 100% under preventive treatment. 
  
• Your doctor may prescribe additional medications to help you quit tobacco.  Costs for these are covered under your prescription drug benefits, when prescribed by your doctor.
  
  
• KingCare/Aetna members:
  
  
• Acupuncture/hypnotherapy to ease nicotine withdrawal is a covered benefit
  
• Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) – patches, lozenges and gum are covered at 100%.  If you purchase them over the counter, submit your receipt for reimbursement
  
• Prescription drugs for tobacco cessation are covered at 100%
  
  
• Group Health members:
  
  
• Free & Clear Quit For Life is also a covered benefit provided to Group Health members.  Free nicotine replacement therapy is provided when participants enroll in Quit For Life.
  
• Prescription drugs for tobacco cessation are covered when prescribed by your provider and purchased from a Group Health or contracted pharmacy.  Copay applies. 
  
  
• Everyone – these community resources are available to everyone.
  
  
• Public Health – Seattle & King County provides information on community resources and tools to help you quit.  Call 206-296-7613 for help.
  
• American Lung Association’s Freedom from Smoking program is an online support tool.  In person community support groups (7-weeks long) are also available. 

If you have questions about Quit Tobacco programs, Healthy Incentives^SM Program completion or individual action plans, call King County Benefits at 206-684-1556.