The Rochester Business Alliance's strategic work to reduce health care costs in this community is featured prominently in the current cover story of BusinessWeek magazine.

The article, entitled "Why Wait for Health Reform: 10 Ways to Cut Costs Right Now," looks at specific corporate and community initiatives to lower health care costs. Fourth on the list - under the title Make Health A Community Effort - is the RBA Health Care Initiative, including the community wide rollout of Wegmans Food Markets "eat well. live well" challenge. Over the last three years, this program, which focuses on increased activity and greater consumption of fruits and vegetables, has enrolled 44,000 people in this region, making it, according to Newsweek, "the world's largest wellness program."

"The group's collaboration didn't stop at fitness," the article continues. "The companies joined with doctors and insurers to substitute generic drugs for brand-name medicines, had their own efficiency experts help three hospitals streamline operations free of charge, and contributed $685,000 toward establishing a regional electronic health records system."

BusinessWeek also quotes Paul S. Speranza, vice-chairman of Wegmans who leads the RBA Health Care Planning Team say saying that Rochester's health costs have dropped from 5 percent below the national average in 2005 to 15 percent below this year.

"Being featured in BusinessWeek is a wonderful recognition of the collaborative work being done in this community to make health care more affordable and accessible," said Rochester Business Alliance President and CEO Sandy Parker. "We have some wonderful partnerships established among key stakeholders, including the hospital systems, the Finger Lakes Health Systems Agency, the medical community and employers across the region. I am very proud of RBA's role in making Rochester a shining example of what can be done when a community pulls together on a common goal."

The article is also available online here, which also features a video interview with reporter Catherine Arnst in which she praises Rochester for an attitude that "it is collaboration that is the way forward."

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Join us for an interactive discussion about what Rochester Business Alliance is doing locally to help reduce health care costs, while improving quality and access to medical services. A panel of benefits experts from the RBA Healthcare Planning Committee will review the RBA Health Care Initiative, discuss how the projects underway affect your organization and the community, and how you can get involved. Click here to register for the Dec. 3 event.