Insurance panel backs adding slots in weight-loss program

A state board on Tuesday approved enrolling an additional 6,000 public school and state employees in an online weight-loss program at a cost of about $1.7 million.

Offered by Dallas-based ACAP Health, the program is aimed at reducing obesity-related costs paid by health plans covering about 45,000 school employees and 26,000 state employees, along with retirees and employees’ family members.

According to the company, the program offers 30 to 40 minutes per week of video tutorials aimed at changing people’s eating habits.

Although the program lasts a full year, the state plans are only billed for a maximum of 17 weeks per participant: $38.50 for the first 10 weeks and $25 for the next seven, for a maximum of $560 per participant, a company representative has said.

The average enrollee participates for about seven weeks, at a cost of about $280, according to the company.

The State and Public School Life and Health Insurance Board in April approved a pilot project allowing 1,000 school employees and 1,000 state employees to enroll on a first-come, first-served basis.

ACAP Health allowed an additional 400 people to enroll at no cost to the plans. Among the initial group of 2,400 enrollees, 243 never participated, according to the company. Among the 792 participants who reported their weight during the 10th week of the program, the average person had lost 8.6 pounds,

Austin Wilcox, the company’s vice president of business and product development, told the board’s benefits subcommittee earlier this month.

Following the subcommittee’s recommendation, the board on Tuesday voted to allow an additional 3,000 school employees and 3,000 state employees to enroll in the program next month.

About 2,000 employees who attempted to sign up in May, but who were put on a waiting list after the available slots were filled, will be allowed to sign up first.