OHIPP

Oregon Health Insurers Partnering for Prevention (OHIPP)

Oregon Public Health Institute is convening a group of health insurers to initiate a series of roundtable discussions on ways insurers might act individually or collectively to promote evidence-based prevention strategies for obesity, chronic diseases and child injury prevention among their currently pregnant or recently postpartum enrollees. The desired outcome is fewer chronic diseases and accidental injury in the children of currently pregnant enrollees.

Oregon Public Health Institute staff reviewed available research, and presented OHIPP members with several health topics that would reach the strategic aim (see below for related white papers).  They chose breastfeeding as their first focus area.  They were then presented with four evidence-based breastfeeding projects, and they chose a donation to Northwest Mothers Milk Bank as their initial collective public work, contributing $166,000 to the NWMMB capital campaign.  Read the December 15, 2011 press release: Oregon Health Insurers Support Breastfeeding to learn more.

According to Dr. Larry Grummer-Strawn, Chief Officer for the Nutrition branch of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), "The OHIPP collaborative has developed an innovative solution to America's health care crisis that we hope becomes a model for other states."

The idea is simple.  People change plans frequently, making it difficult for health plans to see an economic return from their investment in prevention and health promotion.  But if the plans all choose an activity, policy or investment together, the entire community benefits, and the whole system saves money, regardless of where people purchase their insurance.

OPHI staff presented the following white papers to the OHIPP collaborative:

• OHIPP Breastfeeding Summary
• OHIPP Increasing Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Summary
• OHIPP Preventing Child Injury Summary
• OHIPP Promoting Physical Activity in Pregnancy Summary
• OHIPP Reducing Screen Time Summary
• OHIPP Reducing Consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Summary
• OHIPP Vitamin D Supplementation for Pregnant Women and Infant Summary

For more information about OHIPP contact Amelia Psmythe at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or view the project one-page description.