National Working Group for ACTTION

August 27, 2010

The six ActionToQuit State Grantees are working on their year-long projects to implement innovative strategies to increase access to tobacco cessation treatments.  Each month the newsletter features an interview with a different grantee to share information about their projects.  The interview this month is with New York State.

ActionToQuit:

Can you give our readers some basic information about your project and staff?

New York State:

The project is called the New York State Access to Tobacco Use Treatment Strategic Planning Project.  The lead staff and agency are:

Patricia Bax, RN, MS, Marketing Coordinator, New York State Smokers’ Quitline, Roswell Park Cancer Institute and Project Director;
Ann Wendland, MSL, NYS Smokers’ Quitline & NRT Programs, Manager, NYSDOH Tobacco Control Program;
Kristie L. Robertson, Director, Worksite Health Initiatives, American Cancer Society - Upstate New York; and
Wendy Pegan and Bob Davis -Creative Wisdom & Wealth, ActionToQuit    Grant Consultants.

In addition to the key staff, the project is steered by an Executive Committee,   comprised of representatives from health plans, employers, employer and statewide umbrella groups.

ActionToQuit:

Can you give us a brief summary of the project?

New York State:

The New York State Smokers’ Quitline (NEW YORK STATESQL) at Roswell Park Cancer Institute proposes three regional Access to Tobacco Use Treatment Summits involving employers, health plans, and other stakeholders.   The summits should provide all stakeholders with evidence-based knowledge and a strategic plan with the goal of all state employers, regardless of size, providing tobacco dependence treatment coverage to all employees.  Our expectation is that as a result of attending a summit, stakeholders will increase their likelihood of choosing evidence-based employee tobacco use cessation benefits that will result in one of the most cost-effective preventive health services that can be offered to employees.

ActionToQuit:

Who are your partners?  

New York State:

Our partners are representatives from Health Plans, Employers, Employer and Statewide Umbrella Groups.  These include: Medical Society of the State of New York, MVP Health Care, Tri-County Cessation Center of the Hudson Valley, The Kingston Hospital, The Institute for Family Health, American Cancer Society - Upstate New York, American Heart Association/ American Stroke Association, New York Health Plan Association, New York Business Group on Health, Division of Quality and Evaluation, NYS Department of Health, HealthNow, BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York, BlueShield of Northeastern New York, LiDestri Foods, Inc., and Corning Glass.

ActionToQuit:

Do you have any non-traditional partners?

New York State:

The partners we are working with are for the most part non-traditional.  They are new partners that we have not worked with before in tobacco control and whose primary focus is not specifically tobacco use cessation.  They bring levels of insight and expertise that enhance our existing tobacco control program.

ActionToQuit:

Can you give us a brief snapshot of cessation policy in your state?

New York State:

Annual smoking-related health care costs and lost productivity in New York total $14.2 billion, with $8.17 billion in annual health care expenditures directly caused by tobacco use.  Cessation coverage varies by plan, product, and employer, thus creating gaps and barriers.

These barriers include:  1) all New York State health care plans not fully covering comprehensive cessation services for all their members; 2) plans varying in coverage of effective treatment methods, co-pays, and duration of benefit; 3) if benefits exist, providers, purchasers, and health care plan members are not always aware of the benefit; 4) employer confusion about cessation benefit information given since there is no one defined, comprehensive standard; and 5) since the cessation benefit is usually a purchased plan benefit, employers may opt to not purchase services for their employees.

Medicaid will reimburse for two 90-day courses of prescription smoking cessation medication and over-the-counter nicotine patches and gum. Beginning in January 2009, pregnant smokers could potentially receive up to six counseling sessions annually.

ActionToQuit:

Can you tell us a little about your summit? 

New York State:

We actually will be holding three summits.  This decision was reached in our planning process, when we realized the geographic constraints as well as the diversity in knowledge.  The invitation to attend includes all three dates, and attendees can choose the one most convenient.  The facilitator and agenda are the same for all three sessions.

The first will be in Buffalo on September 28, followed by Albany on October 5, and New York City on November 30.

ActionToQuit:

Who are you inviting? 

New York State:

Invitees will include key decision makers from Health Plans, Employers, Employer Groups, and Umbrella Groups.  In addition, we will be inviting health care providers who have a stake in the summit outcomes. We hope to invite several hundred, with the expectation of having a minimum of 50 individuals at each summit.

ActionToQuit:

What are your objectives?

New York State:

The working meetings will build off preliminary Internet-based surveys and evidence-based education to focus dialogue on 1) what access to cessation treatment environmental constraints and opportunities are present and 2) actions necessary to overcome constraints and capitalize on opportunities. Small group discussions will address specific planning questions.

By the end of each summit, we expect that participants will prioritize interventions that should be emphasized and those that should be  de-emphasized.  A strategic plan for the state should be completed by January.

ActionToQuit:

What obstacles do you face? 

New York State:

Perhaps the biggest hurdle is the time factor, which includes being able to complete daily job duties and responsibilities in addition to the tasks set forth in our grant proposal.  Thanks to the dedication and expertise of our Executive Committee, we are able to turn this obstacle around and create it into a driving force to help in achieving our goals.

ActionToQuit:

Has there been any reaction or response to your plans yet? 

New York State:

The initial response to this initiative and our plan has been positive and encouraging.  People want to participate

ActionToQuit:

What would you like to be different in your state one year from now?

New York State:

One year from now, we would like to see the implementation of our strategic plan that was a result of our successful summits. We want to implement the identified strategies to keep our state moving closer to achieving our Tobacco Control Program’s 2014 adult smoking prevalence goal of 12 percent.  Our mission is for all state employers, regardless of size, to provide tobacco dependence treatment benefit coverage to all employees.