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Harvard University chose King County, Washington’s Healthy Incentives program as a winner of the Innovations in American Government Award from a pool of more than 600 applicants.

“King County launched Healthy Incentives in 2006 to address employee health care costs that were rising at rate of three times the Consumer Price Index. A benefit plan rewards employees with lower out-of-pocket expenses for choosing high quality healthcare plans and participating in wellness activities, while work through the Washington Health Alliance drives healthcare quality improvements. Since implementation, the Healthy Incentives program has saved King County $46 million on employee health care by supporting health improvements and encouraging use of higher quality health care.”

Said Stephen Goldsmith, director of the Innovations in American Government Program: “Motivated by the desire to stem the rising cost of healthcare coverage at unsustainable rates, King County partnered with its employees to address cost with quality. Healthy Incentives takes a creative approach to a significant problem faced by jurisdictions across the country – resulting in tremendous savings to municipal budgets and taxpayers. It is our hope that by recognizing Health Incentives, we can encourage government entities to learn from the program’s innovation.”