News release: “States are exploring programs to combat the chronic diseases that account for more than 75 percent of all health care costs, including the states’, according to a new Issue Brief from the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center). State Employee Health Management Initiatives looks at initiatives being implemented by states to curb rising costs for health care while continuing to provide health benefits to their employees. Recognizing the high costs of health care, states—which collectively employ more than 4 million people—are increasingly offering health management programs to improve employee wellness. In fact, states have played integral roles in launching such initiatives, including spearheading employee screening programs, providing financial and non-incentives to live healthier and creating coordinated systems of care and prevention to reduce the burden of chronic diseases.”