Design of the Health Reform Initiative

King County’s Health Reform Initiative aims to reduce the rising trend of health care costs through improved health of its employees and better quality health care in the region. Our primary strategy is to use market forces to change both the supply and demand side of the health care equation. 

Reducing demand for health care
King County aims to reduce demand for health care by empowering employees to improve or maintain their health.  It has two primary strategies for accomplishing this:

Benefit plan design – Healthy Incentives is an innovative benefit plan that rewards participation in wellness activities

Supportive environment in King County – provides employees with the tools to improve their health

Reducing cost of health care supplied
King County is working to reduce the cost of health care supplied in the region by collaborating with regional stakeholders through the Puget Sound Health Alliance to improve the quality of care available in the region thereby reducing redundancies that drive up costs.

Puget Sound Health Alliance