Keenan Selects Nurtur and Healthyroads for Integrated Disease Management and Personal Wellness Programs

TORRANCE, Calif., Feb. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Keenan & Associates, the largest privately held insurance brokerage and consulting firm in California, has announced two important partnerships with leading providers of integrated disease management and wellness programs.  Nurtur and Healthyroads are the latest additions to the Keenan roster of program providers, adding an important dimension to the company's extensive employee benefits practice.

"Following a very thorough process for evaluating and selecting our key program partners, we are very pleased to welcome both Nurtur and Healthyroads to our portfolio with programs that offer a proactive approach to wellness for individuals and to reducing the cost of health care," said Yosuke Chikamoto, Ph.D., Wellness Program Specialist for Keenan & Associates.  "Keenan provides unique, dedicated resources to integrate, coordinate and communicate these programs with our clients to ensure success."

Nurtur is a provider of a range of work-life, health and wellness programs.  Keenan has selected Nurtur to provide a proactive, comprehensive disease management program. Conditions included in the Nurtur program include asthma, diabetes, COPD, heart failure, coronary artery disease, lower back pain and depression.  Keenan has established a strategic relationship with Nurtur to work cooperatively in building the program and positioning Nurtur as an active partner with the employee.  The program is delivered via Nurtur's proprietary member management approach, holistic data model and technology platform, and four-step evaluation methodology that links health interventions to program outcomes. "Nurtur is excited to be a part of Keenan's expanding initiative to aggressively manage the health of their clients' members. Our direct coaching model will lead to participants' improved health, mitigate healthcare costs, and improve workforce productivity for employees," said Michael Maluccio, SVP of Sales and Client Services for Nurtur.

Healthyroads is a provider of comprehensive wellness services including Internet-based, personal health improvement program designed to provide individuals with the online tools for taking charge of their personal health and telephone-based wellness coaching.  Keenan is partnering with Healthyroads to bring three tiers of wellness solutions, depending upon clients' needs and preference. Health Advisor Program, the most basic program, includes a personal health assessment online and a 30-minute coaching session in which participants are referred to Healthyroads online resources and/or clients' existing resources based on the health assessment results. Healthyroads Exercise Program enables participants to set up and track a personal exercise program online.  Individual motivation and program visibility are supported by a system of tangible rewards for progress such as pedometers, bottles, towels and t-shirts that arrive in a special package via mail.  Healthyroads Coaching Program adds telephone-based coaching with the number of sessions, from four to 52 per year, based on a risk evaluation.  This level also includes a starter kit and unlimited inbound calls.  The program begins with a health assessment and individualized behavioral goal setting.  It is designed to encompass exercise, nutrition, stress management, tobacco cessation, and other health lifestyle issues.

"We are excited to have our Healthyroads Wellness programs offered through Keenan & Associates," said George DeVries, chairman and CEO of Healthyroads, Inc. "Our health assessment, coaching, and other wellness programs are excellent tools for helping individuals improve their health and live healthier, longer lives."

While most of the basic level programs in the market do not include coaching and are supported only by templates for support materials, Keenan has ensured that the crucial aspect of coaching has been included as well as fully developed promotional materials.

For more information on Keenan insurance brokerage and consulting programs, visit www.keenan.com.

About Keenan

Founded in 1972, Keenan is the 14th largest insurance consulting and brokerage firm in the United States and the largest independent broker in California.  Keenan is dedicated to providing superior insurance products and services to health care organizations, schools, community colleges, and municipalities for employee benefits, third-party claims administration, workers' compensation, integrated disability, risk management, and property and liability.  Keenan has a network of offices located throughout California and a staff of more than 650 insurance specialists.  For more information, call 800-654-8102 or 310-212-3344, email [email protected], or visit www.keenan.com.

About Nurtur

Nurtur is the life, health and wellness company dedicated to helping people transform their lives with support, encouragement and motivation. The company offers an inclusive people-centered approach designed to help people at all life stages address the life issues that get in the way of health as well as the health issues that complicate living. Nurtur provides life and health management programs including concierge, EAP, professional training, wellness and disease management to multi-market segments including employers, plan sponsors, Third Party Administrators, commercial health plans and government agencies. For more information, visit the Nurtur website at: www.nurturhealth.com.

SOURCE Keenan & Associates