UK Health Plan Offers Expanded Tobacco Cessation Aids at No Cost

LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 19, 2013) - University of Kentucky employees, non-Medicare retirees, and sponsored dependents covered under a UK-sponsored health insurance plan, can now receive expanded tobacco cessation aids at no cost.

The new benefit provides free access to Chantix and generic prescription tobacco-treatment medications for 24 weeks with no co-pay.

Generic over-the-counter nicotine replacement therapy is also available at no cost for a 90-day time period with a prescription.

In order to receive these products using the UK benefits program, participants must obtain a prescription from their health care provider and present their UK Express Scripts ID card to the pharmacy where it is filled.

As part of the Tobacco-free Campus Initiative, free nicotine patches and gum and cessation counseling remain available for employees and sponsored dependents through Amy Rodquist-Kodet, UK Health and Wellness, at (257-3123) and Audrey Darville, Certified Tobacco Treatment Specialist, at (323-4222).

“Quitting smoking is the single best thing a person can do for their health in their lifetime. UK is committed to assist employees achieve their optimal health by providing and enhancing benefits proven to help people quit tobacco use,” said Darville.

Since UK’s tobacco-free policy went into effect in November 2009, there has been a consistent four-fold increase in attempts to quit using the free nicotine replacement voucher system.

“Our tobacco-free campus policy has prompted hundreds of tobacco-using employees and their loved ones to quit, saving lives and reducing the enormous health and economic toll from tobacco in Kentucky,” said Ellen Hahn, professor in the UK College of Nursing and co-chair of UK’s Tobacco-free Campus Initiative.

For more information about UK’s Tobacco-free Policy, go to www.uky.edu/Tobaccofree.