‘Builder of choice’ builds better cancer care choices for its team

Andersen Construction sought a trusted health partner that would drive results in cancer prevention, detection, treatment, and survivorship for its diverse team in the Northwest.

48%

of eligible employees and dependents enrolled in the first 10 months

⅓

of people were due for one or more cancer screenings

26%

increase in participants up-to-date on all of their cancer screenings

21%

of participants identified as high risk for cancer

"Cancer continues to be a leading claims driver within our health plan. It’s an area we had to start being proactive. The earlier we catch it, the better the outcomes. This program is about improving the quality of life for the families we serve."

Kristina Ewing,

Director of Health and Wellbeing, Andersen Construction

The Challenge

Andersen Construction focuses on commercial and industrial construction in the Northwest, building everything from parking structures to medical facilities, manufacturing plants, and industrial complexes. Leading with integrity, Andersen puts “their clients’ and project team’s needs first.” With a relatively young and diverse workforce, those needs included healthcare education – particularly about cancer and cancer risk.

Andersen was looking for a partner that could help identify, manage, and directly intervene on both lifestyle and genetic risk for cancer. For example, when Andersen employee Craig was diagnosed with Stage IV melanoma, he underwent genetic testing and learned he is a carrier of a BRCA2 genetic mutation, which increases a person’s risk of several cancers, including breast, ovarian, and prostate cancer. Learning this, his five children also underwent genetic testing and discovered that they, too, carry the genetic mutation.

Andersen knew that understanding who in their population has increased cancer risk and may be eligible for earlier or additional screening beyond standard guidelines is critical for preventing and managing cancer early. Color’s program was the solution to help them do exactly that.

“If I could do anything differently it would be to take advantage of this pre-screening opportunity. It’s very effective, it’s fast, and you can do a lot of it at home. And you can avoid the path that I’m on.”

Craig,
Andersen Construction employee & cancer survivor

Craig Holt, a project executive at Andersen Construction, carries a genetic mutation in the BRCA2 gene, which can increase someone’s risk for certain cancers. Watch the video to hear his story.

Sweet incentives drive early enrollment

In early January, Color launched an incentive program for Andersen Construction employees, encouraging them to complete their cancer risk assessment (CRA) by February 1st. To sweeten the deal, participants received a complimentary box of chocolates, perfectly timed for Valentine’s Day to give to their partner.

As an extra gift, the box also included a reminder about how Color’s benefit is available to dependents as well, with information on how they can enroll themselves.

Thanks to this initiative, 36% of program enrollments took place in January, demonstrating the power of personalized engagement and thoughtful incentives.

The Solution

The team expressed immediate excitement about the program. More than 20% of the eventual 48% of eligible employees and dependents that enrolled did so within the first 120 days – and 100% of them opted for genetic testing. What they learned from those tests provided them with a foundation of knowledge about their cancer risk and how they can detect cancer early.

After the risk assessment, Color’s care team continued to support Andersen employees, helping to ensure that they completed their screenings, including scheduling in-person follow-up visits with in-network providers as needed. These self-guided and at-home cancer screenings empowered employees to take control of their health and better understand their risks. And by integrating with Andersen’s other benefit vendors, Color helped Andersen create a seamless experience for their team. As a result, Color drove a 26% increase in participants up-to-date on all of their cancer screenings.

Color also integrated with Andersen’s medical claims data warehouse to help Andersen assess utilization and ROI, while helping to remind employees about missing screening dates and relevant medical diagnoses that could prevent delays in prevention, detection, or treatment.

The partnership drove key results in health education, screening adherence, and follow-through:

38%

of people who needed a cancer screening completed that screening

18%

increase in cervical cancer screening

69%

increase in participants up to date on colorectal cancer screening

The Results

Since launching, Andersen employees have shown an excitement and appreciation for Color, with 48% of eligible employees and dependents enrolling in the offering in the first ten months. The partnership achieved its goal of increasing education and awareness of risk, particularly among a population that might not otherwise have known about its elevated cancer risk.

Higher cancer risk detected in younger employees

Though the average age of enrolled participants was 43.7 years and 63% were under the age of 45, more than a quarter of people were at high risk for one or more cancers, including breast, cervical, colorectal, prostate, and lung.

Many employees were overdue for cancer screening

About a third of participants were due for one or more cancer screenings. More than half of participants behind on a screening were due for colorectal cancer screening. Color helped increase the number of participants up to date on colorectal cancer screening by 69%.

The team valued genetic testing

100% of enrolled participants opted to get a genetic test and appreciated the counseling and education that followed. One employee shared,

“I appreciate having a good discussion regarding the cancer risks I have as well as discussing other areas of my health. It was a comfortable interaction and I learned some things I find very helpful.”

The partnership will continue to expand

Building on the success of the program, Andersen is expanding its engagement with Color in 2025 and beyond to include skin cancer screening services, as well as services and support to cancer patients and survivors.

Reach out to learn more about how Color helps you take control of cancer.

learnmore@color.com