Take Advantage of Our Programs to Help You Quit Smoking
If you’ve been thinking about quitting smoking, this is a great time to do it. This week marks the annual Great American Smokeout, a day when the American Cancer Society (ACS) encourages smokers to make a plan to quit their habit.
As a Carilion employee, you have access to two programs through Your Carilion Rewards to help you quit using tobacco and nicotine products.
Quit for Life Program
Our own Free and Clear Quit for Life program has been helping employees quit using tobacco and nicotine products for almost 20 years. It is available to you, your spouse and adult dependent children at no cost.
You and your family can start the program at any time, and your participation is confidential.
The program offers you:
- One-on-one phone sessions, scheduled at your convenience
- Unlimited toll-free phone access to quit coaches while you participate in the program
- Recommendations for medications like the nicotine patch, gum or bupropion
- Delivery of recommended nicotine replacement products such as patches, gum or lozenges
- A “Quit Kit” of materials to help you stay on track between calls
To enroll in the Free and Clear Quit for Life program, call 866-QUIT-4-LIFE (866-784-8454) or go to quitnow.net and select Carilion, your Aetna health plan and state in the boxes on the landing page. You'll be directed to the Carilion enrollment page to enroll. Download the flyer below for more information.
Pharmacy Tobacco Cessation Program
If you participate in Carilion’s medical plan, you and your dependents are also eligible for our pharmacy tobacco cessation program. You’ll have four one-hour virtual classes with our pharmacists to guide you from the “planning to quit” phase to “quit day.” At the end of the program, they will follow up with you by phone to provide support.
The virtual program uses a wholistic approach, so you may be connected with other resources—fitness and dietary advice, for example—to help you reach your goal.
For more information or questions about the program, contact Maria Flegas, Retail Pharmacy, at 540-266-6192.
A National Spotlight
More than 34 million Americans still smoke cigarettes and smoking remains the single largest preventable cause of deaths and illness in the world, according to the ACA.
Many ex-smokers say quitting smoking was the hardest thing they have ever done, according to the American Lung Association. It can also take smokers multiple tries before they are able to quit.
But quitting is worth it—for your health and your wallet. You can save $50 per pay period if you and everyone you cover on your medical plan are tobacco-free. The Tobacco-Free Incentive page has more details.
What are you waiting for? Take advantage of Your Carilion Rewards and the other available resources listed to the right today.
