Join the Step-IT-Up! Challenge, Go for Gold

May is the month to take big steps toward active living and embrace some serious team spirit. Time to team up for the 1.5 million “steps” Step-IT-Up! team challenge, May 2 to 29. Go to mybmcwellness.com starting May 2.

The third annual Step-IT-Up! Challenge is the final big push to bWell Olympics Gold. Sign up and you can earn 500 bWell points, gift cards and, of course, bragging rights.

  • When: May 2 – 29.
  • Goal: 1.5 million steps! Team up with 5 to 7 work buddies and collectively walk at least 375,000 steps each week for four weeks. You can also enjoy your favorite activities and convert them to steps during the challenge.
  • Rewards: 500 bWell points.
  • Who: All employees can participate. Silver and bronze bWell Olympics rewards are limited to participants covered on a BMC medical plan.
  • What: Teams who meet the 1.5 million steps goal will earn 500 bWell points for each member. Two teams will take home a $150 gift card for each member — one for the team with the highest total steps, and one for the team with the highest average steps per member.
  • Stretch Goal: Charity wins too. BMC will make a donation to the American Heart Association if all participants log at least 200 million steps during the challenge.

The 2016 bWell Olympics end July 31, 2016. You must complete the online Well-Being Assessment and participate in a health screening to qualify for the Olympics and earn rewards. Once you qualify, you’ll receive a Fitbit to use to track your activity while completing challenges and earning Bronze, Silver or Gold medals. 

Step IT Up! at the May 5 Fun Run

Begin your Cinco de Mayo celebration early with an invigorating 5K Fun Run at daybreak. Gather your team and run or walk around the Houston campus on Thursday, May 5. Everyone is welcome – beginners and experienced athletes alike. Rack up those steps and take home a free Step-IT-Up! Challenge t-shirt.

The Fun Run starts at 6:30 a.m. from the CityWest Fitness Center, Garage 4. You can grab a post-run shower at the fitness center before heading back to work. (waiver required).

Health Care, Only Better

BMC has partnered with Healthcare Bluebook™ and Best Doctors® to help you shop smart for health care services and make informed decisions about your care.

  • Healthcare Bluebook—an online service that lets you compare the cost and quality of medical procedures, tests, and providers to help you find the best price and care.
  • Best Doctors—a service designed to help you easily and confidentially get second opinions from medical experts. By contacting Best Doctors, you can have all of your medical questions and concerns addressed.

These tools and resources are included with your BMC medical coverage. Healthcare Bluebook is not available to Kaiser medical plan participants.

Get the details here

Managing Anger, Communicating with Influence

Anger is a completely normal, and usually healthy, human emotion. However, when it gets out of control and turns destructive, it can lead to problems: problems at work, in your personal relationships, and in the overall quality of your life. You are invited to join Magellan’s live interactive webinar “Techniques for Managing Anger & Communicating with Influence,” on Wednesday, May 11, 2016, from 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. Central time. Register Now.

Useful Links

Seven Quick Tips to control your anger from Psychology Today.

How do you handle anger-inducing situations? Take the anger test from Psychology Today.

Is anger hurting your health? Read the research from Berkeley Wellness.


401(k) Investing: Getting to Know Fees

If you participate in the BMC 401(k) Plan, you pay fees to cover investment management, administrative and operating expenses. Every 401(k) plan has an administrator to keep track of balances, contributions and withdrawals. And all mutual funds charge annual expenses to cover the fund’s operating costs.

Fidelity Investments, the BMC 401(k) Plan administrator, sent Plan participants an email in March announcing changes to the Plan, including the move to a more transparent approach to charging fees. Minimizing the fees and expenses you pay to the 401(k) Plan may help you increase your retirement nest egg—so be informed and review your options carefully.

Get Started

Read this overview from Fidelity to better understand 401(k) fees and expenses. The overview includes ways you can stay informed about fees, such as viewing your plan account statement any time by logging on to the Fidelity NetBenefits website.

See the detailed change notice from Fidelity.

Useful Links

Understanding 401(k) Fees and Expenses, a quick read from the American Institute of CPAs.

Maximize Your Retirement Savings – The Department of Labor offers tips on using the fee and investment information from your 401(k). 

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