April is National Stress Awareness Month and highlights the negative health effects that long-term stress has on our bodies. Negative effects include headaches, stomach disorders, depression, and even heart disease. Here are ten ways to respond to the stress in your life and keep your stress levels in check: Read More
Source: beliefnet.com
As we all know, keeping up with workplace challenges can also generate a great deal of stress in life. Magellan Health offers these helpful ideas for managing your stress at work.
Express Scripts’ My Rx Choices is a tool to view and manage your coverage and out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs. You can also use the My Rx search tool to get a personalized and confidential price comparison for safe, lower cost drug options, based on your current benefits. Knowing your options can help you save money. See the My Rx tool on the Express-Scripts mobile app.
After a long, cold winter, nothing feels better than spending time outside in the warm spring sun – unless you have allergies. Get tips about how to relieve Spring allergies from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Read More
Would you know what to do if a friend or family member needed help with a mental health or drug abuse issue? What kind of help would they need? Who could help? Learn about the different levels of mental health care. Read More
Source: bcbstx.com
Sometimes, financial difficulties and other complex life stressors can lead people to self-medicate with alcohol or drugs. Take action if you or someone you care about face such a struggle. If you’re wondering whether you have a problem with alcohol or drugs, use this checklist to evaluate whether your behavior and pattern of substance use have changed—indicating a problem. Visit the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Addiction website for more information and resources.
Source: magellanhealth.com
This homemade orange chicken recipe comes together in just 20 minutes, and is a delicious and healthier than the restaurant version! Read More
Source: gimmesomeoven.com
This healthy broccoli salad recipe is packed with Greek flavors, is easy to prepare and holds up well in the refrigerator. Read More
Source: cookieandkate.com
Pack your bags and get ready to head out for the biggest trip of Destination bWell – the fifth annual Step-It-Up! Challenge. We’ll “spring” into action on Monday, May 6 for a four-week competition and an opportunity to earn a big chunk of bWell points. Watch your email for details.
BMC gives you some benefits automatically—just because you are a BMC employee. You don’t have to enroll, and they don’t cost you anything. Your automatic benefits include:
Pregnancy can be one of life’s most rewarding and challenging experiences. But unexpected complications and even basic questions can lead to uncertainty and anxiety.
Best Doctors provides you with free access to a wide range of medical experts, including obstetricians and perinatologists, to help you understand and address any potential pregnancy challenges. All services are conveniently provided by phone or online, so there is no need to travel, visit doctors’ offices or chase medical records. And Best Doctors’ services are 100% confidential and completely free to you!
To benefit from the world’s best medical minds, visit the Best Doctors website or call
1- 866-904-0910 to start a review.
Traveling for work while your pet is at home? The Bright Horizons Backup Care Advantage Program can help. Their Sitter City search engine offers support for your furry or feathered friend by providing references and contact information for dog walkers, pet sitters and more.
Whether you need a dog walker, groomer, trainer or other special care for your pet, you’ll find it on the Sitter City site. You’ll find pet sitters who are available for quick drop-ins or longer stays, depending on how long you’ll be away from your pet. The site also lists pet sitters who are experts at housebreaking and training animals, many of whom have background checks.
The average hourly rate varies depending on where you live, but in most cities pet sitters get paid around the same rate as babysitters and nannies. Look up the average sitter rate for your state on Sitter City’s rate calculator.
When you’re ready to start a search, login or register on the Sitter City website
For many couples, money isn’t typically a topic of conversation while they’re dating and planning their future. However, as daily life together unfolds, couples may find they have very different ideas about managing money. Research clearly shows that money conflicts can damage relationship satisfaction. Join Magellan’s live interactive webinar on Wednesday, April 10, Proven Ways to Achieve Financial Harmony with Your Partner. Learning objectives include:
Space is limited so register now.
While some say money is the root of all evil, it is also the root of many disagreements between couples. Fidelity Investments analyzed the finances of more than 1,600 couples who are married or in long-term committed relationships and living with their partner and found that 67% of couples who are concerned about debt say they argue about money and 46% of those same couples agree that money is their biggest relationship challenge. (See the Fidelity study results summary here.)
A solid financial foundation can strengthen your relationship—and that foundation should start with trust and partnership in money matters.
Source: Magellan Health
Tap into your Employee Assistance Program for interactive online resources, wellness tips and private counseling. Log in to MagellanHealth.com/member to get started. When prompted, type in BMC’s toll-free EAP number, 1-800-327-1393.
If you contribute to the BMC 401(k) Plan and meet the IRS limit too early in the year, you are potentially missing out on company contributions.
For example, if you earn $116,500 annually and save $3,204 (33% of eligible pay) in your BMC 401(k) Plan each month, you will meet the 2019 IRS limit of $19,000 by June and accumulate about $2,900 in company match contributions. Well done! However, if you spread out your savings over the year and save $1,650 (17% of eligible pay) in your BMC 401(k) Plan each month, you will meet the 2019 IRS limit of $19,000 by the end of the year. But you would have accumulated $5,825 in company match contributions — that’s double the amount you would receive if you hadn’t maxed out earlier in the year! (Note: Only Before-tax and Roth contributions are eligible for BMC's match.)
To learn more, watch the “Don’t Miss Out on the Match” video and use the BMC Retirement Savings Calculator. The calculator can help you figure out how much to contribute each pay period to make sure you don't exceed the limits and miss out on any of the BMC matching contributions. Use this tool after you’ve already made contributions for the current year. You will need to know your year-to-date contributions. A current pay stub will provide this information. Review the Payroll Cutoff Schedule to determine when your contribution changes take effect.
Need more information on the BMC 401(k) Plan? Visit the Benefits Guide for plan details and services.
Don’t forget to mark your calendar and plan to attend the next FEDTalk featuring practical education on how to “Identify and Prioritize Your Savings Goals.” Attend an on-site workshop in Santa Clara and Houston on Tuesday, April 9, or a virtual workshop on Friday, April 12. You do not need to pre-register for the on-site workshops on Tuesday, April 9. Watch your email for details on how to register for the virtual workshop on Friday, April 12.
This workshop is part of a series of quarterly financial well-being workshops BMC hosts featuring Fidelity experts. Whatever your age or financial goals and challenges, these workshops are designed to help you get to your financially healthy place by better managing your finances, making smart financial decisions and saving for retirement.
Ah, spring: the season of new life, regeneration, and cleaning. This year, make spring cleaning about more than just wiping out the kitchen cupboards. Just like your house, your finances are probably in need of some extra attention and a little bit of elbow grease. If you feel like your finances are not in tip-top shape and have been a bit neglected, it’s the perfect time to give some time and focus on getting them cleaned up for a new season. Read More
Source: cesisolutions.org
Tax season is a good time to focus on your overall wealth and financial plans. Start with these steps from Forbes.com.
MyBMC Rewards provides a snapshot of your pay, retirement benefits, health and insurance benefits and corporate programs. Visit MyBMC Rewards to:
Go online anytime or call 877-262-4849. Representatives are available from Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Eastern time.
From enrollment reminders to important 401(k) information and benefits updates, you can be the first to know when your attention or action is required.
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