By now you probably know that you'll pay less for health coverage if you participate in the BMC Wellness Program through Healthways. Last month, we launched your annual opportunity to earn up to a $600 discount on your 2014 health coverage. To earn the full $600 discount, you'll need to complete these steps before the deadline.

Step 1: You earn the first $300 discount when you complete the Well-Being Assessment™ and a free, confidential biometric screening from Healthways. If you didn't participate in the onsite biometric screenings in February and early March, there's still time. Order a home finger-stick kit or a form for your doctor to complete by July 1, 2013 to ensure Healthways receives your health screening results by the July 31 deadline.

Step 2: Earn an additional $300 in one of three ways:

1. Your spouse completes the Well-Being Assessment™ and participates in the biometric screening, or
2. You enroll in telephonic coaching and complete two sessions, or
3. You complete four online focus area surveys at mybmcwellness.com by July 31, 2013 (a new survey is offered every 30 days).

Get details about the incentives and deadlines here. Mark your calendar so you don't miss out.

Don't let your 2012 Flexible Spending Account (FSA) money go to waste. March 31 is the last day to submit claims for expenses you paid from January 1 to December 31, 2012.

Submit claims through Your Spending Account, BMC's FSA administrator. Go to yourbenefitsresources.com/bmc and click on Your Spending Account. If you have questions about your balance or account, contact Your Spending Account at 1-877-262-4849. Representatives are available Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Eastern time.

The government created Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) with huge tax breaks to help people save for future health care. It was a way of acknowledging that as costs continue to skyrocket, Social Security, Medicare and 401(k) s may not be enough to cover your health care costs in retirement.

If you're enrolled in the Aetna Health Savings Plan medical option, here are just two great reasons to contribute to a Health Savings Account:

Automatically save for health care expenses. You can set up regular payroll deductions to contribute to your HSA on a before-tax basis. The IRS annual maximum contribution (including your contributions and BMC's) for your HSA varies based on who you cover and your salary. The 2013 maximum allowable annual contribution is $3,250 for "you only" coverage or $6,450 for other coverage levels. If you are 55 or over, you can add $1,000 to the allowable contribution amount. You can start, stop or change this amount at any time during the year.

Keep your money. HSA money (including the BMC contribution and interest earned) is yours until you use it – even if you don't need it until next year, three years from now or into retirement. Unused money rolls over from year to year and can even be invested if your account balance grows high enough. You also can set up a beneficiary to inherit the money in the event of your death.

Good to Know
Read about why you might want to consider funding an HSA before an IRA or 401(k).

Learn how to change your contributions.

Get details about the BMC Health Savings Account here.

Visit the BMC Employee Assistance Program (EAP) website (username: BMC, password: EAP) to check out the March webinar lineup. Topics include: Til Debt Do Us Part and Taking Your Zzzz's Seriously. See the complete March webinar schedule here.

In investing, as in life, you can count on one constant: Things change. Markets shift, fund managers develop new strategies, companies transform themselves, and your life evolves. These forces can change your portfolio, as well as your goals for it. So it's critical to perform regular checkups to assess your strategy, asset allocation, and individual holdings in light of your plans for the future. Read more...