A stroke is an emergency – it can happen to anyone, at any time, and at any age. And stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in America and the leading cause of adult disability. Watch what happens when someone experiences a stroke and what occurs on the way to and at the hospital. Save a life by having a better understanding of stroke and by knowing what signs and symptoms to look for. Read More...
Stress/Stroke Awareness Day
To mark Stress/Stroke Awareness Day on May 22, the BMC Houston campus will host a presenter from the American Heart Association to talk about how chronic stress increases stroke risk. The presentation will be followed by a track walk to help boost your step count for the day.
Cutting soda completely will reduce your risk of heart attack by 20 percent, according to this Harvard study. It’s also one of the easiest ways to shed pounds and protect your liver and kidneys from damage. (This is true of regular and diet soda.)
A service from BCBSTX helps you quickly find an Urgent Care Center close to you. You text URGENT TX to 33633 and follow the prompts on the response text from Blue Cross. Read more about the service and when to use it. Remember, an urgent care center might be an option for you if you are not having a health emergency that requires an emergency room (ER) visit.
Time away from your job to welcome a new baby or heal after an injury or illness can be tricky. The last thing you need to worry about is how to pay the bills when you need to be away from work for an extended period of time. Watch this quick benetube video and learn the basics of how your BMC benefits protect your financial well-being by replacing lost pay when you can’t work.
African Americans are at higher risk for high blood pressure. Visit the American Heart Association website for more information.
Heart health begins with a balanced plate. Fill half with vegetables and fruits; a quarter with healthy proteins and a quarter with whole grains.
Source: bcbstx.com
Layers of tortillas, chicken, and vegetables with a creamy goat-cheese sauce create a lasagna-like Mexican casserole dish for an easy, healthy dinner the whole family will love. Read More…
Source: eatingwell.com
This is a creamy, refreshing dairy-free dessert Rick Bayless has served in his Chicago restaurant Frontera Grill for years. Read More…
Source: eatingwell.com
Form or join a band to compete in the fifth annual Step-IT-Up! Challenge — the biggest gig on the bWell Rocks Tour.
You and your band could earn 400 bWell points as you attempt to win the coveted “best band” title. And two bands will take home a $250 gift card for each member, one for the team with the highest average steps per member, and one for the team who wins the random prize drawing. Bands can also win a $50 gift card, awarded by random draw during each of the first three weeks of the battle. (Each band member must meet the weekly 50,000 steps goal to be eligible to win a prize).
In recognition of National Fitness and Exercise Month in May, the final, headline act of the Heart-a-Palooza Health Challenge features two exercise challenges: the Step-IT-Up! Challenge and Up the Ante. Visit mybmcwellness.com to sign up for these challenges and read how and why to get your heart pumping with exercise on mybmcbenefits.com.
Don’t forget to continue measuring your blood pressure each week. Digital blood pressure cuffs are available at each BMC campus. If you work from home, check with the pharmacist at a retail pharmacy or grocery store near you to access a free blood pressure health station. The Heart-a-Palooza Health Challenge runs until May 27.
Visit mybmcwellness.com to sign up for the Step-IT-Up! and Up the Ante Challenges.
Soon it will be the end of the road for the bWell Rocks Tour. With just three months of the tour remaining, bWell participants are rocking their way through the stages of rock and roll stardom.
As of April, 1,742 participants have cut a demo and grabbed gold or platinum. And…drum roll… nine rock stars have made it to Level 4, the bWell Hall of Fame. Here are the current reward level standings:
May is the month to release your inner rock star, step up to the mic, and reap the rewards. Keep on rockin’ your way to wellness.
If you’re planning your first dental appointment of the year, remember to tell your dentist’s office that as of January 1, 2018, Delta Dental now processes claims for the BMC Dental Plan.
Here’s the information your dental provider’s office will need:
Plan name: Delta Dental of Texas
Group Number: 18930
Phone Number: 1-800-521-2651
Delta Dental doesn’t issue ID cards, but electronic cards are available online. Please note: first-time registration for the Delta website requires an enrollee ID. You can use your Social Security Number or call Delta Dental to request a unique enrollee ID.
Watch your email in May for a request to complete a quick survey about the BMC bWell program. The survey will ask you to take 5-minutes to share your thoughts about the bWell program and well-being at BMC. Your input is essential to the success of the bWell program and its ability to help you achieve physical, emotional, financial and social well-being. Thank you in advance for your help.
The BackUp Care Advantage Program® offers the highest quality temporary care to BMC families whenever your regular child, adult, and elder care arrangements are unavailable. Even better, during the month of June, 2018, Bright Horizons® will waive the copays for center-based backup care ($15 per individual, $25 per family).
Plan Ahead for Summer Care
Don’t waste your summer vacation days on family care emergencies. Backup care makes summer a breeze so you can save your time off for when you really want to use it.
Use backup care when:
Requests for care can be made one month in advance or up to the day care is needed.
You’ll need to register in advance before making a reservation to use the program:
See the Benefits Guide for more information about Backup Care.
Download the Bright Horizons app to register or reserve care on the go! Visit the App Store or Google Play.
Although you might overlook it, your mental health is perhaps the key factor in your ability to enjoy life. It’s important to be continually aware of your own mental well-being and that of the people around you.
Everyone should care about mental health. It affects how we think, feel and act. It strengthens our ability to form healthy relationships, make life choices, handle life’s ups and downs, maintain physical health and reach our potential. It’s vital to value!
Mental Health Awareness: What You Need to Know
One in five U.S. adults experience mental health issues, so chances are it will impact you or someone close to you. Join Magellan’s live interactive webinar on Wednesday, May 9, Mental Health Awareness: What You Need to Know. In this webinar, you will learn the difference between mental health and mental illness and how to recognize the warning signs. You will also learn how to help yourself or others with mental health issues and gain resources for promoting mental health. Space is limited so register now.
Useful Links
National Institute of Mental Health
National Alliance on Mental Illness
Mark your calendars. Fidelity is hosting two, free personal finance webinars in May to help improve your financial well-being. Watch your email for an invitation from Fidelity and reserve your spot.
The Mindset of Up-and-Coming Millionaires discusses the habits and behaviors that up-and-coming millionaires use to help them reach their retirement goals. Even if you aren’t headed for the million-dollar mark, you can learn from those who are.
Tuesday, May 22, 1:00 p.m. ET
Wednesday, May 23, 3:00 p.m. ET
Understanding Medicare provides information from coverage and costs to enrollment and associated deadlines. This webinar provides the facts that can help you make good decisions about Medicare.
Thursday, May 31, 2018, at 1:00 p.m. ET
Tuesday, June 5, 2018, at 1:00 p.m. ET
Can’t make it? Register for a replay. And remember free financial help now through retirement is available by calling 866-546-4424.
Useful Links
The personal finance website, Simple Dollar, summarizes the best-selling book “How to Become the Millionaire Next Door.”
6 Key Medicare Questions from Fidelity.
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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