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On
January 1, 2004, all GCC employees will find some changes in their out
of pocket expenses for health care.
These changes were negotiated for unionized employees, and
mandated for the “unrepresented,” i.e. management level, employees.
As everyone knows, the costs of insurance premiums are
skyrocketing, and working people in every sector of the economy are
struggling with how to respond to the crisis.
GCC employees will see increases in costs for actual utilization
of medical care, but are not (as yet) being asked to pay any portion of
their monthly insurance premiums.
How
can you minimize the increases?
There
are ways you can still keep your health care costs down.
Both Blue Shield, and for the first time, Kaiser, customers must
learn to ask doctors to prescribe generic drugs whenever possible.
This will automatically save you money at the pharmacy.
In addition, Blue Shield members will save by ordering 90-day
supplies by mail -- if you have regular medicine needs, plan now to
become a “mail order” customer and you will save plenty.
Order
medications by December 31st and save
For
both BS and Kaiser folks,
any medications you use regularly can be ordered NOW before December 31st.
Ask your doctor for a 3-month supply and get it for just $5
before the New Year dawns. For
the future, ask whether you are being given generics; you may want to
find out more about that option before the price changes begin.
Blue Shield members who
have met their annual deductible should also fit in those doctor
appointments before December 31st if possible.
After
January 1st: watch
those referrals
Blue
Shielders should monitor their costs by verifying that labs and
secondary medical providers (surgeons, anesthesiologists, etc) are also
BS approved “in network” providers.
Be very careful about the referrals you receive from your primary
doctor; he or she does not necessarily know the status of the colleagues
to whom you are being sent. Make
sure to check in advance
about that lab, well baby visit or well woman visit.
If you have questions about lab coverage, please contact Dr. Mary
Mirch.
New offerings from Blue Shield
In keeping with
health insurance providers’ new focus on keeping us healthy rather
than curing our illness, Blue Shield now offers several Wellness
(prevention) programs as well as “Disease
Management” for those already diagnosed with diabetes, asthma, or
heart trouble. Disease
management can help you prevent further complications and maximize your
wellbeing.
You can access much of
this information on the Blue Shield website.
www.mylifepath.com
will get you to a series of online resources,
including
treatment option information, hospital comparisons, pre-surgery guided
imagery information, etc. Also,
all BS members can utilize the Lifepath phone resource.
Call 1-866-LIFEPATH (866-543-3247) for 24-hour information and
referrals, including nurse consultations, psychological, legal or other
referrals, and up to three in-person counseling sessions provided
through your BS plan.
And of course: The usual lecture
about staying healthy
We all get
sick sometimes, but there are basic ways we can maximize our wellbeing
and minimize our medical costs. Make
time to eat right, avoiding fast foods and high fat foods.
Maintain a reasonable body weight -- Americans suffer from
obesity at extraordinary rates, and obesity often brings high blood
pressure, diabetes, heart troubles and other miseries.
Make
time to exercise, even a little bit, every day. Reduce stress—try yoga (available on campus; contact Ruth
McKernan about her free classes), dance, meditation, aerobics, whatever
works for you.
Get your regular
checkups so those “hidden” problems, like high blood pressure and
cholesterol can be remedied before they become heart attacks or strokes.
Women really do need those “well woman” checkups to catch
early signs of cancers that strike at female organs silently and without
warning.
Health care costs may
be spiraling out of control, but you can control a lot of your own
personal health—and the costs thereof.
Have a happy, healthy holiday season!
Some
web info, FYI
If
you are interested in:
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