If adopting a healthier lifestyle is one of your resolutions for 2018, you’re in good company.
Health-related goals — to get fit, lose weight and improve eating habits and food choices — consistently top the list of resolutions people make in the new year.
The University of California offers a variety of resources that help employees and their covered dependents manage their health needs. What faculty and staff members may not know is that along with customary services offered through UC medical plans, they can tap into additional wellness and prevention programs, many of which are free.
Those services run the gamut: smoking cessation and healthy pregnancy programs; diabetes prevention and weight management; emotional health support, discounts on gym memberships; virtual health coaching; insurance advocacy and more.
Employees can get detailed information about additional services offered by providers on each medical plan’s website:
- Health Net Blue & Gold
- Kaiser Permanente
- UC Preferred Provider Organization plans (UC Care, UC Health Savings Plan and Core)
Selections employees made during last fall’s open enrollment period took effect Jan. 1, and benefits analyst Sana Ramzan recommends reviewing what’s available now to make the most of the plan year.
“These services are available to help employees be more mindful about their health,” she said.
Examples of what’s available in 2018:
- UC Care enrollees with Anthem Blue Cross can take a one-minute quiz to see if they’re eligible for Solera, a diabetes-prevention program that includes access to tools such as a wireless scale and an activity tracker;
- Health Net Blue & Gold members have access to Active & Fit Direct, a new program launched this year that offers gym memberships at thousands of fitness centers nationwide for about $25 a month;
- Unable to see a doctor in person? Employees can use telehealth services for medical and behavioral health consultations;
- Nurse Advice Line, a 24/7 service that links patients to licensed nurses via phone or chat for questions about injuries, illnesses, chronic conditions and preventive care; and
- The Insight Employee Assistance Program offers employees and their dependents three free counseling sessions every six months with a licensed professional to assist with work/life concerns. Employees are also eligible to receive a free 30-minute legal and financial consultation. All services are private and confidential.
Telehealth services allow patients to consult with participating providers using online video, phone or secure email. It’s a more affordable choice for patients than going to the hospital for a non-emergency medical issue. It also provides an option for patients who may have difficulty finding a local provider.
Employees with Anthem Blue Cross through UC Care can access LiveHealth Online, a service that connects patients with a board-certified physician who can diagnose and prescribe treatment and medication for minor health issues such as a cold, the flu and sinus infections. No appointment is needed, and it’s more convenient than going to an urgent care center. The first consultation is free with coupon code “UCMED.” After that, patients pay $20 per visit.
Anthem Blue Cross members can also see psychiatrists and licensed therapists through LiveHealth Online Psychiatry. Video visits are convenient, with flexible daytime, evening and weekend appointments.
Psychiatrists can prescribe medication for common behavioral health conditions such as anxiety, depression, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and more. In most cases, members can make an appointment and visit with a doctor in 14 days or less.
Members may use the “UCPSYCH” coupon code and the first three appointments are free. After that, patients pay $20 per visit.
A list of other programs and benefits available to UC Merced faculty and staff employees is available on the campus’s Human Resources website and the UCNet website.
