If you’re thinking about personal change in 2011 – in weight, fitness, diet or addictive behavior – think of your PEBB benefits as fuel on the cycle of change. Motivation is up to you, but your benefits can keep you moving toward your goals.

 

Weight Management

 

If you’re among the six in 10 members who say they’re overweight or obese, take advantage of the weight management benefit.

 

All members have coverage for two visits with a registered dietician. In 2011, principal subscriber in a medical plan can join Weight Watchers® at no cost when they complete a confidential health assessment. (See next article.)

 

Physical Fitness

 

The health and wellness section on your plan’s website includes trackers, tips and calculators that encourage you to be physically fit. Follow the easy, online registration linked at "Watch the Video," below left.

 

Healthy Diet

 

Here’s an easy way to improve your diet in 2011: simply swap out vending machine snacks for fruits and vegetables. These nutritional powerhouses have so much health value that Weight Watchers’ Points Plus® makes them points-free.

 

Click here to see what counts as one-cup servings of common fruits and veggies and how easy it can be to eat the recommended five-a-day. Log in to the wellness section of your plan’s website for menus and recipes to add them to meals.

 

Tobacco Use

 

If you smoke, quitting is the best thing you can do to improve your health. And preparing to quit will greatly increase your chances of success. Call Quit for Life today to gain access to a Quit Coach® who will help you set a realistic plan based on your individual goals and needs. 1.866.QUIT.4.LIFE (1.866.784.8454) It’s free, and it works. Click here to enroll online.

 

Not everyone takes the same route to quitting an addictive behavior. Click here to learn how one PEBB member successfully explored another path to quitting tobacco use.

 

Evidence shows that people who know more about their health become more engaged in taking care of themselves.

 

A confidential health assessment gives you knowledge for better health and a better life. It encourages you to make healthy choices, have a better quality of life, be more productive, and have less need for expensive medical care. And that benefits everyone.

 

The confidential, online health assessments in PEBB plans are sophisticated tools that are easy to use.

 

You input data from what you know about your family health history (click here to see why this is important), health exams and screenings, and your life style. The assessment compares your data with others of your age and sex and reports your risks for cancer, heart disease and other conditions.

 

Most important, it provides targeted resources to help you make changes that lead to better health.

 

Your assessment is completely confidential. No one from your plan, PEBB or your employer can access your personal data unless you provide specific permission. Click here for answers to common questions.

A short video shows you how to register for and access the confidential, online health assessment and other online tools in your medical plan.

 

Revised Dec. 20, 2010
Important information on coverage for children age 19-26 in 2010
 

 

Oregon’s Department of Housing and Community Services has launched the Oregon Homeownership Stabilization Initiative to help people who have become recently unemployed or underemployed, or have lost a significant amount of income in the current recession. Support for this initiative comes from the federal government’s "Hardest Hit Funds," which are designated for states to help families facing foreclosure.