Have you earned your MyBlue® Wellness Incentives?

If you haven’t done so already, go ahead and start by taking your Blue Health Assessment (BHA). After just a few minutes you can learn more about your health and earn extra money that you can use toward qualified medical expenses!

On April 17, 2013 William A. Breskin, Vice President of Government Programs held an online webcast explaining how to maximize your health benefits at no extra cost. An archive of the webcast can be viewed by clicking here. Following the presentation, Mr. Breskin answered a series of questions from FEPBlue members. Their questions and his answers are listed below.

Walking is one of the simplest, safest and most effective forms of exercise, but it can be hard to find time in your busy schedule to participate in physical activity. That’s why the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Companies are sponsoring the seventh annual National Walk@Lunch Day® - to encourage busy people like you to take a walk during your lunch break.

If you’re a basketball fan, you’re likely getting your bracket ready for March Madness. While you may be tempted to sit back and watch the tournament this year, you don’t have to sit on the sidelines. March in place or do some pushups, bodyweight squats, and jumping jacks during the commercial breaks. Better yet, create your own March Madness fitness challenge with your friends, family and co-workers.

It is our business practice to review partnerships with our vendors every three years. As a result of this review, the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan entered into an agreement with a new vendor as a partner for medical assistance including translation/coding and currency conversion for overseas medical and dental claims effective January 1, 2013.

We’ve all heard the usual advice to cut costs—skip your daily latté; cancel cable; take lunch to work. Saving money isn’t always that simple, and healthcare costs often get left out of the equation. Your MyBlue® Annual Benefit Statement is available to help you get a handle on your healthcare spending.

Recently, you may have received an email with the subject line “MyBlue Wellness Incentive Card Funds Now Available” from the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan that was not intended for you.

From boosting energy to fitting into your favorite jeans, we all have different motivators for losing weight. Whether you want to just drop a few pounds or are seeking bigger results, Fit With Blue can help you every step of the way.

Every year we try to provide a benefit package that meets the needs of our members but is also affordable and comprehensive. For 2013, we are continuing to offer great benefits without a significant increase in rates.

View an archive of Value of Blue, a presentation by Bill Breskin, Vice President, Government Programs to find out what Blue can do for you by clicking the button above. You must register to access the presentation.

You wake up sneezing and coughing. Your nose is so stuffed-up you can’t breathe. You are achy, feverish and just feel too exhausted to move. Do you have a cold or the flu? It is important to know the difference between cold and flu symptoms. A cold can make you feel bad for a few days. The flu makes you feel very ill for a few days or weeks and can lead to complications such as pneumonia.

If you have previously used the Mail Order or Specialty Pharmacy benefit to fill your prescriptions, important changes are underway.

Going green or going paperless not only helps save the environment by decreasing the amount of paper used, it can also mean having resources available to you electronically whenever you need them.

One in eight women will have breast cancer during their lifetime. Your risk increases if you have a family history of breast cancer.

You can count on the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan, comprehensive coverage that brings value to you and your family.

For 2013, we are proud that we can continue to offer great benefits without a significant increase in rates, even though health care costs are increasing at a faster rate than last year.

When it comes to caring for your health, our Nurse Advice Line is here to help you take the guesswork out of managing your health. Our team of registered nurses is here for you around the clock to help answer your health-related questions.

With family commitments, work priorities and daily schedules, getting the right nutrition your body needs can be challenging.  Eating a healthy, balanced diet is important for your body to function properly. Good changes like limiting salt, adding more whole grains, and choosing foods that offer good fats can help you reduce your risk of heart disease, boost your immune system and give you energy.

Your Service Benefit Plan coverage offers many tools on fepblue.org, at no additional charge to you, that provide additional value to your coverage and enhance your health and the health of your family.

It’s that time again. Here comes a new school year. You probably have a laundry list of things to do to get ready. From getting school supplies to setting up afterschool activities and outfitting your kids with new clothes.

Going green is more than just saving paper.  It’s about the convenience of having the most up-to-date information available when you need it, wherever you are.

Making sure you choose the best medical setting for your unexpected medical needs can save you money.

Going green helps to protect and save the environment.  With the Service Benefit Plan, you can go green by choosing paperless Explanation of Benefits forms (EOBs) and by using Preferred providers.

You can take the first step to better health by participating in the sixth annual National Walk @ Lunch Day, sponsored by Blue Cross and Blue Shield Companies across the US.

Keeping track of your benefits and out-of-pocket costs can be time consuming. We can help – your MyBlue Benefit Statements summarize your healthcare benefits and costs in one easy to access location. Plus you can download and print the MyBlue Benefit Statements at anytime.

Prevention, detection and investigation of healthcare fraud and abuse are critical to safeguarding your healthcare dollars as well as your health. Fraud can not only impact the cost of your healthcare and your health insurance, but it can also compromise your safety..