Inside This Issue

Just Do ONE Thing— Small Steps Add Up to Big Improvements ..................... 1

Stay Healthy With Preventive Care Services ............................. 2

Healthy Eating on a Budget ...... 3

Stay Healthy All Winter ............. 4

The best way to make big lifestyle changes for your good health is to take small steps that add up to lasting improvements over the course of a year.

So, try this … just do ONE thing every day to improve your health:

1Walk every day. Begin with a 5-minute stroll and build up to

30 minutes a day. Walking helps control your weight, reduces your risk of heart disease, strengthens your bones and lifts your mood.

2Eat an apple (or a carrot) every day. Fruits and veggies

provide vital nutrients for a healthy body and can reduce your risk of some chronic diseases.

3Make one better food choice every day. Have a

salad instead of fries; reach for low-fat crackers rather than a bag of chips; and skip the cheese on your burger. (Cut back 100 calories a day and you’ll lose 10+ pounds in a year.)

4Take a five-minute break every day. Find your inner

peace by listening to calming music, breathing deeply or taking a walk. Reducing stress

has a positive effect on insomnia, depression, obesity and heart disease.

5Commit to preventive care. Your Health Plan covers it

at 100%, so begin by making an appointment for a checkup. Routine screenings can detect illnesses like cancer, diabetes and high blood pressure long before you have any symptoms. (See more, p. 2.)

Make ONE Phone Call, If You Have a Chronic ConditionIf you have a chronic condition—asthma, diabetes or heart disease, for example—you can learn ways to manage your condition, so that you feel better more often and can enjoy the things you love to do. Here’s how your Health Plan helps you:

•REGENCE MEMBERS and ASURIS NORTHWEST HEALTH MEMBERS: The Disease Management Program helps people with diabetes, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), depression or anxiety. To find out if this program can

Just Do ONE Thing Small Steps Add Up to Big Improvements

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help you, please call 866-543-5765 (toll-free).

•GROUP HEALTH MEMBERS: Group Health’s Disease Management Program provides assistance to people with diabetes, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, asthma, COPD, depression or anxiety. You can talk with your physician or call Group Health at 888-901-4636 (toll-free) to determine if this program can help you.

You can complete an online Health Profile to identify your risks, and then a Lifestyle Coach can work with you to help you reduce them. The Living Well with Chronic Conditions workshop

JUST DO ONE THING continued from page 1

helps people learn how to improve their quality of life. For more information, please talk to your doctor, call Group Health’s Resource Line at 800-992-2279 (toll-free) or go to ghc.org.

Make Quitting Your Number ONE Goal, If You SmokeDid you know that most smokers try to quit more than once before they succeed? If that’s you, you can improve your chances of quitting for good by taking advantage of the Quit For Life® Program.

Your Health Trust Benefits•REGENCE MEMBERS and ASURIS

NORTHWEST HEALTH MEMBERS: For residents of Washington State, the Quit For Life program is offered free through the Washington State Tobacco Quit Line. Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (toll-free) to get started. Your Health Plan covers prescribed nicotine replacement products. Please refer to your Benefit Booklet or call the number on your Health Plan ID card for details. Regence also offers Health Coaches, an online stop smoking program (go to myregence.com) and covers the services of approved smoking cessation providers.

•GROUP HEALTH MEMBERS: The Quit For Life program is offered to Group Health Members at no cost. There are no cost or copay for medications prescribed for tobacco cessation while participating in the program. Members can enroll in Group Health’s Quit For Life Program as many times as needed to succeed at quitting tobacco. Call 1-866-QUIT-NOW to get

started. Your Plan also covers prescribed nicotine replacement products outside of the Quit For Life program. Please refer to

Preventive Care Guidelines The recommended frequency for each service depends on age, gender and risk factors.

General Health Routine physical exams and check-ups for adults age 18 and over

Cholesterol screening, beginning at age 35 for men and age 45 for women (earlier for those with increased risk)

Colorectal cancer screening beginning at age 50

Type 2 diabetes screening for adults with sustained high blood pressure

Immunizations and flu shots, as needed

Men PSA test (for prostate cancer), every year after age 50

Women Breast cancer screening (mammogram) beginning at age 40

Cervical cancer screening (Pap test) for sexually active women

Children Well-child exams for infants through 17 years of age

Immunizations, as needed

These are guidelines only; please refer to your Plan’s benefit booklet for specific coverage information.

Stay Well With Preventive Care Your Health Plan Pays 100%

Take steps while you are healthy to stay that way. Preventive services can reduce your risk of developing a health condition and/or detect serious issues early, when treatment is most effective.

For MBA Health Trust participants, preventive care services required by the Affordable Care Act are free. This includes the items in the chart below, plus many more listed on healthcare.gov/prevention. You do not have to pay a deductible, copay or coinsurance for these services.

•REGENCE MEMBERS and ASURIS NORTHWEST HEALTH MEMBERS: You must choose a Preferred, Participating or Recognized provider or facility.

•GROUP HEALTH MEMBERS: For 100% coverage, services must be provided by a Group Health contracted provider, Virginia Mason or the Everett Clinic (Managed Health Care Network provider). Preventive care is also covered out-of-network. The Plan’s office visit copay (except HSA) will apply.

your Benefit Booklet or call the number on your Health Plan ID card for details.

Healthy Eating on a BudgetStock Your Pantry with Healthy, Low-Cost Foods

People often say it costs more to eat healthy, but in reality some of the healthiest foods you can put in your grocery cart aren’t that expensive. (It’s much harder to keep the pricey processed foods, like cereals, cookies, crackers, chips and sodas, out of your cart!)

These healthy basics give you good nutrition for your dollar. You can buy most of them for less than $2 per package (under 50 cents per serving), and they are great sources of fiber, protein and vitamins.

A Strategy for Low-Cost Healthy Eating

1Use this list to stock up on healthy basics. Watch for

sales and fill your pantry shelves and freezer when you can. Look for recipes that use these foods.

2Build your menu around healthy fresh foods that

are on sale. For example, when salmon is on sale, buy a filet and

expensive. They’re great for you, but consider them a special treat and pick them up when they are on sale.

Eating well helps you maintain a healthy weight and provides a variety of nutrients that are necessary for optimum health. A balanced diet dramatically reduces your risk for serious diseases like cancer, diabetes and heart disease and improves your energy, attitude and overall well-being.

PANTRY BASICS Always pick low-fat and low-sodium varieties HOW TO USE THEM IN YOUR MEALS

Brown rice Enjoy plain as a side dish, or use in rice salads, fried rice, casseroles, soups and stews

Whole-wheat or multigrain pasta Hot and cold pasta dishes

Old-fashioned oats Hot cereal, granola, muffins

Legumes: dried beans, lentils, split peas, etc.

Soups, stews, casseroles, salads

Beans (canned): black, red, white, all kinds

Chili, burritos, soups, salads, side dishes

Tomatoes (canned) Pasta sauces, pizza, casseroles, soups, stews

Sauces: marinara, enchilada, stir fry, etc.

A quick-and-easy meal

Broth: vegetable, chicken and beef

Use broth in place of oil in many recipes or instead of water for flavorful rice or vegetables

Meats (canned): chicken, tuna and salmon

Sandwiches, casseroles, salads

Vegetables (frozen) Steam (don’t boil) for side dishes, casseroles, stews

Frozen patties: turkey burgers, 9%-fat beef burgers or garden burgers

Pan fry in minutes for a lean, tasty burger

Russet potatoes Baked potatoes, breakfast potatoes, casseroles, stews

serve it with a brown rice salad made with edamame and black beans.

3Buy fresh produce at local farmers markets. You’ll

usually find delicious, seasonal, often organic, foods at great prices. (You support your local economy, too!)

4Watch for sales on trendy superfoods. Foods

like quinoa, acai berries or pomegranate juice are the reason we think healthy eating is

Benefits Toolbox provides general information about MBA Health Insurance Trust benefits. For more information, please refer to your benefit booklet. In the event of conflicting information, the Plan documents and insurance contracts will govern.

EPK & Associates15375 SE 30th Place, #380Bellevue, WA 98007

Stay Healthy All WinterDon’t Catch a Cold or the FluColds and the flu are caused by viruses, which are easily spread from person to person. When you come in close contact with someone who has a cold or the flu, or the virus they leave behind on something you touch, you’re likely to get sick, too.

Your best defense against the flu is to get the seasonal flu vaccine. Flu season continues all the way through May, so it’s not too late to get vaccinated. Your Health Plan covers the vaccine at 100%, with no deductible required.

What to Do If You Get a Cold or the FluIn most cases, you don’t need to see your doctor when you have a cold or the flu. Try these tips to get relief and speed your recovery:

•Get plenty of rest, especially if you have a fever. Rest helps your body fight infection.

•Drink lots of fluids, such as water and clear soups. Fluids help loosen mucus and prevent dehydration.

•Use a humidifier or cool mist vaporizer.

•Avoid smoking, second-hand smoke and other pollutants (airborne chemicals or irritants), which can make cold symptoms worse.

•Gargle with warm salt water a few times a day to relieve a sore throat. Throat sprays or lozenges may also help relieve the pain.

•Avoid alcohol.

•Over-the-counter pain relievers, decongestants and saline nasal sprays may help relieve some symptoms. Remember, always use over-the-counter products as directed.

Call your doctor if you have a prolonged high fever, difficulty breathing, unusual symptoms or if the cold or flu persists for more than 10 days.