Author: shorettcommunications

Know Your Numbers, Know the Facts

The most important question to ask about cholesterol is, “What are my levels?” And the only way to know the answer is to have a blood test. Your Health Plan covers this preventive care service at 100%, in keeping with Affordable Care Act guidelines.

Generally, adults over 20 should have their cholesterol checked every five years, or more often if they have high blood pressure, are overweight, have a family history of high cholesterol or other risk factors. Ask your doctor what is right for you.

Having a total cholesterol level of less than 200 mg/dL is ideal. Your total cholesterol is made up of HDL “good” cholesterol (which helps remove cholesterol from the body) and LDL “bad” cholesterol (which leads to plaque buildup), as well as triglycerides (a type of fat used for energy).

However, if you have high total cholesterol, more than 240 mg/dL, the excess cholesterol can collect in your blood vessels, forming plaque. Over time, a buildup of plaque can block an artery, doubling your risk for a heart attack or stroke.

Take the Quiz

There is nothing good about cholesterol. True or False?

While too much cholesterol can increase your health risk, your body needs some cholesterol to protect nerves, make cell tissues, and produce certain hormones.

You only get high cholesterol from eating high-fat foods. True or False?

Cholesterol is found in saturated and trans fats, especially in foods obtained from animals (meat, dairy and eggs); but, in addition to food sources, your liver also makes cholesterol.

Headaches and weight gain are common symptoms of high cholesterol. True or False?

Unfortunately, there are no warning signs until a person has a heart attack or stroke.

The only way to treat high cholesterol is with medication. True or False?

Lifestyle changes (healthy eating, physical activity and weight loss) are often enough to lower cholesterol to a healthy range.

Smoking has no effect on cholesterol. True or False?

Smoking actually lowers HDL “good” cholesterol, whether you smoke yourself or you inhale secondhand smoke … and studies prove that HDL levels go up after a person quits smoking.

You have a healthy cholesterol IQ, if you answered False for all of the statements. Learn more about managing your cholesterol on Regence.com. Sign in, then click Wellness Tools, then Health, then Health Library, type Cholesterol and click Search. Regence’s Health Library includes information resources, videos, a symptom checker and a decision guide to help you manage your health.

Taking Care of the Details for Health Trust Members

Northwest Administrators (NWA) is a third-party company that administers many of the details for the Bledsoe Health Trust. For example, NWA manages enrollment and eligibility for Active, Retiree and COBRA Trust participants and their dependents … and keeps Providers (like Regence) informed of who is eligible for benefit coverage.

When you have a question about your benefits, NWA can often help you. However, to help you to quickly get the answers you’re looking for, use the Quick Contact Guide below to know who to call for what.

 

Bledsoe Health Trust Quick Contact Guide
Contact Northwest Administrators to: Enroll yourself and your eligible dependents in the Health Plan Add or drop dependents when your family changes, for example, birth, marriage, etc. (Call within 60 days of the event) Apply for short-term disability (accident and sickness) benefits Learn about/enroll in COBRA coverage Learn about/enroll in Retiree Health Plan options Update your address Change payment information (for COBRA and Retiree Plan participants) Note:  Address and payment changes must be made in writing and sent to the mailing address to the right.	Northwest Administrators Phone: 503-238-6961 866-239-1708 (toll-free) Online: http://www.nwadmin.com (view your eligibility and download enrollment forms) Mailing Address: Northwest Administrators, Inc. 700 NE Multnomah, Ste. 350 Portland, OR 97232-4197
Contact the Provider to ask about your benefit coverage or the status of your claims, call the number on your health plan ID card, or call: Medical & Dental ……. Regence Blue Cross…………. 800-245-9272    regence.com Optional Dental ………. Willamette Dental…………….. 855-433-6825    willamettedental.com Prescription-Active…… Express Scripts………………. 800-398-4305    express-scripts.com Prescription-Retiree….. Express Scripts………………. 800-311-2757    express-scripts.com Vision ………………….. VSP (Vision Service Plan) … 800-877-7195    vsp.com Life and AD&D……….. Regence Life Map……………. 800-286-1129    http://www.LifeMapCo.com. January 2017

If you have one of the chronic conditions listed below, this free, confidential program can help you learn how to live a healthier life:

• Asthma
• Congestive Heart Failure
• Coronary Artery Disease
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
• Diabetes

The program gives you access to a team of health professionals, including registered nurses, pharmacists, dieticians, social workers, and certified diabetic educators who can answer questions about medications, complications or treatment—and help you develop a plan to manage your health.

Health Trust participants who are candidates for this program (based on health care claims) will be contacted by Regence. To learn more, please call 800-267-6729 (toll-free).

A Quit Plan Can Help You Succeed

The best way to achieve any goal is to have a plan for success. That’s why the Quit for Life counselors help you create your own quit plan before you ever stop smoking.

Your quit plan will remind you of your motivation for quitting in the first place, help you plan ahead to be ready to triumph over cravings, and list your support team.

The Bledsoe Health Trust provides the Quit For Life program free to all active participants, spouses and dependents (age 18 and older). The program offers many kinds of support to help you quit tobacco:

• A Quit Coach, who will help you create your own quit plan.
• An easy-to-use printed Quit Guide you can refer to in any situation to help you stick to your plan.
• Advice on which type, dose, and duration of nicotine substitute or medication is right for you, and how to use it so it really works. (Your Health Plan also covers medications for tobacco cessation, such as Bupropion, Zyban and Chantix, if medically appropriate.)
• Access to Web Coach, a private, online community where you can watch videos, track your progress, and join discussions with other program participants.

So kick the habit for good with help from the Quit For Life Program. Please call 1-866-QUIT-4-LIFE (866-784-8454 – toll-free) to enroll or learn more.