BenefitMe! Q2 2024 Newsletter
“Our bodies are our gardens, to the which our wills are gardeners.” William Shakespeare
Your quarterly resource for university benefits news and updates
As we say goodbye to winter and welcome in longer, warmer days, now is the perfect time of year to reset and refocus on our health. This issue of Benefit Me! includes benefit reminders, new program opportunities and resources, including:
New Blue Cross Member ID Cards
Stay on the lookout! As a result of recent system upgrades, Blue Cross of Idaho will issue new member ID cards and ID numbers to employees enrolled in a University of Idaho medical plan. The mailing of the new ID cards will begin around mid-May, and you should receive yours by June 1. Once you receive it, you can discard your old member ID card. Note: Your new card should not be used until AFTER June 1.
During this transition period, any claims filed by health care providers with your old member ID number will still be processed. If you have questions or do not receive your new card by June 1, please contact Blue Cross of Idaho at 888-494-2583.
PERSI Orientation Sessions
Classified staff receive retirement benefits administered by the Public Employee Retirement System of Idaho (PERSI). With your PERSI benefits, you can invest today and safeguard your future. To help members learn about the value of these benefits and how to best prepare for retirement, PERSI offers new member orientation sessions.
“Welcome to PERSI” is a 20-minute virtual orientation session offered to new and existing members. It’s a good introduction or refresher course to learn more about your benefits. During these sessions, you’ll get answers to your questions and learn about these benefits:
- PERSI Base Plan (pension)
- PERSI Choice 401(k) Plan
- Survivor Benefits
- Disability Retirement
Orientation sessions are held twice every Tuesday. Register online to learn more. If you have questions, contact the PERSI Answer Center at 800-451-8228.
90 Days From Retirement Program Introduction
Lost on how to begin prepping for retirement? Don’t know where to start or where to find help? Good news — University of Idaho recently partnered with the 90 Days From Retirement (90DFR) program to help employees who are ready to begin retirement planning and want to better understand Social Security and Medicare options. The educationally based program offers useful online tools so you can feel at ease when it comes to your Medicare and Social Security decisions. Resources include:
- Online resource library
- On-call experts
- 1-on-1 meetings
- 101 seminars
- Virtual webinars
- And more!
To jump-start your retirement planning, visit 90daysfromretirement.com or call 208-973-9702 to speak with a specialist.
Reminder!
If you reach out to Benefit Services via email with questions or concerns about your health and wellness benefits, please include your Vandal number! By including your Vandal number, also called your employee ID number, it makes it easier and faster for the Benefits Department to pull up your benefit details and respond to your inquiry. Keep this in mind the next time you reach out to Benefit Services.
Tobacco Cessation Resources
Quitting smoking can be hard, but it’s never too late. Tobacco cessation improves your health and reduces your risk for critical illnesses, including heart disease, cancer, lung disease and other smoking-related illnesses. University of Idaho supports you during your quitting journey by making sure you don’t have to go it alone.
Whether you’ve tried to quit before or this is your first attempt, remember not to get discouraged! A combination of counseling, medication and personal support is most effective when trying to quit, which is why the following resources are available for students, employees and all Idaho residents:
- Local Classes Near You: If you live in the Moscow, Boise, Coeur d’Alene, or Idaho Falls area, you can find free tobacco cessation classes near you. Visit the Vandal Health Education website to learn more.
- Blue Cross of Idaho: If you’re enrolled in a university medical plan, you’re eligible to participate in a tobacco cessation program provided through Blue Cross of Idaho. Connect with a certified coach, who will provide you with structured support and tools to help you quit tobacco for good. If you have questions or want to enroll in the program, contact the coaching team at 208-286-3807 or email wellbeingcoach@bcidaho.com. For additional online resources, including tips and tricks on tobacco cessation, visit bcidaho.sharecare.com and follow the prompts to create your Sharecare account. You’ll need to provide your Blue Cross of Idaho subscriber ID to create an account.
- 1-800-Quit-Now: Call the Idaho QuitLine to receive private counseling and support from a trained quit coach. They’ll help you develop a plan to break old habits, and they’ll provide information on nicotine replacement therapy.
- Project Filter: A web-based tobacco cessation program. Visit projectfilter.org for more information. Note: Idaho residents ages 18 and older can receive eight weeks’ worth of free nicotine replacement therapy (gum, patch or lozenge).
- Freshstart: The Freshstart nicotine cessation program, as well as free nicotine replacement therapy, is available for University of Idaho employees on the Moscow campus.
For more information, please visit the Vandal Health Education website.
Importance of Preventive Screenings
With Women’s Health Month this month and Men’s Health Month in June, now is a good time to check up on your health. Preventive care is key to keeping you healthy. By getting annual checkups, screenings and immunizations, you not only work toward keeping yourself healthy, but you can potentially catch a developing condition early and treat it before it worsens. Reduce your risk for chronic diseases, such as cancer, by eating healthy, exercising regularly, staying away from tobacco products and alcohol and knowing your family history.
The American Cancer Society (ACS) recommends the following preventive screenings for men and women for the early detection of certain cancers:
- Women should start being screened for cervical cancer around the age of 25, and screenings for breast cancer should begin around the ages of 40 to 45.
- Both men and women should begin receiving screenings for colon cancer at age 45.
- If you are or were a smoker and have a 20 pack-year history of smoking, you should get yearly screenings for lung cancer beginning at age 50.
Men should discuss with their provider whether they should be screened for prostate cancer beginning at:
- Age 50 for men who are at average risk of prostate cancer and who are expected to live at least 10 more years.
- Age 45 for men at high risk of developing prostate cancer. This includes Black men and men who have a first-degree relative (father or brother) diagnosed with prostate cancer at an early age (younger than age 65).
- Age 40 for men at even higher risk (those with more than one first-degree relative who had prostate cancer at an early age).
Remember to talk to your primary care physician about getting certain cancer screenings. Due to family history, genetic tendencies and other factors, you may need to begin screenings earlier than recommended.
Preventive care, including screenings, is covered at 100% by both medical plans offered by the university when you stay in-network. To schedule a preventive care visit, contact your provider directly, or if you need to find a provider, go to bcidaho.com and select Find Care. For more information on screening guidelines and ways to reduce your risk of cancer, visit the ACS website.
Go Brave and Bold With Us
We offer great benefits to keep you healthy and well as you help prepare the next generation of Vandals.