Vaccines aren’t just for kids. Approximately 40,000 to 50,000 adults in the U.S. die from vaccine-preventable infectious diseases or their complications each year. During National Immunization Awareness Month, make sure you’re up to date on your vaccinations. Take the CDC’s Adult Vaccine Assessment Tool and find out which vaccines you may need.
Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men. It is cancer that occurs in the prostate, a small round gland near the bladder.
Prostate cancer can happen in any man, but age is a prime factor. It occurs most often in men older than age 65. Other factors are a family history of prostate cancer, your race, and being overweight. Prostate cancer occurs in African-American men and Caribbean men of African ancestry more often than in men of other races.
You can lower your risk with healthy choices: eat low-fat foods, eat more fruits and vegetables, and eat fatty fish like salmon and tuna. Also, make sure you exercise most days of the week and keep a healthy weight.
Source: bcbstx.com
In a study looking at the health effects of work burnout, researchers from the University of Georgia’s College of Public Health found a link between workload and exhaustion and emotional eating, uncontrolled eating, and consuming a higher percentage of calories from fatty foods. Read More
Source: bicycling.com
The temperature is rising, and so is the cost of medical care. But don’t sweat it! Healthcare Bluebook can help you find a Fair Price™ on care. With a simple search, you can save hundreds to thousands of dollars on your next procedure. Check it out at healthcarebluebook.com/cc/bmc or call 800-341-0504. Use Company Code: bmc1
Source: cooperaerobics.com
Standing or sitting for a long time can take a toll on your muscles. To prevent or reduce stiffness and pain, try simple office stretches throughout the day. Read More
Source: mayoclinic.org
Heat-related deaths and illness are preventable, yet more than 600 people die from extreme heat every year. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says take measures to stay cool, remain hydrated, and keep informed. Visit the CDC’s Extreme Heat website to get helpful tips, information, and resources to help you stay safe in extreme heat this summer.
Turkey Taco Salad Meal Prep: A much healthier take on Taco Tuesdays, except you are meal prepped for the entire week. Fewer calories and cheaper too! Read More
Source: damndelicious.net
Apple Pistachio Granola: Get your sweet and salty fix with this tasty Apple Pistachio Granola! Add a splash of almond milk for a delicious, filling breakfast. Read More
Source: fitfoodiefinds.com
Steppers Select Charity to Receive BMC Donation
The Red Hot Chili Steppers, winners of the 2019 Step-IT-Up Challenge, recently voted and selected St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital as the deserving charity to receive the $5,000 donation from BMC.
Named for the patron saint of desperate and lost causes, St. Jude takes on the most challenging cases of childhood cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. And consistent with the vision of St. Jude’s founder Danny Thomas, no child is denied treatment based on race, religion, or a family's ability to pay. No family ever receives a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing, or food.
The donation could cover the cost of life-saving chemotherapy treatment, or provide ten, one-hour physical therapy treatments to help a child with a developmental, cognitive, or a physical impairment caused by cancer or its treatment.
Congratulations to the Red Hot Chili Steppers for stepping IT up to help save children's lives!
Attention, Please. Don’t Forget Your Rewards!
Remember, you have until August 31 to redeem your rewards for gift cards* or discounts on your 2020 medical premiums. Visit mybmcwellness.com and use the Rewards Mall Quick Start Guide. Employees enrolled in a BMC medical plan with rewards not redeemed by August 31 will automatically receive the discount on medical premiums for 2020. Employees not enrolled in a BMC medical plan will lose rewards not redeemed by August 31.
The Reward Now or Discounts Later program feature is new for the 2018-2019 bWell year. So, for this year only, BMC is providing an automatic reward redemption for medical premium discounts for employees with expired rewards. For future program years, employees will lose rewards not redeemed by the program end date.
Please note: *If you choose a cash reward (gift card), the Internal Revenue Code considers the gift card value as taxable income.
Summer camps are winding down, and the start of school is coming up. If you’re a working parent, that can mean gaps in childcare, half-days at school, and many other seasonal scheduling challenges. How will you find a reliable back-up plan when your regular care isn’t available, or your child is mildly ill, and you have to be at work? Your Bright Horizons Back-Up Care and Bright Horizons Additional Family Supports benefits can help. Read More [Employer Username: BMC; Password: care4you].
Download the App: App Store or Google Play.
Prolonged stress often leads to burnout that can destroy your energy levels, cause unusual mood swings, and lower your work performance. Join Magellan’s live interactive webinar on Wednesday, August 14, ‘Emotional Muscle’: How to Grow Resilient Children and Become Stronger Parents. Learning objectives include:
Space is limited, so register now.
If you’re a parent, one of your most important roles is to help your family members build the inner resources they’ll need to face life’s inevitable adversities. If you’re not already doing it, you can actively teach youngsters how to manage their emotions during tough times, such as problems with peers, significant stress, trauma, and even tragedy. Everyone can build their resilience throughout life.
Source: magellanascend.com
Congratulations to Bryan J., who attended the Houston workshop “Take the First Step to Investing” on July 16, and won a pair of AirPods. Richard D. also won a pair of AirPods in the prize drawing for attending the virtual workshop on July 24. Congratulations Richard!
Watch your email for details about the next FEDTalk in the fall.
According to the Fidelity Retiree Health Care Cost Estimate, an average retired couple age 65 in 2019 may need approximately $285,000 saved (after tax) to cover health care expenses in retirement. Of course, the amount you'll need will depend on when and where you retire, how healthy you are, and how long you live.
If you are like most Americans, health care is expected to be one of your largest expenses in retirement, after housing and transportation costs. But unlike your parents' generation, you won't likely have access to employer or union sponsored retiree health benefits. So, health care costs will likely consume a larger portion of your retirement budget—and you need to plan for that. Read More
Source: fidelity.com
The BMC 401(k) Savings Plan and a Health Savings Account (HSA) allow you to save a lot of money every year. If you can’t afford to max out your contributions to both accounts, how do you decide how much to allocate to your 401(k) and how much to set aside in your HSA?
You are eligible to contribute to a Health Savings Account if you are covered under the BCBSTX HSA medical plan option. The law limits how much you can contribute to your 401(k) and HSA each year. Maxing out on your contributions to both accounts each year is great if you can do it. But if you can’t afford to set aside that much, here’s how to decide how to allocate your money.
Step 1 – Take Care of the Basics
Your 401(k) – Fidelity recommends saving at least the equivalent of 15% of your income for retirement, including BMC’s contribution, throughout your career. A good starting point is to make sure you are contributing at least 5% of your pay to take advantage of BMC’s matching contribution to your account.
Your HSA – It’s also important to set aside at least enough to cover this year’s medical expenses in your HSA. Most people spend at least some money on health care every year, whether it’s a visit to a walk-in clinic or something more serious. Think about how much money you spent last year, and try to contribute at least that amount to your HSA.
If you’re not sure how much you spend on health care, consider contributing the amount of your deductible to your HSA as a starting point. If you don’t spend it all this year, you won’t lose it—that’s one of the benefits of saving in an HSA; the money is yours until you need it, even if you change jobs.
Step 2 – Max Out Your HSA
Once you’ve saved enough to get the BMC match in your 401(k) and cover your health care expenses in your HSA, you can focus on maxing out your HSA. Why not put more money into your 401(k) next? Because your HSA is a powerful tool to help you save for retirement. Your HSA and 401(k) have the same tax advantage when you put the money in—you trim your federal income tax bill this year. But they are not the same when you take the money out.
With a 401(k), you pay federal income tax on the money when you withdraw it, no matter what you do with it. With an HSA, you don’t owe federal income taxes on withdrawals, as long as you use them for qualified medical expenses. Watch this Benetube video to learn more about the benefits of contributing more to your Health Savings Account.
Step 3 – Max Out Your 401(k)
Once you’ve maxed out your HSA contributions, focus on contributing up to the maximum in your 401(k) as well. Once you get there, congratulations! You’ve made the most of your workplace savings.
Useful Links
5 Ways HSAs Can Fortify Your Retirement, from Fidelity.
Source: Fidelity
MyBMC Rewards provides a snapshot of your pay, retirement benefits, health and insurance benefits and corporate programs. Visit MyBMC Rewards to:
Go online anytime or call 877-262-4849. Representatives are available from Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Eastern time.
From enrollment reminders to important 401(k) information and benefits updates, you can be the first to know when your attention or action is required.