"The Director and staff of the NALC Health Benefit Plan wish you and your families health, happiness and most of all peace during this holiday season and throughout the new year. May your days be merry and bright!!"

DIRECTOR'S REPORT–Thomas H. Young, Director

Happy Holidays…

I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude, as well as that of each and every employee of the NALC Health Benefit Plan, to our Health Benefit Representatives and other Branch representatives for your time, patience and support in working with our members during the past year.

As another Open Season draws to an end, we now await this year’s results with great interest. We will keep you apprised as Open Season numbers start to roll in and I should be able to give you a complete update by the March or April issue of the HBR Report.

As the new year unfolds, we will begin our preparations for our HBR Seminar. This year’s Seminar will return to Las Vegas on October 17 through 19. Look for seminar details in future issues of the HBR Report.

We hope that the new year brings peace and joy to you and your families. Your loyalty and continued service to the NALC Health Benefit Plan means a lot to us here in Ashburn, and we look forward to continuing our special relationship in 2005.

Note to Our HBRs…

Enclosed with this edition of the HBR Report is the 2005 pocket calendar. We hope you will find it to be a handy tool for carrying out your HBR duties.

A limited supply will be made available at the Plan if you need additional copies.

PPO CDs/Booklets

Along with the new 2005 NALC Health Benefit Plan brochure, all members will receive a new PPO CD. However, I find it necessary to repeat — do not rely solely on the PPO directory as a final word on which providers participate in the network.

To put it bluntly, by the time you receive the directory, some of the providers listed may no longer be participants in the network, or there may have been additions that were made prior to production of the directory. Therefore, to avoid a nasty surprise that some of your claims are being paid at the non-PPO benefit level, it is important to do one of two things. Call the 1-800-622-6252 PPO locator number to verify the provider’s participation or visit our website and click Network Providers/First Heatlh.

Check Out Our Updated Web Page for Open Season!!!

The NALC Health Benefit Plan has updated its web page to bring you the latest information on the 2004 Open Season. The site provides our members with copies of our Open Season materials and the official Plan brochure. The material is provided in PDF format for viewing and printing. The brochure is set up in a way that you can navigate through it by clicking on sections on the table of contents. As in the past, the website also provides copies of the HBR Report and other important notices and information as they become available.

You can access the website by going to www.nalc.org/depart/hbp.

HEALTH IN THE NEWS

Head off holiday anxiety
with these stress busters:

What should be a relaxing time with friends, family, and football can turn out to be anxious days with too much to do. You can’t will stress away, but you can head it off before it gets to you.

Two keys to remaining in control:

Keep a positive attitude and decide that you are going to have an enjoyable time no matter what happens.

Don’t take on more than you have to. Order some of your gifts over the Internet or give gift cards or cash. Use gift bags instead of wrapping presents. Buy holiday foods instead of baking. Skip some of the decorating, especially outdoors. If you’re really pressed for time, take everyone out for Christmas dinner.

• On the job, get as much done as you can before the last week before Christmas. Encourage others whose work you depend on to do the same. Make a must-do list and a should-do list. If time is short, some of the should-do’s can wait.
• If you are traveling, allow extra time on the road or at the airport. Travel light.
• Get enough rest. Don’t eat a lot of food, drink alcohol, or exercise within three hours of bedtime.
• Limit the caffeine. It interferes with sleep and makes you nervous.
• Put your New Year’s resolutions into perspective. Skip resolutions that you load with self-blame for what you haven’t accomplished.

Make just one or two resolutions and be specific with some time deadlines involved. Decide what the obstacles involved will be and how you will overcome them.

Then be a little easy on yourself. Even if you don’t reach all your goals, you’ll be better off for having tried.

Cold blisters hit many:

A cold sore is a fluid-filled blister which usually appears at the edge of the lips. It’s caused by herpes simplex virus I (not to be confused with herpes simplex II, the cause of genital herpes). About 60 percent of Americans have had cold sores.

The virus stays in the system and can cause a cold sore again. The fluid in a blister can transmit the virus to other people through skin-to-skin contact.

To treat a cold sore:

• Wash once or twice a day with warm, soapy water and pat dry.
• Avoid salty foods and citrus foods which can irritate it.
• Use an over-the-counter lip ointment to relieve the pain and discomfort of blisters.
• Acetaminophen or ibuprofen can be taken to reduce pain or fever.
• Ask your doctor about Valtrex, which may shorten the duration.
• Avoid touching a cold sore because you can spread it to other parts of your face or body. Wash your hands frequently, especially before touching others.

To prevent cold sores, maintain good general health and keep immunity high.

Sick workers: Stay home

A study by Cornell University labor researchers shows that it’s better for employers if sick people don’t come to work.

People who are sick have more trouble concentrating, work more slowly, and have to redo tasks. They slow down productivity overall, the study found.

If their disease is infectious, such as a cold or the flu, workers can spread the sickness to others, although the study did not include that factor in calculating sick worker costs.

The Cornell researchers conclude that sick workers and the lost productivity they cause represent a cost of $255 per employee per year.

More heart attacks in winter:

Studies reported by the European Society of Cardiology show that heart attack risk doubled when temperatures dropped below 39.2 degrees. The cold temperature constricts blood vessels and thickens blood, making clots more likely, say the researchers. They tracked more than 700 patients hospitalized over a two-year period. People with high blood pressure were at greater risk.

This is a partial explanation of the high number of heart attacks among people who are shoveling snow. Cold temperatures add to the exertion of shoveling snow and significantly increase risk.

Walking keeps the mind sharp:

Exercise, even walking at an easy pace, appears to protect the aging brain from erosion of thinking ability and Alzheimer’s disease.

Doctors at the Harvard School of Public Health found that older people who were physically active, including those who walked at a leisurely pace up to three hours a week, performed much better on tests of memory and thinking ability than those who were inactive. They had a 20 percent reduced risk of doing poorly on tests of cognitive ability. There were more than 18,000 participants in the study.

Staying Well – FIT, the exercise key:

If you want better bones and balance, and a stronger heart and body, exercise is the key. It can do more good than medication over the long term.

Exercise comes down to three variables, frequency, intensity and time.

Remember the word FIT. According to the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports:

Frequency means five times a week. Sporadic exercise doesn’t help much.

Intensity means you should perspire and breathe more heavily, but be able to talk in short sentences.

Time means a target of 30 minutes, but doing three 10-minute sessions is OK.

If you’re really out of shape, start with five-minute sessions and work up to 10. Remember… It is always important to consult with your physician before starting an exercise program.

Treating athlete’s foot:

The Food and Drug Administration has reviewed evidence about the effectiveness of over-the-counter remedies for athlete’s foot.

They conclude that the creams, sprays, lotions, and powders need improved labeling. Labels indicate that the product should be used only for a few weeks. They do not make clear that relief from symptoms may not occur until several weeks after treatment has ended.

To prevent athlete’s foot, keep feet dry, especially between toes, wear cotton or wool socks, and change them at least every day. Wear well-ventilated shoes.

THE PHARMACY CORNER

Same Great Benefits in 2005!!!!

Below is a brief review of the program.

Under the NALC’s prescription drug program you may purchase your prescriptions at an NALC CareSelect Network pharmacy, a non-network pharmacy and through the mail order program.

At a network retail pharmacy, you may obtain up to a 30 day supply plus one refill for each prescription. No deductible applies and you will pay 25% of the cost of each prescription. You may continue to purchase refills at a network pharmacy, however, benefits will be payable at the non-network retail pharmacy benefit level.

If you use a non-network retail pharmacy, you may obtain up to a 30-day supply and unlimited refills for each prescription. You will need to file a claim for reimbursement and you will pay 50% of the Plan allowance, and the difference (if any) between our allowance and the billed amount. A calendar year deductible will apply.

When you use the mail order program, you may order up to a 60-day or 90-day supply of medication for each prescription or refill. No deductible applies. You cannot obtain a refill until 75% of the drug has been used. Medications dispensed through the mail order program are subject to the following standards: the professional judgment of the pharmacist, limitations imposed on controlled substances, manufacturer’s recommendations and applicable state law. At the mail order level, you will pay:

60-day Supply: $8 generic, $24 brand name

90-day Supply: $12 generic, $35 brand name

If you have Medicare, you will pay:

60-day Supply: $7 generic, $20 brand name

90-day Supply: $10 generic, $30 brand name

Note: If you have questions about the program, wish to locate an NALC CareSelect Network retail pharmacy, or need additional claim forms, simply call 1-800-933-NALC (6252) 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also access a wealth of information on the Caremark website. There is a link to Caremark on the NALC’s website at www.nalc.org/depart/hbp/Providers/CAREMARK.

Return to HBR Reports, NALC Health Benefit Plan HomePage or NALC Headquarters HomePage.

This page was last updated on February 1, 2005.

If you have any questions or comments about our health benefit plan, please write to the National Association of Letter Carriers Health Benefit Plan at 20547 Waverly Court, Ashburn, VA 20149 or call 1-703-729-4677. For automated general benefit information, call 1-888-636-NALC.