UBCM Group Benefits Plan Newsletter  

May 2018  


 
Summer and its sunshine has definitely arrived this May! For the ancient Greeks and Romans, Apollo was the god of medicine and healing as well as of sun and light-but Apollo could bring sickness as well as cure. Today we have come to a similarly dichotomous recognition that exposure to the ultraviolet radiation in sunlight has both beneficial and deleterious effects on human health. See below for some good tips on how to be safe.


Quote of the Month...
"You can waste your lives drawing lines. Or you can live your life crossing them."
- Shonda Rhimes


I f you have any comments or concerns, do not hesitate to  email  me.
Anna

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
UBCM Group Benefits Newsletter
May 2018

See Big Savings at Clearly.ca

Pacific Blue Cross Members enjoy free shipping, 15% off contact lenses and 20% off frames & lenses at www.clearly.ca . This exclusive offer is part of the Blue Advantage program , which provides members with savings on health and wellness products and services.

PBC has updated their digital claim tools so employees with Health Spending Accounts (HAS) have the option to process an entire claim through their HSA. Members with HSA can now select the "HSA Only" option from the drop down to have their entire claim processed through HSA instead of a combination of Extended Health and HSA.


Kids Travel Free on Family Plans
Did you know that kids receive free travel insurance coverage with the purchase of two adult travel policies? Pack Pacific Blue Cross Travel Insurance for your next family vacation to enjoy the savings. Members always save 10% .


Creating New Opportunities for Nurse Practitioners as Part of Team-Based Care System
Minister of Health Adrian Dix has announced that the Province is creating 200 new nurse practitioner (NP) positions to support patients as part of a shift to a team-based primary health-care system. Read more.


BC's New and Improved Leave of Absence Provisions
Amendments to the BC Employment Standards Act are now in effect. Here's what you need to know.


The UPnGO with ParticipACTION's Workplace Wellness Scoop
What does a health and wellness program need to accomplish to be successful in today's modern workplace? What problems must it solve? What obstacles must it overcome? And, importantly, how much should it cost? These are the questions ParticipACTION sought to answer when we moved to take a stand on the inactivity crisis in Canadian workplaces. A complex issue requires a complex solution and research into the matter quickly revealed just how hardworking a viable solution must be. Access our  Workplace Wellness Cheat She et 
here.
 
Find out why physical activity is the single best thing you can do for maximizing engagement, productivity and well-being at work:  Sign up for an upcoming UPnGO webinar by contacting dborlack@participACTION.com with subject line 'UBCM UPnGO Webinar Inquiry' or learn more at UPnGO.ca.


The Many Faces of PTSD
On behalf of Homewood HealthTM EFAP they released the June 2018 edition of their Life Lines newsletter, " The Many Faces of PTSD ." This newsletter provides examples of symptoms an individual can experience when suffering from PTSD; the factors that help minimize symptoms, and a personal journey of someone who overcame this disorder.

 
Participate in the 2018 National Bike Month
May 28 - June 30.

Did you know that switching from driving to an active commute option just one day a week will save 0.25 tonnes of carbon emissions annually? This is equivalent to the amount of carbon sequestered by 7 trees for 10 years. Steady cycling also helps you burn about 300 calories per hour.
 
Use this Bike Benefits Calculator  to measure the health and environmental benefits that can be gained by trading four wheels for two. You can calculate the benefits just for yourself or survey your office and report on the collective benefits.
 
Make sure to map your route in advance and wear appropriate gear. Check out these 15 tips  for first time bike commuters to get started.


Sun Awareness Week:  May 28 - June 3

An estimated 90% of skin cancers in Canada are directly attributable to ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure, making this cancer largely preventable (as reported by the Canadian Dermatology Association).
 
Until recently, the idea of sun protection being part of health and safety tools for outdoor workers wasn't something employers or employees thought about much but with the incidence of both melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancers on the rise, would like to remind those who work outdoors any time of year to take cover and take charge of their health with proper sun protection.
 
You can  create a quiz about sun safety from the information provided by the Canadian Cancer Society  and the prize for the winner could be sunscreen, a hat, and sunglasses.
 
More information is also available through Health Canada  or visit  Sun Safety at Work.
 
By taking simple precautions it's possible to help prevent skin cancer:
  1. Cover up. Wear loose clothing, long sleeves and pants.
  2. Protect your eyes. Use protective eyewear.
  3. Cover your head, neck and ears. Wear a wide brimmed hat or hardhat with a brim and use a neck flap.
  4. Take your break in the shade. Get out of the sun when you can, especially between 11 and 3, when ultraviolet radiation is strongest.
  5. Use sunscreen and lip balm. Use at least an SPF30, broad-spectrum, water resistant sunscreen-and use generously!
  6. Be skin safe. Report changes in skin spots or moles to your doctor as soon as possible - early detection is important.

Contact us at:
                            
                               

Anna-Maria Wijesinghe   
                         Nathan Roeters
Manager, Member & Association Services          Account Executive
                                          
Union of BC Municipalities                                   Pacific Blue Cross
Phone: 604.270.8226 (ext. 111)                          Phone: 604.419.2412
Email: amwijesinghe@ubcm.ca                           Email:   nroeters@pac.bluecross.ca