We all seem to be trying to live a more healthy lifestyle.  Eating healthy begins with planning.  Plan meals ahead, make your list, and order that list around the perimeter of the store.  Add a snack menu to your list that includes healthy items such as baby carrots, apples, oranges, pears, whole grain snacks, blueberries, grapes, salsa, pretzels, cottage cheese, and broccoli florets.  Meal planning and available healthy snacks will make healthy eating more successful and enjoyable.  One last tip…. don’t forget to only grocery shop after a good meal. 

For more information on health insurance coverage in North Carolina, please visit our website at www.nchealthplans.com or call our toll free number 888-765-5400 and speak with one of our qualified agents.  Our agency provides coverage for health insurance in North Carolina through Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC).  You may qualify for a 15% healthy lifestyle discount if you are in excellent health.  Call us for details.

A child’s risk of adult obesity may be linked to sleep deprivation.   According to researchers, more than 1,000 people were followed from birth to 32 comparing those with too little sleep to those that were well-rested.  The results found that those children that received fewer than 11 hours of sleep each night over the years, were more likely to have a Mass Body Index higher than those that received adequate sleep.  Experts agree that the optimum amount of sleep for children ages 5 to 12 is 11 hours and for teenagers, 8.5 to 9.5 hours. 

The best way to ensure that children are getting enough Zs is to establish bedtime routines.  Utilize a few simple steps that you follow each and every night.  Begin with a quiet activity that signals that the evening is winding down.  Many parents find that a warm bath, followed by a story help set the tone for bedtime.  Whatever your routine, be consistent and follow through.  A well-rested child is a happy child and could possibly be a more fit and trim adult.

For more information on health insurance coverage in North Carolina, please visit our website at www.nchealthplans.com or call our toll free number 888-765-5400 and speak with one of our qualified agents.  Our agency provides coverage for health insurance in North Carolina through Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC).  You may qualify for a 15% healthy lifestyle discount if you are in excellent health.  Call us for details.

*Study statistics gathered from Pediatrics, November 2008.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina

Medicare Supplement

1. What is Medicare?

A: Medicare is a Federal health insurance program for people ages 65 years or older, certain people with disabilities, and people with permanent kidney failure treated with dialysis or a transplant. Medicare has two parts – Part A, which is hospital insurance and Part B, which is medical insurance.

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What is a Health Savings Account? (HSA).  You could be at the age you start thinking more seriously about any tax advantages available to you so let us explore the HSA benefits and if they work for you.

According to the Internal Revenue Service (Publication 969, 2007):  A Health Savings Account (HSA) is a tax-exempt trust or custodial account that you set up with a qualified HSA trustee to pay or reimburse certain medical expenses you incur.  You must be an eligible individual to qualify for an HSA. A qualified HSA trustee can be a bank, an insurance company, or anyone already approved by the IRS to be a trustee of individual retirement arrangements (IRAs). 

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Dental Health effects more than just your teeth.  Keeping those teeth pearly white and your smile bright has many more benefits that go beyond aesthetics.

According to the BCBSNC Dental Blue website, proper dental health is essential for Diabetics, Pregnancy, Respiratory and Cardiac Health:

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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 200,000 people are hospitalized every year from the flu and complications caused by the flu.   BCBSNC recommends the best way to reduce your risk is to get an annual flu shot.  They are making flu shots available at no charge to eligible members enrolled in one of the following plans:*  BCBSNC group and individual plans with preventive care benefits, Blue Medicare HMO, Blue Medicare PPO, Blue Medicare Supplement, North Carolina State Health Plan, North Carolina Health Choice for Children, North Carolina Federal Employee Program.* (more…)

Making the decision to get in shape does not have to be an individual one.  Why not include the entire family?  In our over-scheduled lives, it is difficult for even the most organized families to find family time let alone time to exercise.  There are many exercise activities that can be enjoyed by the entire family and require very little equipment, time or preparation.

• Riding bicycles, raking fall leaves, turning a walk around the neighborhood into a scavenger hunt, organizing relay races in the front yard, jumping rope and counting to 100 (great practice for little ones learning to count as well)…
• Adjust your homework, dinner and “family fitness” time so that children are more active afterschool and before dinner.
• Limit Television, Computer and Video Game time to 2 hours per day for everyone! (except for working parents during work hour)
• Divide household chores that involve physical exertion between the entire family.  Even a toddler can be given chores to do.
• Buy exercise and fitness gifts for special occasions such as soccer balls, baseball bats, jump ropes, roller skates and bicycles.
• Children love to listen to music- have a dance party for 15 minutes in the kitchen while cleaning up from dinner.
• Fitness can go far beyond the gym and expensive exercise equipment.  Get moving with the entire family and spend quality time too!

The health benefits to moving go far beyond your waistline.  Healthy habits can affect your pocketbook and your nc health insurance rates.  Some applicants for Blue Advantage with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina can qualify for a 15% discount based on healthy lifestyles … even more incentive to get moving!

Once enrolled with BCBSNC, Members can enjoy Blue Points and earn prizes and rewards for their continued healthy lifestyle.

Earn prizes for taking an active role in your health

Physical activity can help reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes and other health conditions. That’s why we created Blue PointsSM, our physical activity and wellness incentive program available exclusively for members.

Just 30 minutes a day of physical activity or participation in wellness activities earns points toward prizes like electronics, sports equipment, clothing and more!* Collect points and select prizes from our four Blue Points prize levels (B, L, U, and E). Special prizes are available for children ages 6 – 12 through Blue Points for KidsSM.

Be active.
Physical activity and lifestyle changes can greatly reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes and other health conditions. That’s why we created Blue Points, our physical activity and wellness incentive program available exclusively for members. Our Blue Points program gives you an easy way to track your physical activities and participation in wellness activities – and rewards you with great prizes!

Earn points.
Just 30 minutes a day of physical activity or participation in wellness activities earns you prizes like electronics, sports equipment, clothing and more!*

Work in the yard, play golf, walk the dog. Just keep moving with Blue Points. You can also earn points for participating in specific Online Healthy Living Programs and completing wellness activities like understanding your healthy cholesterol and Body Mass Index (BMI) levels.

Get free prizes.
All you have to do is record your activities in your Blue Points Activity Log. At least 30 minutes or more of physical activity a day or participation in a specific wellness activity earns you 10 points for that day.* Earn 250 points and select a prize from the first Blue Points prize level. There are four levels in all – B, L, U and E – each with great prize options. And, there are also special prizes for kids ages 6 – 12 through Blue Points for Kids.

Want to learn more?
For more information on health insurance coverage in North Carolina, please visit our website at www.nchealthplans.com or call our toll free number 888-765-5400 and speak with one of our qualified agents.  Our agency provides coverage for health insurance in North Carolina through Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC).  You may qualify for a 15% healthy lifestyle discount if you are in excellent health.  Call us for details.

Want to support the community?
When you earn enough points to win a Blue Points prize, you’ll have the opportunity to donate it to a local community group.

BCBSNC DentalBlue is loaded with popular dental benefits your family needs:

Go to any dentist you choose. There are no “in network” limitations. Coverage for routine check-ups, diagnostic or preventive services. Comprehensive coverage for everything from teeth cleaning to extractions, crowns, bridges, and dentures.

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