You get out what you put in

For the sedentary people in your workforce, exercising a full hour each day might seem like too big a hill to climb. But new approaches show that people can adjust their exercise time, if they’re willing to adjust their expectations accordingly.

Thirty minutes a day? Much better than the “zero minutes” many people put in.

Sixty minutes? Now you’re managing your weight, probably losing some and reducing your risk of dying by another 10 to 15 percent.

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Daily activity and exercise is essential for your pet, lack of exercise leads to poor muscle tone, obesity, heart ailments, bone disorders and often results in  dog behavior and emotional problems. Dogs with no exercise subjected to overcrowding and being confined in cages for prolonged periods of time,  can develop a great variety of physical and emotional disorders.

An exercised dog will rest better at home and be less nervous when left alone.  Exercise can improve dogs bone and joint health, heart, and lung function. Exercise can make show dogs look and feel better to a judge’s exploring hands.  A happy dog looks more gorgeous.  When its cold outside and you can’t get your dog out for their walks, teach them to walk on a treadmill, believe it or not, its really easy and they love it.

The best exercise channels the activity of both mind and body. Some people believe that dogs need a big yard so they can get plenty of exercise. The truth is that most dogs do not exercise when they are outdoors by themselves; they spend most of their time laying in the shadow and waiting for “their human family” to play with them.  You do not need to take up running to adequately exercise your dog.

Make your walks interesting and fun. Let your dog carry a favorite toy while walking, running, or hide his toys, play hide and seek with him, and most important – let him play with other dogs!  Socialization for dogs is very important, it teaches them good social manners as well as providing hours of fun, these social skills will help your dog interact with other animals for the rest of his life.  Teach your dog to retrieve, another great source of exercise.  But throw the toy far vs. high.  Jumping high in the air to chase it and landing awkwardly may lead to serious knee or hip injuries. 

 A generic drug is identical, or bioequivalent, to a brand name drug in dosage form, safety, strength, route of administration, quality, performance characteristics and intended use. Certain inactive ingredients that give the generic product its shape, color or flavor may be different than the brand product. Health professionals and consumers can be assured that FDA approved generic drugs have met the same rigid standards as the innovator drug. Although generic drugs are chemically identical to their branded counterparts, they are typically sold at substantial discounts from the branded price.

Depending upon your benefit design, you may substantially lower your out-of-pocket expense by using a generic drug instead of the branded drug. For example, if you have a $10 generic copay (tier 1) and $35 non-preferred brand copay (tier 3), you can save $25 on every prescription just by choosing generics. For drugs you take each month, that’s a savings of $300 over an entire year. If your prescription drug benefit is based on coinsurance, generic drugs will save you money because they cost less than their branded counterparts.(In some cases, employer groups carve out the prescription drug benefit and contract with a vendor separately, please refer to your Member Guide to confirm that your pharmacy benefits are offered through

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Cervical cancer

Cancer is a disease in which certain body cells don’t function right, divide very fast, and produce too much tissue that forms a tumor. Cervical cancer is cancer in the cervix, the lower, narrow part of the uterus (womb). The uterus is the hollow, pear-shaped organ where a baby grows during a woman’s pregnancy. The cervix forms a canal that opens into the vagina (birth canal), which leads to the outside of the body.

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North Carolina business owners might be looking for ways to trim costs, but the state’s largest health insurer says wellness programs shouldn’t be on the chopping block.
A study to be released today by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina showed that companies willing to make small investments in wellness initiatives such as paid time off for doctor’s visits and health screenings in the workplace see long-term returns.

“The things that employees value the most aren’t always the things that cost a lot of money, and in fact, it can be just the opposite,” said Don Bradley, chief medical officer for Blue Cross. “You don’t have to build a gym, but just give the opportunity to get outside and do some exercise.” (more…)

Once you enroll in a BCBSNC policy, they will provide a comprehensive Member Guide, which will be mailed to your home. The Member Guide includes detailed information about your specific benefits and covered services.

Additionally, BCBSNC provides valuable information and services on this Web site. You can either surf the site for the information you need or log on to My Member Services to access and change your member information instantly.

With My Member Services, you can accomplish the following:

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Prostate screening

Detecting prostate cancer earlier rather than later

There are two tests utilized to detect prostate cancer before symptoms have developed: the digital rectum exam (DRE) and a blood test often called PSA. The test is called PSA because it attempts to detect a substance produced by the prostate called prostate specific antigen. In the the DRE, a doctor feels the prostate through the rectum to find any particularly hard or lumpy areas.

The PSA results are analyzed in a lab and reported back to your doctor. It is possible (and frequent) that men will show elevated PSA levels but do not have cancer. In addition, many men with prostate cancer can show relatively normal levels of PSA. The digital rectal exam (DRE) can also miss some cancers; both tests in combination are better in accurately detecting and assessing prostate cancer. (more…)

Colon and colorectal health

Colorectal cancer (also known as colon cancer) is cancer that occurs in the colon or rectum. Colon cancer usually starts through the development of polyps, a type of foreign growth. Some of these polyps can develop into cancer. Colon cancer is the second-leading cancer that kills in the U.S. It is estimated that simple screening could help reduce or avoid over one-third of the deaths that currently result from this cancer.

Prevention is possible. Detection is key. And screening is the way, especially for those age fifty or above.

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Get Inspired

Once you’ve made the rational decision to start a workplace wellness program, it’s time to put your emotions behind it – and take everyone along with you. By building support at all levels of the organization and letting every employee feel ownership of the program, you’ll greatly enhance your chances of success.

Set the foundation

As with every other initiative, senior management sets the tone – by action and example. Make sure your company’s leaders model the behaviors you want from everyone by providing visible support and participation. Turn your employees into stakeholders by actively seeking and implementing their feedback.

Share the facts

Establishing a successful workplace wellness program relies on two stages of communication. The first is to make sure that your company’s senior and middle management are fully aware of rising medical and health insurance costs and the role unhealthy lifestyles play – not only to each individual, but to the company as a whole. Knowing about the problem will help them buy into the solution, and their support is critical if the program is to work.

Next, you and management need to work together to communicate with the company’s workforce. When employees know the facts about health costs and lifestyle impacts, they’ll better understand that the workplace wellness program isn’t about dictating a certain way of living. It’s about promoting the success of the company and showing that the company cares for their well-being.

When people at every level understand why this program is necessary and what’s at stake, people will be pulling in the same direction.

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.

2007 Blue Cross and Blue Shield® Internal Association Data.

Save at least $250 or 25% off hearing aids

With Audio Blue, BCBSNC members can save at least $250 or 25% off hearing aids when they present their BCBSNC ID card at a participating provider location for a hearing consultation. The audiologist at the provider location can give recommendations on what types of hearing aids will best fit your lifestyle and budget. Choose from traditional behind-the-ear models to state-of-the-art digital models that fit completely in the ear canal.

The Audio Blue discount includes:

25% off hearing aid manufacturer’s suggested retail price or $250 off usual and customary fees, whichever provides greater savings
Hearing aid fittings
Follow-up visits for a year
One-year warranties for service, loss or damage
Free hearing aid cleanings and checks
One-year supply of batteries

Audio Blue is a program sponsered by BCBSNC.  The content of this post was reprinted from Blue Cross & Blue Sheild of North Carolina.

For more information on North Carolina health insurance, please visit our website at www.nchealthplans.com or call our toll free number 888-765-5400 and speak with one of our professional authorized 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 all our office for details.

There’s a lot of discussion these days about fit kids. People who care (parents, doctors, teachers, and others) want to know how to help kids be more fit.  Being fit is a way of saying a person eats well, gets a lot of physical activity, and has a healthy weight. If you’re fit, your body works well, feels good, and can do all the things you want to do, like run around with your friends.  Some steps only parents can take — such as serving healthy meals or deciding to take the family on a nature hike. But kids can take charge, too, when it comes to health.  (more…)

Once your Online Application for BCBSNC insurance has been approved and your final rate has been issued, you will need to resume your application to accept and make payment.  There are 3 ways to access the log in for resuming your application.

1.  You can simply click here and enter your USER ID and Password.

2.  You can go to the BCBSNC home page, locate the phrase “resume application” in the upper left of the home page.

3.  You can click here and locate the Resume Application in the middle of our website and resume from here.

Once you have entered your USER ID and Password, select resume next to your name.  At this point, your original plan and your final rate will appear.  Prior to making payment, you have the option to change plans and deductibles which can lower your premium, just click on the button “lower cost options” after you resume the application and you can view final rates for all available plans.

For more information on North Carolina health insurance, please visit our website at www.nchealthplans.com or call our toll free number 888-765-5400 and speak with one of our professional authorized 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 all our office for details.