UC resources can help you achieve a healthier you
February 14, 2012 •
If you’re planning on getting in better shape in 2012, you don’t have to do it alone.
UC and your medical plan offer programs and tools — many of them free or at reduced cost — to help you eat right, get fit and adopt healthy habits that can improve your well-being. Here are just some of the resources available to you:
Assess your health for free. Visit the UC Living Well website for a wealth of resources, including the path to your 2012 health assessment, a free, confidential health assessment to help you learn how your lifestyle affects your health. Then take the follow-up wellness coaching. Through Staywell, UC offers $100 gift cards as an incentive to employees who complete the assessment by June 15, 2012, and follow-up coaching by Dec. 31, 2012. Employees must be enrolled in a UC medical plan on Jan. 1, 2012, to qualify. Spouses and domestic partners also are eligible and can receive a $50 gift card. Please note:
- Kaiser Permanente members are not eligible for the Staywell incentive, but they can participate in Healthworks, Kaiser’s health assessment and follow-up program.
- Some unions have opted out of Staywell. If you are a represented employee and want to see if your union is participating, check the list.
Take care of your mental self. Being mentally healthy is just as important as being physically healthy. Find time to relax and do things that are fun. Accept that some things are out of your control and move on. Learn relaxation methods such as yoga or meditation. If you need help, talk to someone — a family member, friend, co-worker or a psychologist.
- Licensed mental health providers are at your fingertips through UCOP’s Employee Assistance Program, which offers free, confidential one-on-one counseling.
- United Behavioral Health (UBH), UC’s mental health provider for employees enrolled in medical insurance plans, will refer you for counseling services to a local provider. The first three appointments with a network provider are free of charge. Contact UBH at 888-440-8225 or visit their website.
- Kaiser members have access to UBH and Kaiser mental health benefits.
Get fit. Most UC medical plans offer discounts for gyms and weight management programs. Research has shown that exercise might be an effective way to prevent or reduce depressive symptoms. And a modest weight loss can improve your health and help you ward off certain diseases. See what your plan offers by visiting your plan’s website. UCOP also sponsors the WorkFit program, offering discounted classes in the early morning, during lunchtime and after work at both Franklin and Kaiser locations.
Check your health care plan’s wellness website for more helpful resources that can help you get fit and stay fit:
