November 2002 HBR Report

With this issue of the HBR Report comes a "miniature" poster of the Plan’s Open Season promotion.

For those attending health fairs, this should help catch the eye of prospective members. Of course, the same display should be prominent at your branch meetings and anywhere else letter carriers may gather.

We are optimistic that this Open Season should attract another positive gain in members for the NALC Health Benefit Plan.

President Sombrotto has sent letters to every letter carrier, active and retired, to encourage them to give the Plan a close look. We should be especially attractive to those Medicare eligible retirees.

As the November 11 to December 9 Open Season window opens, NALC leaders at all levels have the obligation to promote the Health Benefit Plan at every opportunity. To me, as I have often said before, the effort should entail one-on-one, up close and personal, encounters with the membership.

At the Headquarters level, you can be assured that just as President Vince Sombrotto has always been a staunch supporter of the Plan, President-elect Bill Young joins with me in the commitment to maintaining a viable NALC Health Benefit Plan. But, of course, with all things union, membership support is the key.

To continue to build the foundation of the Plan is to provide for the solid health coverage letter carriers have come to expect from the NALC Health Benefit Plan. To wax Biblical, I say "go forth and multiply" and make this one of our best Open Seasons ever.

Finally, in this month of Thanksgiving, I pray we will all take more than a special day to reflect upon the bountiful riches we enjoy. And, as we realize the vastness of those blessings, I hope we all can find a way to share something with those less fortunate.

The NALC Health Benefit Plan’s website has now been updated for Open Season. You will be able to find out a wealth of information about the Health Benefit Plan and the way it changes for the 2003 benefit year. You can access the site by going to www.nalc.org and clicking on "Department" and then clicking on "Health Benefit Plan."

Look for a new pocket calendar in the December mailing of the HBR Report. This calendar will include updated information on the Plan’s benefits as well as information on HIPAA.

How many times have you or a family member gone to the doctor and shared information that you only want the doctor to know? In order to provide you with proper care, your doctor needs to know as much about your medical history as possible. Once you give the doctor this information, how many other people have access to it? Anyone who works in the doctor’s office? What about the billing clerk? Your health plan? Usually all of the above and more!

The Final Privacy Rule of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) establishes guidelines to protect your personal health information or PHI. In general, privacy is about who has the right to access your PHI and how it is used. Compliance to the rule must be no later than April 14, 2003, and the NALC Health Benefit Plan will be compliant.

The Privacy Rule established guidelines for the use and disclosure of PHI for treatment of the patient, payment of the charges and health care operations (TPO). The Rule applies to every physician, every hospital, and every health insurer. It will be there for your protection.

As our society advances technologically, the days of paper records and claim filing is fast becoming a thing of the past. More and more of this information has been moved to an electronic media. While there are current safeguards in place, this information could be available to anyone simply, at the push of a button.

The Final Privacy Rule establishes a pressing need for national standards to control the flow of sensitive patient information and sets forth penalties for misuse or improper release of this information.

Whenever individually identifiable health information is transmitted electronically, it must be de-identified. Anything transmitted that could identify the information to the patient must be altered. This includes:

As the April 14, 2003 deadline approaches, the NALC Health Benefit Plan has already begun implementing changes to protect our member’s PHI. The first noticeable step is the inclusion of the Plan’s Notice of Privacy Practices printed in our 2003 brochure. This document explains how the Plan handles your individual health care information and your rights under this notice.

Overall, it will be business as usual. We already have in place many safeguards to protect the unintentional release of protected health information. Our staff is being thoroughly trained, and all the pieces are being put into place.

A Privacy Official has been appointed to monitor the Plan’s compliance to the Privacy Rule. Our Privacy Official has a complete understanding of the Privacy Rule. This official also:

If you have questions about the Privacy Rule, the Plan’s Customer Service Department should always be your first choice. Our Customer Service Representatives are happy to answer any of your questions.

The Pilgrims really started something. Little did they know that they began a tradition that would last almost 400 years and with no end in sight. Turkey, one of the main courses at the feast with their Native American benefactors, was a good choice then, and it still is.

Properly prepared, turkey is a low-fat meat that provides a host of disease-fighting and energy-boosting vitamins. Turkey is rich in B vitamins that keep the body working smoothly. Without them, you would become depressed, confused, anemic, nervous, and worse.

Depending on the part of the turkey you choose, you’ll get between 16 and 62 percent of the RDA of niacin. Niacin helps to reduce bad cholesterol.

Poultry is also rich in vitamin B12, which can help to prevent memory loss and other neurological problems.

Turkey contains vitamin B6, which is crucial for maintaining high immunity, and iron, an important nutrient for energy and vitality, according to The Doctors Book of Food Remedies (Rodale). You can get up to 16 percent of your daily vitamins from a piece of turkey. Dark meat has more than white.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is an equal-opportunity ailment. It strikes both men and women, computer operators and weight lifters, bike riders and power tool operators, according to a report in Epidemiology.

At the computer, prevent CTS by making sure your form is correct. Maintain straight wrists by adjusting the height of your chair and using a mouse pad with a wrist support.

When lifting weights, keep your wrists straight as you grip a bar or dumbbells. At the first sign of symptoms, reduce the number of reps you do, or allow more time between sets.

Sports medicine doctors at HealthSouth Medical Center in Birmingham, Ala., say the key to curing CTS is to catch it early. If you have pain, wearing splints at night will help.

To keep you from reaching that point, keep your wrists limber with these three stretches. Doctors quoted in Men’s Fitness recommend doing them throughout the day and before working out.

November is American Diabetes Month

The American Diabetes Association wants to communicate the importance of proper diabetes control and proper treatment for patients and their families. This is especially true in November, American Diabetes Month. Keep these things in mind:

Eyes. Diabetes can lead to vision loss or blindness. Good eye care includes keeping blood sugar close to your goal and bringing blood pressure down. Get a dilated eye exam by an eye doctor every year. See your doctor immediately if you have an eye problem. Don’t smoke.

Heart. People with diabetes are twice as likely to develop high blood pressure than people without diabetes. Protect your heart by maintaining proper weight, being physically active, and having a blood pressure check each time you see your doctor. Don’t smoke.

Feet. Diabetes can harm the blood vessels and nerves in your feet. To keep feet healthy, properly control your blood sugar. Wash, and dry your feet, and check for cuts or blisters each day. If you find anything, no matter how small, see your health care provider. Never walk barefoot, and always wear shoes that fit well. Wear clean padded socks, and cut your nails straight across. Have your feet checked every year. Don’t smoke!