Final Deadline for 2015 Wellness Pledges: Dec 31

Northwell Health believes in taking care of you, so you can better care of our patients!

North Shore-LIJ (soon to be Northwell Health) wants you to be aware of your preventive care routine all year long. By providing you with an excellent package of benefits, the Wellness Pledge Program was designed to keep you on track with a regular, annual, preventive care routine.

What You Need to Know 
If you were enrolled in the Value or Buy-Up medical plan in 2015 you still have the opportunity to earn paycheck credits in 2016, by participating in the Annual Wellness Pledge Program. The program is open on a annual calendar basis, giving you 12 months (January through December) to take action on four health-related events. In addition to completing a necessary online Health Assessment* you have the ability to act on three of the following pledges or healthy actions:

1. Annual exam with your primary care physician
2. Dental exam and cleaning
3. Vision exam
4. Breast cancer screening (mammography)
5. Skin cancer check
6. Colorectal cancer screening (colonscopy)
7. Cervical cancer screening (Pap Smear)
8. Health Assessment by your covered spouse (can be found when logged into myuhc.com)
9. Financial wellness video (can be found when logged into nslij.trsretire.com)

Once actions have been completed your date-of-service/completion is transferred from our carriers,United Healthcare, Cigna Dental, Davis Vision and Transamerica Retirement Solutions to your Wellness Summary when logged into Employee Self Service. It takes approximately six to eight weeks for this transfer to be complete.

Deadline

You have through December 31 to comply with the program, but your 2016 paycheck credits (worth $10 per pledge per biweekly paycheck, and $10.83 per semi-monthly) will be delayed by about two to three pay cycles and will not be retroactive. 

Note: throughout 2015, participants were communicated a soft deadline of October 31 to earn maximum amount of 2016 credits. 

*The online Health Assessment is 100% confidential and necessary to earn any paycheck credits in 2016. Login to myuhc.com, click on the blue bar on the right side of the page, answer the questions to the best of your ability and hit submit. 

Celebrate Your Benefits

April 2 is National Employee Benefits Day! In honor of this year's theme, which is dedicated to improving employee health and well-being, get out and do something healthy for yourself. When you do something positive to better your physical and mental state, your energy will naturally flow over to your customers, family and friends.

Schedule a Visit
Whether or not you are participating in the Wellness Pledge Program, take the time to make an appointment with one or more of your healthcare providers. Keeping on track with your preventive care routine in 2015 will make it that much more natural in the years to come. Consider your coverage in the North Shore-LIJ Benefits Plan:

• A physician wellness visit with an in-system or in-network healthcare provider is covered at 100%
• A visit with your OB/GYN, which will most likely include a Pap test for cervical cancer, is covered for the low copay of $40 (if in-system)
• A vision exam with a Davis Vision provider* is covered at 100%
• Two trips to your dentist are covered at 100% (in-network)
• A skin cancer screening by your dermatologist is covered for the low copay of $40 (if in-system)

Find In-System Providers and North Shore-LIJ Facilities HERE

Find Financial Fitness

Another great way to treat yourself well is by investing in your financial future. Take the time to celebrate your benefits by increasing your contribution to your 403(b)/401(k) plan by 1%. Maybe even consider using the Auto-Increase tool on the Transamerica website, making your saving automatic!

Get a Discount on Your Fitness

Make exercise a part your lifestyle. As a health system employee you are offered discounts to over 27 exercise facilities in the area. Big names like YMCA/Long Island/Greater NYC, Equinox, CrossFit Sanctuary, NY Health and Racquet Club, Island Fitness, as well as some locals such as Evolution Fitness in Bayville and Oyster Bay are all available to you at reduced rates. Just show your employee ID and start getting healthy - today. For a complete list visit the employee intranet>Discounts.

*As of April 1, two North Shore-LIJ Opthalmology offices are considered Davis Vision providers:

MEETH Ophthalmology, Marta Fabrykowski, OD and Christopher Lee, OD

210 E. 64th St., NYC at 212-702-7300

NSLIJ Department of Ophthalmology, Corina Busuioc, OD, Francesca Kim, OD

600 Northern Blvd., Great Neck at 516-470-2020

October is Here!

Since the deadline for the Wellness Pledges have been extended that mammogram you scheduled for during Breast Cancer Awareness Month will be in accordance with the 2015 Wellness Pledge Program.
Let's review the Pledge deadlines:

• Complete the online Health Assessment on myuhc.com and 3 additional pledges by October 31 and you will receive your maximum paycheck credits beginning with the first pay cycle in 2015
• Complete the online Health Assessment on myuhc.com and 3 additional pledges after October 31 (in November/December) and your paycheck credits will still appear in 2015 but they will be delayed 4-8 weeks - keep in mind, they will not be retroactive!

What you can do NOW - if eligible for the Pledge Program*
Step One: 
Complete your online Health Assessment on myuhc.com - it's the gateway pledge and is required in order to receive any paycheck credits in 2015
Step Two: 
Watch the Wellness Video - it was posted on your iLearn Module for viewing and submission
Step Three: 
Schedule 2 appointments (pledges) before Oct 31 and you will receive full credits:
--Annual Exam or Physical
--Dental Exam and/or Cleaning
--Vision Exam
--Breast Cancer Screening/Mammography
--Skin Cancer Screening/Check with a Dermatologist
--Colorectal Cancer Screening

In Addition: 

If you currently have your spouse covered under our medical plan you are also eligible to receive credit if he/she completes the online Health Assessment on myuhc.com.

Read more by searching 2015 Wellness Pledge Program in the search box (upper right corner of this Blog) or click here.

*You must be a non-union benefits-eligible employee or a Lenox Hill Hospital RN who is planning to enroll of re-enroll in North Shore-LIJ's Value or Buy-Up medical plan with United Healthcare to be eligible for the paycheck credits. New hires and those new to the medical plan in 2015 will have 6 months from their benefit's eligibility date to comply with the Program.