Annual Change is HERE! Attend a Presentation for VERY IMPORTANT CHANGES

Hi everyone,
Just a heads up in case you haven't heard - annual change has begun!  You really need to attend an annual change presentation this year - what you don't know CAN hurt your pocketbook!  Click here for the schedule: http://www.benefits.mt.gov/pages/annual.change.html.

Pictures from the 2014 Stay Active Challenge!

Check out all the great things your fellow participants were doing during the Stay Active Challenge this year, from scuba diving to climbing Mt. St. Helens to horseback riding! 

Congratulations to our prize winners!

1. Adelia G. - Color me Rad race
WINNER 55 total votes, 21 3rd best photo votes

2. Caitlin B. - Palisade Falls
WINNER 54 total votes, 21 3rd best photo votes

3. Carol A. - Alaska race

4. Cheryl & Rick G. - spring hike.

5. Constantine V. - Mountain biking

6. Curt W. - Bicycling to Canada

7. Dawn N. - Daily workout.

8. Denise R. - Hike to the "M"

9. Diane K. - 1st half marathon.

10. Diane M. and Janet K. - having some fun.

11. Don S. - scuba diving in Jamaica.



12. Tina E. - Hiawatha Trail 



13. Jaime L. - Placid Lake kayak.
WINNER 51 total votes, 24 2nd best photo votes

14. Jeffery Frank H. - hiking with the team.

15. Jessica G. - Yellowstone half marathon.

16. Kelly K. - The Cheri Wolf team.

17. Kelly K. - Color Me Rad race.

18. Laura T. - Mt. St. Helens hike in honor of Mom.
WINNER 78 total votes, 38 best photo votes

19. Lezlie M. - Blue Mountains.

20. Martin Z. - Off-roading.



21. Natasha C. - I Shouldn't Have Lifted That team Frisbee toss



22. Patrick N. - living up to the 1/2MarathonRunnah! name

23. Sondra J. - Team Zumba!

24. Stacy R. - Hiking with the dogs.

25. Steve Z. - a successful bear hunt.

26. Stevey S. - Crossfit deadlift of 165#.

27. Traci M. - O-Mok-See competition.

Schedule your health screening before August in 2014

This year, it is very important to get your health screening done by August.  Registration for 2014 Health Screenings is open!  Schedule NOW. 

We have scheduled PLENTY of health screening opportunities between now and August.

All employees, retirees, spouses and dependents the age of 18 or over on the State of Montana health plan are eligible for one State of Montana-sponsored health screening per year.  

Appointments are required! 

First time? Register at www.carehere.com using the access code MANA9 (you will only need to enter this code the first time you register).

Already registered? Visit www.carehere.com and use your current login information. Log in and schedule your health screening.

Need help?  Directions are here: http://www.benefits.mt.gov/pages/health.screenings.html.  

Frequently Asked Questions

·       Don’t I have to wait a full year between appointments?  No, you get one screening per plan year (a plan year is January – December).  It is STRONGLY recommended that you get a State-sponsored health screening before August this year.

·       Can I register now for a health screening if my appointment is not until July?  Yes, absolutely, it is recommended to schedule appointments now no matter when between now and August you choose to go.  The appointment system is open starting in January of each year for ANYTIME during the year you want your appointment. 

·       I live or travel near a health center and want my health screening done there.  How do I make an appointment?  Those going to a health center may make an appointment for any day between now and August.  Make the appointment on the “health screening morning schedule.”

·       Why the rush?  Last year, we had many members who waited (for one reason or another) until the fall to get their health screening.  This resulted in problems for many of our members.  Plus this will give you time to do the other things you’ll need to do for a discount.  More on that soon!

For assistance with scheduling/changing/checking a health screening appointment:

CareHere
(877) 423-1330 ~ help.montana@carehere.com

For other questions contact:

Health Care and Benefits Division
(406) 444-7462 - or - (800) 287-8266
TTY (406) 444-1421 ~ benefitsquestions@mt.gov

Registration for 2014 Health Screenings is Open. Schedule yours before August!

Attention State Employees:
Registration for 2014 Health Screenings is now open! 

NEW THIS YEAR!  All eligible members of the State of Montana health plan are encouraged to have their health screening by August 2014 - no matter when it was done in 2013. 

Discounts are even better this year – but you’ll need to do more

Complete details will be coming very soon – we will share them with you as soon as we can.  In addition to being a wonderful benefit, the health screening is the first step in our NEW incentive plan.  If you are interested in seeing you maximum discount, please be sure to schedule your screening prior to August 2014, and look for more details very soon. 

All employees, retirees, spouses and dependents the age of 18 or over on the State of Montana health benefit plan are eligible for one State of Montana sponsored health screening per year.  

Check out the full schedule and register: 

http://www.benefits.mt.gov/pages/health.screenings.html  

Don’t wait—schedule yours now! 

·       First time? Register at www.carehere.com using the access code MANA9 (you will only need to enter this code the first time you register).

·       Already registered? Visit www.carehere.com and use your current login information. Log in and schedule your health screening.

·       Need help?  Directions are here: http://www.benefits.mt.gov/pages/health.screenings.html.  

·       Appointments are required!  When you make an appointment, make sure to come at the time you choose to respect your fellow attendees. 

·       If you are registering at a health center in Helena, Miles City or Billings, choose whatever day you like, but remember to make the appointment on the morning health screening/lab schedule and note that it is for a health screening. 

*  *  *  *  *  *

For assistance with scheduling/changing/checking a health screening appointment:
CareHere
(877) 423-1330
help.montana@carehere.com

For other questions contact:

Health Care and Benefits Division
(406) 444-7462 - or - (800) 287-8266
TTY (406) 444-1421
benefitsquestions@mt.gov

Plan Now, Play Later

Save the Date!! 

Your State of Montana Wellness Programs, Live Life Well, will be at the Retirement health fair on October 23 from 10-2pm at the Capitol Rotunda in Helena, Montana.  Come down and ask if you have any questions about the 2 steps for the discount, how to get a health screening done, if you want to sign up for Healthy BINGO or the Holiday Challenge or have any questions about the direction of the wellness program. 

Oh, and all the information you might want about preparing for retirement - even if that seems like only a dream right now, RIGHT NOW is the time to start preparing, and they can tell you how.

See you then!

Annual Change is HERE! Attend a Presentation for VERY IMPORTANT CHANGES

Hi everyone,
Just a heads up in case you haven't heard - annual change has begun!  You really need to attend an annual change presentation this year - what you don't know CAN hurt your pocketbook!  Click here for the schedule: http://www.benefits.mt.gov/pages/annual.change.html

Pictures from the Stay Active Challenge!

Check out these wonderful pictures from your fellow participants!

Stay Active Challenge Pictures - 2013

“Camping at the Capital.”

Our group is (left to right): Ryan Bahnmiller, Chris Bacon, Amy Dominick, Liz Lee (back), Yvette Englert. (Glenna McClure not pictured)

As a team, we all enjoy Montana’s beautiful outdoors, in different ways. Ryan’s favorite activity is fishing, Chris’s is hiking, Amy’s is trail biking, Liz’s is ultimate Frisbee, Yvette’s is camping!

 

Blister Sisters Walking and Blister Sisters Cramping

Stephanie Grover Walks in the Rain

 

Wayward Wanderers

 

Denise Gjerde’s Team Mascot – Indy

 

Brett Wall at the Top of Mt. Baldy and Huckleberry picking

I have my "Live Life Well" shirt on! I just hiked to the top of MT Baldy 9462 feet elevation. My hiking partner (not a Stay Active member) said "We had a great time hiking"!

 

Hiked up Big Mountain Huckleberry Picking

 

DPHHS Billings (VR) team: Sharon Moore, Astghik Iknatian, Larissa Forseth, and LeAnn Aders. Missing from the photo are Sally Sjaastad, Jen Bernhardt, Mark Mahnke, and Nellie Tandy. 

 

Cynthia Davenport says, "The MSP Highwall Walkers, to close out the 8 week Stay Active challenge, enjoyed instruction in POUND, a full-body cardio jam session, combining light resistance with constant simulated drumming.  The class was taught by High wall walker Wanda Hislop’s daughter Michelle Post who owns a Dance and Fitness studio in Hamilton,MT. Michelle is the first certified instructor in POUND in Montana and we were her first class. It was a blast to see how fun physical fitness can be and the variety of options open to each of us. http://www.poundfit.com/."

Jeannie Keller at the finish of the York 38 Special

 

Renee Collinson says, “This was taken on one of the ice walls on Mt. Adams.”

 

Rick Bush ready for the Gallatin Valley Bicycle Club metric century bike ride (100 kilometers or in this case 67 miles)

 

Jeff Bollman says, “this is a picture that was taken of me during the Freedom Marathon on 6 July 2013 in Gresham, OR. I ran 4 marathons in 4 days starting on 7/4. And then ran the Missoula Marathon on Sunday on the way home after a vacation on the Oregon coast.”

 

*WINNER!*Amy Ophus says, “Here are some pictures of an event that team Cake did for the Governor’s challenge. A friend of mine made up this game but we altered it slightly and renamed it Cakeball. Basically it is similar to volleyball, except we use a big Pilates ball on a tennis court, and we are allowed to kick the ball in addition to using our arms and hands to get it over the net. It was our first time playing together and we each came out of it with about 7,500 extra steps. It was a blast and we all committed to playing it together every couple of weeks while the weather is still good. So far so good! (Back row, left to right) Emily Klungtvedt, Katie Guenther, Robin Sayler, (Front, left to right) Shaunda Wilson, Amy Ophus

 Stacy Knickerbocker says, “This is a picture from the Missoula Half Marathon (July 14^th).  This was my 11^th Half Marathon that I have completed since 2010 and my best race time to date, finishing in 2 hours 20 minutes.  I love running half marathons because it shows how far I have come.”