| It was about this time last year when 22 FirstCarolinaCare Insurance Company (FCC) employees decided to take part in 'Biggest Loser," a departmental competition to lose weight and feel better. In addition to helping employees improve their health, FCC also started the program to set a lifestyle example for health plan subscibers. Both program goals were achieved. Together, the 22 FCC employees lost a total of 193 pounds. They continue to lose weight through supplementary "Biggest Loser" compeitions, and other employers have taken FCC's lead and offered similar programs to their employees. |
The Country Club of North Carolina, CCNC, has developed a similar weightloss program for employees called "The Birdies Club." The goal of "The Birdies Club" is to improve the overall wellness of employees with a focus on weight loss.
23 CCNC employees participated in the eight-week program that was coordinated by Kelly Shaw, accounting manager. Each participant paid a $10 registration fee as well as a weekly $1 "weigh-in" fee.
Weekly winners were awarded the collected "weigh-in" fees for the most pounds lost and the highest percentage of weight loss.
At the end of the program's eight weeks, the money collected from the registration fee was awarded to the participants with the greatest number of pouinds lost and the highest percentage of weight loss. |
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| Steve Scarboro (left) and Richard Gratton took the top prizes in CCNC's "Birdies Club" weight-loss challenge. Scarboro, who lost a total of 26.4 pounds, won for the greatest nunber of pounds lost and Gratton, who lost a total of 9.15% of his weight, won for the highest percentage of weight loss. |
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Overall winners of “The Birdies Club” program were Steve Scarboro, who works in golf course maintenance; and Richard Gratton, horticulturalist. Scarboro lost a total of 26.4 pounds, and Gratton lost 9.15 percent of his weight. The collective weight loss for all participants was 159.9 pounds.
“Despite the competition factor, everyone was very supportive of each other in reaching their weight-loss goals,” said Shaw. “Even though the program has ended, employees continue to be committed to getting healthy and losing weight. Some folks continue to come in and weigh.”
Given the program’s success, CCNC began a second “Birdies Club” in January. The second program will last 10 weeks, and employees were divided into teams for the weight-loss competition.
If you would like to learn more about establishing a weight-loss program at your worksite, contact FirstCarolinaCare at (910) 715-8100.
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| Work-Site Health Fair Leads to a Scary Discovery for a Participant |
Travis Nickens, owner of Travis L. Nickens Land Surveying,
hadn’t been to the doctor in nearly six years until Cindy Hardee, R.N., health care
coordinator with
FirstCarolinaCare, came to his
place of business on June 28,
2007, to conduct a health fair.
The health fair consisted of
free blood pressure and
cholesterol screenings for all of
the company’s staff. Nickens
may have benefited more than
anyone from the screenings
offered that day as he discovered
that he had dangerously high
blood pressure.
“I had a routine of going to
Biscuitville on Friday for
breakfast, but on this particular
Friday, Cindy had other plans for
me,” he says. “She sent me
straight to my doctor’s office.”
Nickens’ blood pressure was
170 over 110, but like nearly
one-third of Americans with high
blood pressure, he didn’t know
he had it.
“High blood pressure is often
called the ‘silent killer,’ because often times there are no symptoms,” says Hardee. “Stroke is the biggest concern when
it comes to high blood pressure, and it could have been likely
for Travis had his high blood pressure not been caught.”
Nickens is now on medication
to lower his blood pressure, and he’s lost nearly 10 pounds. “I’m glad FirstCarolinaCare offers these screenings to employees,” he says. “The scary thing is having no symptoms and having no idea that my blood pressure was that high.”
FirstCarolinaCare continues to visit Travis L. Nickens Land
Surveying every three months to
conduct follow-up blood pressure
screenings for the employees, and
Nickens plans to host another
health fair for employees later
this year.
There are more stories out there
like Travis’s, and FirstCarolinaCare
plans to share those stories with
you throughout future issues of
Health Messenger. It’s important
for employees to take advantage
of the work-site health fairs offered
by their employers. The results could change your life.
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| Are you at risk for high blood pressure? |
Several risk factors may contribute to high blood pressure and increase your risk for heart attack and stroke. While there are a few risk factors that you can't control, such as race, heredity and age, the following are factors that you can control.
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| Being overweight |
| Even losing 10 pounds can help to reduce blood pressure. |
| Unhealthy diet |
| Avoid a diet high in salt and eat more fruits and vegetables. |
| Stress |
| Learn to manage stress. |
| Drinking too much alcohol |
| Excess alcohol raises blood pressure. |
| Lack of physical activity |
| Incorporating 30 minutes of exercise in your day can lower blood pressure. |
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| Tablet Splitting Can Save You Money |
Did you know that members
participating in the tablet-splitting
program, “Split the Pill, Split Your Bill,”
saved an average of $17 per
prescription each month? That’s right.
During the first year of the tablet-splitting
program, 22 percent of eligible
members took advantage of the 50
percent cost-savings and saved $16,753
on 940 prescriptions for Crestor®,
Lipitor® and simvastatin.
FCC recently expanded the tabletsplitting
program. So if you take
Benicar®, Benicar HCT®, Crestor®,
Lamictal®, Lexapro®, Lipitor®,
pravastatin or simvastatin, talk with
your physician to see if tablet splitting
is right for you. For more information
on “Split the Bill, Split Your Bill,” visit
www.firstcarolinacare.com. |
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| A Friendly Pharmacy Reminder |
When you receive a NEW FCC insurance card, please remember to give it to your pharmacist when you hav a prescription filled or refilled. This will help ensure that your pharmacy benefits information has been updated and is correct. This will also help to avoid unnecessary delays at the pharmacy.
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| Coverage of Zyrtec OTC® tablets and syrup |
Effective February 1, 2008, FirstCarolinaCare Insurance Company (FCC) began covering the newly available Zyrtec OTC® tablets and syrup
at the $10 copayment level just like Claritin and Claritin-D. Zyrtec OTC®
contains the same active ingredient (cetirizine), at the same strength as prescription-only Zyrtec®. This allows you to get the same prescription strength
medication at a fraction of the price. By changing to Zyrtec OTC® and only paying a $10 copayment, you can save $30 to $40 per month.
In order for FCC to cover Zyrtec OTC®, Claritin® or Claritin-D® at
the $10 copayment level, you MUST have a prescription from your
physician and have it filled at your pharmacy. Please make sure the
prescription is written for Zyrtec OTC®. If the prescription is just written for “Zyrtec,” you will receive the prescription-only Zyrtec® at the non-preferred
third tier copayment.
Discuss with your physician if Zyrtec OTC®, Claritin® or Claritin-D®
may be options for your allergy needs. |
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| Changes to Certificate of Coverage |
| FCC has made some changes to the Certificate of Coverage to reflect FCC’s new name and several benefit enhancements. The updated document was mailed to subscriber homes recently. Please replace your old Certificate of Coverage with the 2008 version. If you did not receive an updated copy of the Certificate of Coverage, please call us at (910) 715-8123. You may also download a copy from our web site. |
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| New Providers |
Linda J. Aycock, LPC
Behavioral Health Care of the
Carolinas-NC Mentor
Robert C. Allen, LPC
Moore Regional Hospital
Behavioral Health Services
Amanda M. Bullard, LCSW
Debra M. Parker, NNP
Tracey S. Robertson, N.P.
Paul M. Heimbecker, M.D, PA
Benjamin K. Merritt, M.D.
Performance
Rehabilitation Corp
Jason S. Osborne, P.T.
Pinehurst Dermatology, P.A.
Pamela J. Guest, M.D.
Pinehurst Medical Clinic, Inc.
Lori L. Plamondon, P.A.
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Pinehurst Skin Surgery Center
Candace W. King, M.D.
Sandhills Medical Group
Mostafa Kurdi, M.D.
Cindy B. White, N.P.
Sanford Pediatrics, P.A.
Cary R. Keifer, M.D.
Tammy L. Lloyd, M.D.
Jennifer E. McCord, M.D.
Shipyard Medical Center
Christopher F. Donovin, P.A.-C
Stanly Medical Services
LaMonica Y. Barnum, M.D.
Summit Family Medicine
Pamela A. Penner, M.D.
Wagram Family Practice
Taneka M. Hill, M.D |
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