I. RxAmerica — U & Your Benefits Newsletter

The recent newsletter on the UPlan's pharmacy benefits manager, RxAmerica, covers a range of topics that will also be useful for new employees in understanding and using the program. We will send copies of the newsletter to you to provide to new employees (while the supply lasts), and we will post the PDF on the Benefits Web site in the Pharmacy section.

The newsletter calls attention to the importance of increasing the use of generic drugs as a means to help control health care costs. To get a perspective on how many prescriptions RxAmerica processes for UPlan members, here are some numbers from the March report:

1. 18,065 members have received a total of 79,373 prescriptions through RxAmerica since January 1.
2. The generic drug use rate continues to rise — hitting 57.2% during the month of March and now at 56.1% for the year to date. (Note: The overall 2005 generic drug use rate was about 45 to 47 percent.)

II. Countdown for Health Connections from UPlan Wellness

Time is running out for faculty and staff to earn $65 for completing the UPlan Wellness Assessment through Health Connections.

Encourage UPlan members to answer a confidential, online, 20-minute questionnaire about their health habits, nutrition, and fitness goals no later than Sunday, April 30, 2006, to be eligible to receive the $65 wellness reward.

Employees can earn another $65 reward by connecting to one of the following health improvement options:

1. Online, self-paced instruction to eat right, get fit, and more
2. Health coaching by phone for lifestyle or disease management
3. UPlan Wellness-sponsored, health action program scheduled for later this year

Again, remind employees to act now to discover the rewards of better health (PDF).

Direct comments or inquiries to well@umn.edu or call: 612-626-WELL (9355) or 1-888-433-WELL (9355).

III. 1st Wednesday Wellness Walks

Mark your calendar: 1st Wednesday Wellness Walks are back! UPlan Wellness invites employees to take a 20-minute walk on work time beginning at 1 p.m. on the first Wednesday of the month from May through September.

An invitation to walk for the health of it will arrive in employees' campus mailboxes shortly. (PDF)

IV. Enrollment and other benefits material

Send in the request card or contact Katie Willer at will0962@hr-mail.ohr.umn.edu if you need copies of:

1. Guide to UPlan Benefits Enrollment 2006
2. New Employee Orientation invitation (Twin Cities campus)
3. COBRA Rates and Instructions and application
4. Applications for basic or optional coverage
5. Other materials such as extra copies of the U & Your Benefits newsletter or Benefits Events calendar

Reminder

We'd like to keep our database up-to-date, and that means we need your help! If you're leaving the department or University or changing job responsibilities, please contact Katie at will0962@hr-mail.ohr.umn.edu. And if you happen to know who your replacement will be, we'd like to have that information too.

Editor: Betty Gilchrist
Contact at b-gilc@umn.edu or 612-626-8653