DiscoverYouHealth and Wellness for Busy Education Employees

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 6

Stress reliefTips for managing stress at

work and at home (Page 3)

Your own nurseInformation on MESSA’s member

education and support programs (Page 7)

Online upgradesEnhancements to MESSA’s

member portal (Page 2)

(Page 4)

MESSA DiscoverYou2

MESSA staff profile Online upgradesMESSA enhances online member portal

MESSA recently relaunched its secure member portal with

enhancements designed to help simplify account management.

The member portal is a communications hub where members can

find out how much they owe toward their plan deductible(s), review

claims, request new ID cards and more. The site includes links to find

in-network doctors or other providers, take a health risk assessment

and go paperless for account statements.

The enhancements include:

• New home page dashboard

• Easier-to-find links to most-used features

• Improved navigation

• Improved design for mobile devices

If you’ve previously visited the MESSA portal, you will use your existing

username and password to log in from messa.org.

If you haven’t accessed the portal before, you’ll need to register

at messa.org. Registration takes just a few minutes and you will need

your Social Security number or MESSA enrollee ID plus other identifying

information to get started.

MESSA DiscoverYou Health and Wellness for Busy Education Employees is an official publication of MESSA, 1475 Kendale Blvd., P.O. Box 2560, East Lansing, MI 48826-2560. Frequency of issue is six (6) issues per year. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to MESSA, P.O. Box 2560, East Lansing, MI 48826-2560 or via e-mail at MESSADiscoverYou@messa.org. Allow at least three weeks for change of address to take effect. © 2016 by MESSA

Kevin Brown MESSA Member Service Specialist Kevin Brown says helping education employees provides him with a sense of accomplishment that makes it easy to come into work each day. Brown, a Haslett native who’s worked at MESSA for four years, says he treats every member with the same courtesy with which he’d want to be treated. “Whether the question is easy or complicated, or whether the member is happy or upset, it is my job to help in an efficient and respectful man-ner,” Brown says. “It is also important for me to be patient, listen to the mem-ber’s needs, and put myself in his or her shoes. Communication is key!” Brown says he particularly enjoys the challenge of handling complicat-ed issues as they arise, such as this ex-ample of a billing error from a doctor that Brown helped correct: “There is nothing better than resolving an issue that has taken weeks, and then calling a member to inform them they don’t have to pay a several thousand dollar bill from a provider that they were not expecting to pay in the first place.” Brown lives in Charlotte with his wife and their two children. In his free time, he enjoys golf, running and beach volleyball.

Back-to-school time can be particularly stressful for school employees. If you feel tired and have decreased productivity at work, have nagging

headaches or trouble sleeping, these may be symptoms of unmanaged stress. MESSA can help you manage your stress — and improve your health too.

Stress affects your health Stress can affect your body in many ways and can lead to health problems like high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and diabetes. Constant stress can cause you to become sick more often or make chronic illnesses worse.

Stress can impact your work Rollin McCraty, Ph.D., director of research at HeartMath institute, told Education World that stressed school employees “affect their environment, both personal and professional.” “Often, they are exhausted from lack of sleep and over-work, which has an impact on their preparation, their class demeanor, and their relationships with others in school,” McCraty said.

Recognizing and reducing stress There are many strategies to manage stress effectively, including:• Increasing your physical activity• Eating healthier• Talking with your doctor if you feel overwhelmed• Getting adequate rest• Using meditation and other relaxation techniques

How MESSA can help MESSA covers mental health and substance abuse ser-vices when medically necessary and provided by an eligible provider. In addition, when high stress leads to a chronic condi-tion, MESSA’s professional nurse educators in our diabetes, asthma and cardiovascular member education and sup-port programs give members one-on-one support. Just call 800.336.0022, prompt 3. MESSA can’t completely relieve your stress — but we do provide the comprehensive benefits and personal service that can help you get the support you need to successfully deal with it. For information about your benefits, call 800.336.0013.

MESSA DiscoverYou 3

Organize a local stress management sessionMESSA’s health promotion consultants,

Rhonda Jones and Mona Tropf, offer free stress

management lunch-and-learns to groups

of members. To inquire about organizing

a lunch-and-learn in your area, email

healthpromotions@messa.org.

Tackling stressTips for managing stress effectively

MESSA DiscoverYou4

‘MESSA always had our backs’Bellaire teacher praises MESSA for helping daughter through many challenges

Bellaire Public Schools teacher Sheree Robinson with her husband, Brock, and their children, Riley Kate (left), Cole and Grace.

Bellaire Public Schools teacher Sheree Robinson says MESSA went the extra mile to reunite her with her newborn daughter and has provided

“phenomenal” service in the 13 years since. Robinson was seven months pregnant with twins — a boy and a girl — when she underwent an emergency cesarean section at Munson Medical Center in Traverse City. During a test that morning, Grace’s soon-to-be-born daughter did not show any heart accelerations. (An accelerated heartbeat prior to birth is normal and signifies the fetus is receiving adequate oxygen.) This prompted doctors to conduct further testing that indicated Robinson’s daughter was in distress. Hours after delivery, doctors discovered that Robinson’s newborn daughter, Grace, had a blood clot that impaired her kidney function. The 3-pound, 10-ounce girl was transported from Traverse City to Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids, where there was a pediatric nephrologist on staff. “I had her at night, and when I woke up in the morning, they told me they were transporting her down to DeVos,” Robinson recalled. “So I didn’t really see her at all for almost the first three weeks of her life.” For those three weeks, Robinson stayed in Traverse City with Grace’s twin, Cole, who required observation and treatment in Munson’s neonatal intensive care unit. Her husband, Brock, was with Grace in Grand Rapids. Their 16-month-old daughter, Riley Kate, stayed in Bellaire — an hour away from Traverse City — with grandparents. Grace’s clot cleared and through tests it was determined that she was stable and no longer needed the care of a pediatric nephrologist. Staff at DeVos told Robinson that Grace should stay at the Grand Rapids hospital until she was ready to go home for good. But Robinson had other ideas: “I had not seen my daughter since birth and wanted the family reunited.”

MESSA DiscoverYou 5

“When Grace was nine months old, she couldn’t hold her head up,” Robinson said. “Once she started physical therapy, I could see incredible improvement each week. At 18 months old, Grace started walking.”

Robinson called MESSA to see if it would cover medical transportation to bring Grace back from Grand Rapids and reunite her at Munson with her mother and twin brother. The answer was yes. “MESSA covered it, and the charge nurse at DeVos couldn’t believe it,” Robinson said. “It took an extra day for the reunion because she didn’t believe it.” “The service you get with MESSA is phenomenal,” Robinson said. “With most insurance companies, when they say they will pay for something, it’s the most they will do. With MESSA, they’ll go the extra mile.” The challenges didn’t end there. Grace has a mild form of cerebral palsy and has received physical and occupational therapy since she was 9 months old. Robinson said MESSA has covered necessary therapy visits and she credits MESSA for helping Grace make remarkable progress. “When Grace was 9 months old, she couldn’t hold her head up,” Robinson said. “Once she started physical therapy, I could see incredible improvement each week. At 18 months old, Grace started walking.” These days, Grace plays team sports, including softball, volleyball and basketball.

“She would not have the motor skills she does today if it weren’t for that early intervention therapy,” Robinson said. “MESSA always had our backs and still does.” “Some insurance companies are always looking for ways to deny you instead of finding ways to help,” she said. “I’ve never felt that way with MESSA.”

These days, Grace, pictured left, enjoys playing softball, basketball

and volleyball.

Grace at 9 months old.

MESSA DiscoverYou6

A leading expert on healthy and delicious eating will headline MESSA’s 2016 worksite wellness conference near East Lansing.

The Oct. 14 event is offered to individuals and groups that organize school wellness activities; there is no charge to attend. Kristen Johnson is a registered dietitian and director of marketing for On Target Living, an East Lansing-based company that helps individuals take small steps to healthy living. Johnson travels the world inspiring people to live deliciously; she began her career in the retail world as a corporate dietitian for Meijer Inc. In addition to hearing from Johnson, conference partic-ipants will learn more about engaging wellness activities and reducing health care costs. The conference is at Eagle Eye Conference Center. Call 800.292.4910 or email healthpromotions@messa.org to register. The event is free but space is limited.

Worksite wellness conference planned

for Oct. 14

Asthma: MESSA’s asthma nurse educator, Susan Jahn, can help you understand asthma, identify common asthma triggers, learn how to monitor asthma and figure out the right questions to ask during doctor visits. Jahn can also help you develop an asthma action plan with your doctor.

Diabetes: Members who sign up for the diabetes program will work with Rachelle Twichell, MESSA’s diabetes nurse educator. Twichell can provide important information, en-couragement and guidance to help you reach your diabetes health goals. You’ll also receive helpful information about MESSA coverage for diabetes education programs, equip-ment and supplies.

Heart health: Cathy Scott-Lynch, MESSA’s cardiovascular nurse educator, can work directly with you to help develop a personal heart health action plan, including strategies you can use to make better lifestyle choices. You’ll learn how to identify and track your key health risk numbers, including blood pressure, blood sugar, and good and bad cholesterol, with an eye toward risk reduction.

Hypertension: Sue Silvernail, MESSA’s hypertension nurse educator, can help members with high blood pressure. Silvernail can provide you with personal assistance, materials and resources to help you manage your blood pressure and improve your heart health.

MESSA DiscoverYou 7

Your own RN Members have access to free personal support from a MESSA nurse

Managing a chronic condition can be overwhelming. There’s a lot you need to know to properly keep your condition in check, avoid medical crises and improve your quality of life.

That’s where MESSA’s member education and support programs can help. MESSA nurses can provide one-on-one guidance and help you manage certain health conditions. MESSA has member education and support programs for asthma, diabetes and cardio-vascular health, each with its own dedicated nurse who works with members and provides important information, motivation and support to help them reach their health goals. The car-diovascular health program, for example, helps members identify and track blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol. Each program provides to members and their dependents: • Access to specially-trained nurses who provide personal one-on-one support • Educational materials such as books, fliers, pamphlets and videos • Tips for improving the patient-doctor relationship

More about MESSA’s free member

education and support programs

For more information on MESSA’s member education and support programs, call 800.336.0022, prompt 3.

MESSA logo revisions. December 3, 2009 • TAGLINE FONT: Univers Condensed 57

1475 Kendale Blvd., P.O. Box 2560

East Lansing, Michigan 48826-2560

MESSA DiscoverYou8

This tasty and easy-to-prepare snack provides a healthier alternative to

beef nachos on tortilla chips. Unlike regular nachos, these reheat well in

the microwave, making them a great option for packed lunches.

• 3 bell peppers • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• 1 pound ground turkey • 1/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt

• 1 teaspoon chili powder • 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 3/4 cup salsa • 1 cup grated cheddar cheese, reduced-fat

1. Slice each pepper vertically into six pieces and set aside.

2. Cook ground turkey over medium heat until brown, breaking it up

as it cooks.

3. Combine turkey with salsa and spices. Mix and spoon into pepper

slices. Top with cheese.

4. Bake on parchment-lined baking sheet for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Makes 18 boats. Per two-boat serving: 145 calories, 9 grams fat, 4 grams

carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 13 grams protein.

Adopted from skinnyms.com.

Bell pepper nacho boats