Your source for timely Benefits & Safety related news | Volume 6, Issue 3

Risk Management Staff

Chuck Richardson Director of Risk Management 334-625-2427

Benefits Division

Faye Gamble Employee Benefits Administrator

334-625-2692

Erika Levett Benefits Coordinator

Kim Neese Retirement Specialist

Angela Berry Benefits Assistant

City Hall 103 N. Perry St.

Ph: 334-625-3692 Fax: 334-625-4410

Safety & Claims Division

Joe Hicks Safety & Claims Administrator 334-625-2293

Georgia Middleton Claims Adjuster 334-625-2015

Stephanie Cosgrove Safety & Claims Assistant 334-625-3015

Elaine Rodgers Safety & Claims Assistant 334-625-2298

City Lot 934 N. Ripley St.

Fax: 334-625-3599

New Employee Orientation

*** New Employee

Orientation video is available online.

Monthly reminders are sent to department

payroll clerks.

***

In This Issue

Open Enrollment

———

Retirement Update

———

Voluntary Employee & Dependent Life

Insurance Reminder

———

Online Benefit Change Instructions

———

EAP Webinar

———

Amazon Pharmacy & PillPack

———

COVID-19 Vaccine Facts

———

Nutrition-Focused Food

———

Caring For The Caregiver

———

CareHere No Show Reminder

———

Thinking About Quitting?

1 April 2021

“If you only take small risks, you are only entitled to a small life.” - Robin S. Sharma

Open Enrollment Announcement The 2021 Open Enrollment period will be held May 3, 2021 - June 30, 2021 with

an October 1, 2021 effective date.

Similar to last year, the Open Enrollment presentation will be a video posted on

the City’s website to be viewed at your convenience. Your department payroll

clerk will provide enrollment instructions with the Colonial Benefit Counselors.

During this Open Enrollment period you can enroll, cancel, or make changes to

the following benefits:

Core Benefits Voluntary Colonial Products

Group Health Plan, Vision Insurance,

Flexible Spending Accounts, Voluntary

Employee & Dependent Life Insurance,

and Deferred Compensation

Group Specified Disease, Whole/Term

Life Insurance, Dental, Disability,

Accident, Cancer, and Hospital

Confinement

Reminder: Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts will

start October 1, 2021 this year.

ALL OPEN ENROLLMENT DETAILS WILL BE UPDATED IN THE OPEN ENROLLMENT SECTION OF OUR WEBPAGE:

www.montgomeryal.gov/work/city-employee-resources/benefits/how-to-enroll

Retirement Update The City’s Retirement Specialist, Kim Neese, is now under the Risk Management

Department Benefits Division. Her number will remain the same 334-625-2018.

Employees wishing to retire must contact Kim, 30-90 days prior to retirement

date, to submit your application and other forms. You can only retire on the first

day of a month.

Voluntary Employee & Dependent Life Insurance Reminder

As a reminder, the new Voluntary Employee & Dependent Life Insurance

coverage through MetLife went into effect February 1st.

Employees who were not already enrolled had the opportunity to enroll during

the Special Enrollment period (February 1st - March 31st) with a May 1st effective

date.

Going forward, anyone - with the exception of new hires - wishing to enroll in this

benefit will have to complete a medical questionnaire. New Hires can enroll

within 30 days of hire without completing the questionnaire.

Online Benefit Change Instructions

Benefit changes made outside of Open

Enrollment can only be made within 30

days of a qualifying event.

Employees needing to make changes to

their benefits will need to complete the

appropriate forms on the Benefits webpage

and either e-mail, fax, or hand-mail forms

to the Benefits Office.

Forms for the following benefits can be

completed on the webpage - Group Health

Plan, Vision Plan, Flexible Spending

Accounts, Colonial Life, Aflac, Liberty

National, and Employee & Dependent Life.

Other forms available online are the AHA

Private Physician, Tobacco Attestation, and

Prescription Prior Authorization and Drug

Claim forms.

*Visit www.montgomeryal.gov *Click City Employees at the top *Click Benefits on the left-hand side *Click Benefit Resources

Qualifying Event What You Need

Marriage or Divorce Marriage License or Divorce Decree

Birth of Adoption Birth Certificate or Adoption Records

Death of a Dependent Death Certificate

Gain or Loss of Other

Coverage

Proof of Coverage Letter Showing Coverage

Begin/End Date

Employee Group Health Plan Form

Enroll - Select New Contract as the Nature of Application

Adding Dependents - Select Add Dependent as the Nature

of Application. All current dependents should be included

on the form in addition to the new dependent.

Removing Dependents - Select Remove Dependent as the

Nature of Application. Do not include the dependent you

are removing on the form.

Changing Plans - Select Plan Change as the Nature of

Application. Select which medical plan you wish to transfer

to.

The Effective Date will be the date of the qualifying event.

2

Vision Enrollment/Change Form

Select the reason for the application at the top-right corner.

The Effective Date will be the 1st of the month following

receipt of your form.

FSA Enrollment/Change Form

Select the Qualifying Event for your change.

Select the Type of Change Requested.

Calculate Your New Election by dividing the total annual

amount by the remaining paychecks until September 30,

2021. Example: $1,000 annual election beginning May 1st has 11

remaining paychecks. Your new pay period amount is $90.91.

The Effective Date will be the 1st of the month following

receipt of your form.

3

April EAP Webinar

Living Debt Free

This webinar is an interactive session that teaches how to break the chain of debt, so you can start building wealth and

enjoying life. We will walk you through the process step by step, so you can start living debt free.

The webinar is available all month long on American Behavioral Wellbeing Website.

Visit www.americanbehavioral.com, click Member Login, sign in to the Wellbeing Website. Company Name -

Montgomery

Click the 2021 Monthly Webinar Calendar to view upcoming webinars.

Amazon Pharmacy and PillPack

Amazon announced a new pharmacy offering, Amazon Pharmacy. Amazon Pharmacy’s fulfillment is managed through

PillPack, an independently operated subsidiary of Amazon, and officially recognized as “PillPack by Amazon Pharmacy.”

Both Amazon Pharmacy and PillPack are powered by the same pharmacy - what’s the difference?

Amazon Pharmacy has the capability to fill common prescriptions and will deliver the member’s medication right to

their door. These prescriptions are provided in standard prescription bottles.

PillPack was established prior to Amazon Pharmacy and remains a distinct service for customers managing multiple

daily medications for chronic conditions. The medications are sorted into individual packets and delivered to the

member.

Amazon Pharmacy and PillPack participate in the Prime Therapeutics pharmacy network and is an option for City

employees.

If you are interested in transferring your prescriptions to either Amazon Pharmacy or PillPack, it’s important to know that

Amazon Pharmacy and PillPack are considered retail pharmacies that currently only offer a 30-day prescription option, do

not offer automatic refills and cannot dispense specialty drugs.

If members are receiving 90-day supplies from a different pharmacy and choose to move their prescription to Amazon

Pharmacy or PillPack, their copay could change from a 90-day copay to a retail 30-day copay.

More information online pharmacy.amazon.com.

COVID-19 Vaccine Facts

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama has published two COVID-19 Vaccine Flyers. Click each picture below to view each

flyer. These are also posted in the Coronavirus Resources Regarding Your Health Benefits section on the City Benefit

Resources webpage. www.montgomeryal.gov/work/city-employee-resources/benefits/benefit-resources

4

You have spent the past few months focused on who you are

by exploring your “why”, identity, and self-talk. With this

foundation in place, shift your focus to what you do. What

you eat, how often you exercise, and how well you sleep all

play a role in your health and wellness. Let’s start with

learning about nutritious food choices.

Food has a powerful impact on your health and how you feel.

If you nourish your body well, you can have more energy and

reduce your risk of developing chronic diseases. If you don’t

eat well, you can run low on energy and increase your risk for

health conditions. If you give food up altogether, you may

survive anywhere from 8 days to two months. However, if you

also go without water, you may only survive three days.

There are many foods to choose from and new foods hit the

grocery store shelves all the time. You are not alone if you

don’t always choose healthy foods.

Here are five guidelines from the updated Dietary Guidelines

for Americans to help you choose foods that can support your

health.

Aim for healthy eating patters as a general rule over your

lifetime.

Select nutritious foods and drinks that you enjoy, that

honor your culture, and that fit into your budget.

Enjoy foods from all food groups. If you exclude a food

group, be sure to replace the nutrition found in that food

group.

Eat the right amount of food to fuel your body and mind.

Choose less added sugars, saturated fats, sodium (salt),

and alcohol.

Connect with a certified health coach to find new ways to

choose foods that you enjoy and that keep you feeling

satisfied, energized, and healthy. According to the 2020 Food and Health Survey, Americans

choose foods mainly for how they taste and what they cost.

Only 60% of people choose foods for healthfulness.

CareHere is here to support you. Schedule an appointment by calling 877.423.1330 or using our CareHere app.

WELLNESS

WEBINAR

TUESDAY, APRIL 13

12:00PM CT

Just like your dream car, your body’s performance depends

on the fuel you choose.

During this 30-minute webinar, you will explore ways that food is fuel for

your body. You will review three strategies to choose foods that are

premium fuel to help you feel your best and keep your body healthy.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Balanced Living

Caring for the Caregiver In Oregon, Nicki makes weekly phone calls to her sister Rebecca,

who has Alzheimer’s. Rebecca lives 3,000 miles away in New York

City.

Stephanie and Doug share a New Jersey home with Stephanie’s frail

mother. They give her round-the-clock aid.

And Ruth, who lives in Maryland, does the food shopping and

cooking for her neighbor Scott, 93.

These people have one thing in common: They’re family caregivers.

“Family caregiving is the fastest-growing unpaid and often

unacknowledged occupation in this country,” says Lorraine Sailor,

operations coordinator at Children of Aging Parents, a nonprofit

charitable organization based in Levittown, PA.

A recent survey by the National Family Caregivers Association

(NFCA) found more than 54 million people give care each year.

About 56 percent are women, according to the survey.

Caregivers come in all shapes and sizes. They can be adult children,

spouses, siblings, friends, or neighbors, who help with daily activities

such as bathing, feeding, and clothing. The caregiver may be the only

person who can take a loved one to doctors’ appointments. The long-

distance caregiver may call weekly, help with expenses, or support

the main caregiver.

More than one relative helps out in some families, but most

caregivers do it alone. The NFCA survey found three out of four

caregivers don’t get consistent family help.

“Caregiving can be a truly rewarding experience,” says NFCA co-

founder and President Suzanne Mintz. It can be a time to heal old

wounds, end conflicts, and improve relationships. It can be a chance

to serve a loved one.

But caregiving also can be demanding and time-consuming. It may

even raise your risk of stress-related disorders.

“Many of us believe in honoring our parents and take our marriage

vows seriously,” Ms. Mintz says. “But the work of caregiving goes

well beyond what we can do. Asking for help is a sign of your love

and caring, not of weakness and shame. It is much more than a one-

person job.”

How To Succeed

These tips are drawn from professional, government, and charitable

groups: the American Society on Aging, the Federal Administration

on Aging, the Family Caregiver Alliance, Children of Aging Parents,

and the National Family Caregivers Association.

Don’t Go It Alone

Ask others for help. Start with family and friends. Keep less

engaged family members informed. Set up a family conference,

seek suggestions, and talk about disagreements.

Ask families with similar problems how they handles them.

Involve the person you’re caring for. If possible, help the person

take responsibility and join in decisions.

Learn about your loved one’s condition. Find specialists for

information and guidance.

Tap local, state, and national resources. They can offer help with

transportation, nutrition, or day care.

Watch For Problems

Mental and physical signs of caregiver stress:

A lot of anger or fear

A tendency to overreact

Feeling depressed, isolated, or overburdened

Thoughts of guilt, shame, or inadequacy

Taking on more than you can handle

Headaches

Digestive upsets

Weight loss or gain

Trouble sleeping

Fatigue

Illness

Take Time Out

Be good to yourself. Take time away from caregiving and don’t

neglect your personal and professional:

Gets lots of rest and exercise

Enjoy relaxing music

Eat nutritious meals

Visit with friends and plan leisure activities

Do deep breathing

Read a magazine

Don’t abuse alcohol or drugs, or overeat

Keep a sense of humor

Write your feelings in a journal

Do spiritual meditation

Set limits on what you can and cannot do

Realize you’re doing the best you can

Join a support group

Use community resources for help

Get Help

It’s OK not to have all the answers. Seek help when you need it

most:

Call a support hotline. Just having someone listen may help.

Speak with a counselor. A professional can help you understand your situation.

Talk with your religious adviser.

Attend a support group. Groups can explain your loved one’s condition, ease tension, and provide a sense of what’s important.

5

6

Caring for the Caregiver

continued...

General Assistance

AARP: Advocacy group with publications on aging, including recent legislation.

Children of Aging Parents: information on caregiving and referrals to support groups, care managers, and other resources.

Family Caregiver Alliance: Covers medical, social, public policy, and caregiving issues inked to brain impairments.

National Council on Aging: Information and advocacy.

National Family Caregivers Association: Dedicated to aiding caregivers through education, research, and support.

National Institute on Aging: Conducts and supports research, training, and information on aging.

Well Spouse Foundation: Offers support to people caring for a sick spouse who need emotional care themselves.

Religious organizations often provide additional assistance.

The StayWell Company, LLC

Good To Know

CareHere No Show Policy Reminder

The CareHere No Show Policy was established October 1,

2014 in order to utilize the Wellness Centers more

efficiently.

This policy states any employee, or dependent of that

employee, who fails to attend a scheduled appointment or

is more than 10 minutes late for an appointment will be

considered a No Show.

After the first No Show, the employee is sent a warning

letter. Any subsequent No Show thereafter, the employee is

charged a $25 No Show Fee deducted from their paycheck.

You can cancel up to 10 minutes before your scheduled

appointment either by calling CareHere, online, or the

CareHere mobile app.

Thinking About Quitting?

The U.S. Surgeon General has said, “Smoking cessation (stopping smoking) represents the single most important step that

smokers can take to enhance the length and quality of their lives.” Quitting is hard, but you can increase your chances of

success with help. Here are some different tools you can use to help you quit now. Remember there isn’t one right way to

quit so find out which quit smoking method might work for you.

www.montgomeryal.gov/work/city-employee-resources/benefits

CareHere offers a “Be A Quitter” Tobacco Cessation

Program for all insured employees who wish to break free

from tobacco.

This comprehensive 8-week program leads you through

designing your personal plan to quit or cut back on

nicotine. It is based on psychology, the theory of behavior

change, and addiction research. You decide your pace as

you build your skills to quit and remain tobacco-free.

For more information, contact your CareHere medical

provider 1-877-423-1330 who will schedule you a tobacco

health coach appointment.

The Alabama Tobacco Quitline (1-800-QUIT NOW) is

a free telephone and online coaching service for any

Alabamian ready to quit tobacco.

Information, referrals, and counseling are confidential, and

sessions are on a schedule convenient for the caller. Those

who enroll in the counseling program can receive, if

medically eligible, up to eight weeks of nicotine patches to

assist in quitting. Call 1-800-QUIT NOW (1-800-784-8669)

or visit www.quitnowalabama.com to enroll in the

program. All services are free for Alabama residents.