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Physical Well-Being


The City promotes wellness for City employees in a number of ways. This website describes what we have in place, and also offers other resources to help you take charge of your health.

Find this month's health observance and tips.


Weight Watchers Savings

The City of Seattle provides special savings on selected weight-loss solutions. Save 50% on Weight Watchers programs; additional $30 reimbursement each year for attending meetings at the recommendation of your physician. City employees and covered dependents age 18 and over with City medical coverage may enroll.

Enroll at wellness.weightwatchers.com with Employer ID: 62344, Employer Passcode: WW62344. You'll also need to include the Employee Number, the last 4 numbers of the participant's Social Security number, the participant's date of birth (numeric format, no leading zeroes, separated by slashes; e.g. 10/3/1956), and credit card information. The address for all City of Seattle Weight Watchers' members is 700 Fifth Avenue, Seattle WA 98104.

Go to Weight Watchers Services and Pricing, Reimbursement form.

Weight Watchers At-Work Meetings

Want the convenience of a Weight Watchers At-Work Meeting? Contact the City coordinator listed below for more details.

Day

Start Time

Location

Contact

Monday

11:45 am

SMT 1600

Sonja: 3-1566

Wednesday

11:45 am

SMT 1940/46

Carolyn: 4-7832



Healthy Vending Program

Healthier snack options will be coming this summer to your work site vending machine. City Council adopted the Healthy Vending Ordinance which changes the percentage of healthier food and beverage options in vending machines on City property to 50%. See the Healthier Options flyer and watch the Take Charge! wellness newsletter for a healthy vending survey and taste test opportunities!

Activities and Programs

Quit Smoking

You know tobacco is bad for you, you've heard why a hundred times. And deep down, you know the benefits of quitting. Yet, no matter how hard you try, you can't seem to quit for good. It's hard to escape from such a powerful addiction. You can break free. Just because you've tried before and didn't quit for good, doesn't mean you can't. Every time you try to quit you learn something new. And if you have quit for any length of time, you've probably already felt it: the wonderful freedom of not being addicted to tobacco.

Click here for Frequently Asked Questions, the Health Benefits of Quitting Smoking, Approaching Friends and Loved Ones, or How to Help When Coworkers Quit.

Regardless of where you are in the process, Quit for Life can help.

Quit for Life offers one of the most successful tobacco treatment programs available today. Why? Because they can help you quit your way - they find out what has worked for you in the past and what hasn't. Then they create a quit plan just for you that includes:
  • One-on-one phone-based sessions scheduled at your convenience
  • Toll-free telephone access to our Quit Coaches for the duration of the program
  • Recommendations for medications like the nicotine patch or gum
  • Delivery of recommended nicotine replacement products (such as the patch, gum, or lozenge)
  • A Quit Guide designed to help you stay on track between calls

For nearly 20 years, Quit for Life has helped thousands of people quit using tobacco. Be one of them, and be free.

To enroll call 1-866-QUIT-4-LIFE (1-866-784-8454).

Flu Shot Program

In the fall, the City of Seattle organizes flu shot clinics at multiple work site locations so that it is convenient for employees to get the vaccine that protects you, your family members, and co-workers. The flu shot program schedule is posted on the Benefits Calendar during the months of October-December.

The following are facts about the influenza vaccine according to the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.
  • Influenza can be prevented with safe, effective vaccines.
  • To protect young children more than 6 months of age from influenza and its complications, adults, other household members of young children, and out-of-home caregivers of children more than 6 months should be vaccinated.
  • On average, 36,000 people in the U.S. die each year from influenza and complications arising from influenza, including an average of 92 deaths each year in children more than 5 years old. Greater than 90% of those deaths occur in persons 65 years and older.
  • During the 1990's, an average of 200,000 people were hospitalized each year for influenza-related complications.
  • Total direct hospitalization costs of a severe influenza epidemic are estimated to be over $3 billion.
  • Inactivated influenza vaccine is paid for by Medicare Part B if the health care provider accepts the Medicare-approved payment amount.
  • Because influenza viruses can change from year to year and because protection from the vaccine does not last more than 1 year, an annual influenza immunization is necessary each fall.
  • Influenza vaccine will not protect you from respiratory infections caused by viruses other than influenza. Many respiratory illnesses are often called "the flu", but only some of these illnesses are actually caused by the influenza virus.
  • Influenza can worsen chronic heart disease, lung disease and diabetes, and can lead to bacterial or viral pneumonia.

Preventive Care

Preventive care is available through most City of Seattle medical plans, subject to applicable copays and co-insurances. Services may include flu shots, immunizations, mammograms, routine physical exams, well woman care, colon cancer screenings, and well baby care. Contact your health care provider to make a preventive care appointment.

Start! Walking Day

The City of Seattle celebrates national Start! Walking Day in April by hosting an organized employee walking event from City Hall to Pike Place Market. Sponsored by the American Heart Association, this event highlights the importance of getting physical activity every day to reduce the risk of heart disease. On this special day, show your support by wearing your sneakers to work, take a 30-minute walk during the day, and make a pledge to live a longer, healthier life.

Disease Management

Aetna Health Connections
Aetna Health Connections is a disease management program aimed at helping individuals with chronic conditions. The program addresses 37 common chronic diseases and conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, low back pain, obesity, migraines, and asthma. Additionally, Aetna Health Connections nurses and clinicians can provide support if an individual suffers from more than one condition. See the chart below for a list of the supported diseases and conditions.

Individuals may be identified for Health Connections participation through their physician or self-referral. Requests may be submitted through the Aetna Navigator website at www.aetnanavigator.com, Aetna patient management staff, or by submitting medical or pharmacy claims data. You also may enroll by calling 1-866-269-4500. Supported diseases and conditions in the Health Connections program are listed below:

Vascular

Pulmonary

Orthopedic

Oncology

Congestive Heart Failure

Asthma (adult & children)

Osteoporosis

Breast cancer

Diabetes (adult & children)

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Rheumatoid arthritis

Lung cancer

Coronary artery disease

 

Osteoarthritis

Lymphoma/
leukemia

Peripheral artery disease

 

Chronic low back pain

Prostrate cancer

Hypertension

 

 

Colorectal cancer

Cerebrovascular disease/stroke

 

 

General cancer

Hyperlipidemia      

Gastrointestinal

Neurological

Other

GERD (gastro esophageal/
reflux disease)

Geriatrics

Obesity

Peptic ulcer disease

Migraines

Chronic kidney disease

IBD (Crohn’s disease  & ulcerative colitis)

Seizure disorders

Sickle cell  disease (adult & children)

Chronic hepatitis

Parkinsonism

Cystic fibrosis

 

 

End-stage renal disease

 

 

Low back pain

 

 

HIV

 

 

Hypercoagulable state


Information

Lunch and Learns

These sessions are provided to City of Seattle employees during the lunch hour so that you have access to health information such as starting a walking program, tips for getting your family active, nutrition, and additional topics.

Health promotion lunch and learn dates and times are posted throughout the year on the Benefits Calendar.

Example Sessions
  • Activating Your Motivation
  • Time is on My Side
  • Nutrition 101 - Eating for Optimal Health
  • Maximize Your Energy-Stress Management
  • Meeting the Challenge of Cancer
  • Balancing Home and Work Life

Take Charge! Wellness Newsletter

The City of Seattle Personnel Department produces a monthly newsletter to help you take charge of your health with information and resources on important topics that are of the most interest to City employees such as heart disease, understanding and recovering from back pain, healthy relationships, and cancer prevention.

We hope these tips on good nutrition, exercise, preventive care, and managing chronic disease give you the necessary tools to take better care of yourself and your family. The newsletter also includes suggestions on how to use your benefits effectively, saving you and your family money as you take good care of your health and well-being.

This month's edition — June 2013 Edition

Click on the following links for past editions of Take Charge!

2013



2012



Focus on Wellness


Health and Wellness Fairs

The City of Seattle Personnel Department organizes health and wellness fairs each year for City employees. During the month of March you may attend a fair either at a downtown, north, or south Seattle location. There are a wide range of health checks to choose from such as bone density, blood glucose, blood pressure, cholesterol, and body mass index. In addition, health and wellness professionals staff the fairs to provide information on a variety of topics: nutrition, acupuncture, quitting tobacco, sun protection, and physical activity to name a few.

The wellness fairs are posted on the Benefits Calendar during the months of February and March.

Wellness Tools

The City of Seattleprovides voluntary and confidential wellnesstools through our medical plans to help you and your dependents age 18 or over determine your health risks now and plan for a healthier future.You may access the assessment programs conveniently from work or home. The registration processes are quick, easy, and secure.

These programs provide a health assessment tool to gauge your health risks, readiness to change certain health behaviors, and the impact of health on productivity. Your answers to these questions generate tailored health reports to help you focus on areas of your health that matter the most and an action plan that is personalized to help you achieve and maintain good health through healthy living programs.

Preventive or Traditional plan members may access Simple Steps to a Healthier Life through their account at www.aetnanavigator.com Group Health Standard or Deductible plan members may access Momentum through their online account at www.myghc.org.

Note: The Aetna wellness tools are not available to employees covered by union contracts with the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 27.