UC Medical Plan Wellness Resources - UC Living Well is a wellness initiative coordinated by the UC Office of the President. The goal of UC Living Well is to encourage all members of the UC Community to lead and maintain a healthy lifestyle and to access the wellness activities and programs offered by UC locations. The UC Living Well website serves as a portal to the many wellness resources available to enhance the personal health and well-being of UC faculty, staff, retirees and students.
- StayWell Health Management: a leading provider of health promotion programs and services, administers a new voluntary, confidential health management program for employees, retirees, and their spouses enrolled in all medical plans except Kaiser. Kaiser currently provides fully integrated wellness resources to its members.
In 2009, the incentive for completing the Health Assessment is a $100 gift card for eligible employees, $50 for spouse/domestic partner; children are not eligible this year. New employees hired after January 1, 2009 may take the Health Assessment without a monetary reimbursement.
Additional program features include access to extensive online health resources and interactive tools, and health improvement programs with a health coach by telephone.
Employees represented by some UC unions are not eligible for StayWell because participation was not agreed to on behalf of their members during the collective bargaining process. Members belonging to CUE will be eligible to participate in the Health Assessment beginning March 2, 2009.
- HealthFinder - This site is a guide to reliable consumer health and human services information, developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. healthfinder® can lead you to selected online publications, clearinghouses, databases, Web sites, and support and self-help groups, as well as government agencies and not-for-profit organizations that produce reliable information for the public.
- Health Rights Hotline - The Health Rights Hotline is an independent health care consumer resource. They have provided links to reliable and useful sources of information reflecting a wide array of perspectives and interests.
- ASAP - The Academic & Staff
Assistance Program at UCSB, fosters growth and development of
the individual. This program provides an opportunity for you
to resolve personal or professional problems through confidential
counseling.
How does your HMO plan and medical group measure up?
- California Patient Advocate - The Office of the Patient Advocate publishes an HMO Quality Report Card designed to give consumers more information about HMOs and medical groups in California.
- Health Scope - An independent source of information to help you select
quality health care in California
- Health Rights Hotline - The Health Rights Hotline publishes Consumer Action
Guides that provide step-by-step advice to consumers on an array
of topics. The Action Guides are designed to assist consumers
in understanding their rights and navigating the health care
system.
In addition to the Action Guides, the Health Rights Hotline has developed some sample letters for use by consumers who are having problems with their health care coverage. - Department of Managed Health Care - The California
Department of Managed Health Care, a first-in-the-nation consumer
rights project, was launched on July 1, 2000 to help Californians
resolve problems with their HMO as well as ensure a better, more
solvent and stable managed health care system. The DMHC has problem-solving,
regulatory and licensing responsibilities and powers.