Fall 2014 Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters Welfare and Pension Funds Union Trustees Frank T. Libby Jeffrey Isaacson Gary Perinar, Jr. Keith Jutkins Bruce Werning Joseph Pastorino Employer Trustees J. David Pepper Paul R. Hellermann Gerald W. Thiel, Jr. George Tuhowski Mike Forest It’s National Cholesterol Education Month! September is National Cholesterol Education Month. Why is it important to educate yourself about cholesterol? High cholesterol can lead to heart disease and stroke— two leading causes of death in the United States. One way to prevent these catastrophic outcomes is to detect high cholesterol early and treat it when it is found. What is Cholesterol? Cholesterol is a wax-like substance that we all have in our bodies. There are two kinds of cholesterol: • high-density lipoprotein (HDL)—sometimes called “good” cholesterol and • low-density lipoprotein (LDL)—sometimes called “bad” cholesterol. When you have too much bad cholesterol in your blood, it can build up on the walls of your arteries and form blockages. Seventy-one million American adults have high cholesterol, but only one third of them have the condition under control. If you haven’t had your cholesterol levels checked lately, now’s the time to do it. Eat healthy and exercise regularly. It’s no surprise—diet and exercise are the best defense against high cholesterol. Avoid saturated fats and trans fats, which tend to raise cholesterol levels. Other types of fats, such as polyunsaturated fats, can actually lower blood cholesterol levels. Eating fiber also can help lower cholesterol. Physical activity can help lower cholesterol. The Surgeon General recommends that adults engage in moderate-intensity exercise for two hours and 30 minutes every week. Quit smoking. If you smoke, quit as soon as possible. Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight or obese can raise your cholesterol levels. Losing weight can help lower your cholesterol. Follow doctor’s orders. Be sure to follow your doctor’s instructions and consistently take any prescribed medications to control your cholesterol. An adult who has coronary artery disease should have a cholesterol test at least once a year. High Cholesterol: Prevention and Treatment Although you may inherit high cholesterol levels, food and lifestyle can play a role in controlling elevated cholesterol. Here are some general tips: HIGH 240 + BORDERLINE HIGH 200 – 239 GOOD 200 or LESS Cholesterol Testing is Covered! Comprehensive Health Evaluation and Physical Exam For a participant and spouse, your cholesterol levels are checked as part of your annual comprehensive health evaluation and physical exam through Health Dynamics. To locate a provider, contact Health Dynamics at 414-443-0200 or visit the Fund’s website at www.crccbenefits.org (under News/Announcements). BORDERLINE HIGH 200 – 239
Transcript
Fall 2014
Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters Welfare and Pension Funds
Union Trustees Frank T. Libby Jeffrey Isaacson Gary Perinar, Jr. Keith Jutkins Bruce Werning Joseph PastorinoEmployer Trustees J. David Pepper Paul R. Hellermann Gerald W. Thiel, Jr. George Tuhowski Mike Forest
It’s National Cholesterol Education Month!September is National Cholesterol Education Month. Why is it important to educate yourself about cholesterol? High cholesterol can lead to heart disease and stroke—two leading causes of death in the United States. One way to prevent these catastrophic outcomes is to detect high cholesterol early and treat it when it is found.
What is Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a wax-like substance that we all have in our bodies. There are two kinds of cholesterol: • high-density lipoprotein (HDL)—sometimes called “good” cholesterol and • low-density lipoprotein (LDL)—sometimes called “bad” cholesterol.
When you have too much bad cholesterol in your blood, it can build up on the walls of your arteries and form blockages. Seventy-one million American adults have high cholesterol, but only one third of them have the condition under control. If you haven’t had your cholesterol levels checked lately, now’s the time to do it.
Eat healthy and exercise regularly. It’s no surprise—diet and exercise are the
best defense against high cholesterol. Avoid saturated fats and trans fats, which
tend to raise cholesterol levels. Other types of fats, such as polyunsaturated
fats, can actually lower blood cholesterol levels. Eating fiber also can help lower cholesterol. Physical activity can help
lower cholesterol. The Surgeon General recommends that adults engage in
moderate-intensity exercise for two hours and 30 minutes every week.
Quit smoking. If you smoke, quit as soon as possible.
Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight or obese can raise your cholesterol levels. Losing weight can help
lower your cholesterol.
Follow doctor’s orders. Be sure to follow your doctor’s
instructions and consistently take any prescribed medications to control your cholesterol. An adult who has coronary artery disease should have a cholesterol
test at least once a year.
High Cholesterol: Prevention and Treatment
Although you may inherit high cholesterol levels, food and lifestyle can play a role in controlling elevated cholesterol. Here are some general tips:
HIGH 240 +
BORDERLINE HIGH
200 – 239
GOOD 200
or LESS
Cholesterol Testing is Covered! Comprehensive Health Evaluation
and Physical Exam
For a participant and spouse, your cholesterol levels are checked as part of your annual comprehensive
health evaluation and physical exam through Health Dynamics. To locate a provider, contact Health Dynamics at
414-443-0200 or visit the Fund’s website at www.crccbenefits.org (under News/Announcements).
BORDERLINE HIGH
200 – 239
ThE FrIghTENINg FaCTs
The Windy City has “replaced Miami as the primary U.S. distribution point for illegal narcotics—mainly cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and methamphetamine—imported from Mexico.” A report by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2010 named the Chicago metro area as the No. 1 destination in the United States for heroin shipments, No. 2 for marijuana and cocaine, and No. 5 for methamphetamine.
Chicago has a serious drug problem on its hands. So does the rest of the country.
In 2012, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) estimated that 9.2% of the population aged 12 and older had used illicit drugs or abused prescription medications without a prescription or for a non-medical purpose.
Looking closer to home, Illinois has more than one million residents who are currently abusing or are dependent on substances. More than 8% of those admit to requiring treatment, but do not seek it.
Seeking Help
Do you know someone who is struggling with drug addiction? If so, you may have witnessed the compulsive drug-seeking behavior and the physical, emotional and social impact this can have on the individual as well as everyone close to him or her. As difficult as it is to accept, treatment for drug addiction is not a simple task. It’s a very complex and long-term process that takes time and different resources to meet the needs of the individual.
Treatment often begins with detox, followed by counseling, (individual, group and family), medication monitoring to help with withdrawal symptoms and diminish craving, and relapse prevention to address all of the impacts on an individual’s life.
Abused Substances
Chicago is the only U.S. city to rank in the top five for the destination of heroin, marijuana, cocaine and methamphetamine shipments, but it’s important to know there are other substances, many of which are legal, that are being abused by people in the city and surrounding areas.
Drugs are everywhere in the Chicagoland area. You don’t hear about it as often as you do the drug busts in the low-income, high-crime areas of the city, but heroin has infiltrated high schools and college campuses in affluent neighborhoods and suburbs. Soccer moms are smoking pot when their kids are at school. Executives wearing $5,000 suits are purchasing crack cocaine and crystal meth in downtown office buildings. Drugs don’t discriminate–they’re negatively impacting (and often ruining) the lives of the rich, the middle class and the poor in Chicago and the surrounding areas.
Preventive Dental Care— More reasons to smile!Have you had your dental check-ups yet this year? Remember, your dental benefits include 100% coverage for two oral evaluations and cleanings each year when you visit a Delta Dental provider. Regular check-ups are your best defense against tooth decay and gum disease, but can also provide vital information about other conditions, including:
• Endocarditis. Endocarditis is an infection of the inner lining of your heart (endocardium). Endocarditis typically occurs when bacteria or other germs from another part of your body, such as your mouth, spread through your bloodstream and attach to damaged areas in your heart.
• Cardiovascular disease. Some research suggests that heart disease, clogged arteries and stroke might be linked to the inflammation and infections that oral bacteria can cause.
• Pregnancy and birth. Periodontitis has been linked to premature birth and low birth weight.
• Diabetes. Diabetes reduces the body’s resistance to infection — putting the gums at risk. Gum disease appears to be more frequent and severe among people who have diabetes. Research shows that people who have gum disease have a harder time controlling their blood sugar levels.
• hIV/aIDs. Oral problems, such as painful mucosal lesions, are common in people who have HIV/AIDS.
• Osteoporosis. Osteoporosis — which causes bones to become weak and brittle — might be linked with periodontal bone loss and tooth loss.
• alzheimer’s disease. Tooth loss before age 35 might be a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease.
• Other conditions. Other conditions that might be linked to oral health include Sjogren’s syndrome — an immune system disorder that causes dry mouth — and eating disorders.
Source: Mayo Clinic
Drugs
in
Chicago
Prescription Medications
Something as harmless as taking pain medication following surgery can turn into a full-blown addiction. Did you realize the U.S. has just 5% of the world population, yet it consumes 75% of the world’s prescription drugs? Vicodin, OxyContin and Percocet (most commonly used to manage pain) continue to be the most available for non-prescribed use. These medications are referred to as opioids because, like heroin, they are derived from opium. Deaths from prescription opioids outnumber overdose deaths from all other drugs, including cocaine and heroin.
Bath Salts
These are usually a white or brown crystalline powder and sold under the label of “not for human consumption.” These products may also be marketed as plant food, jewelry cleaners or phone screen cleaners. They are synthetic chemicals similar to amphetamines and have no connection with real bath salts such as Epsom salt. They cause feelings of euphoria, increased energy, increased blood pressure, cause chest pains, dehydration and kidney failure. Psychiatric symptoms include paranoia, hallucinations and severe panic attacks. Bath salts are 10 times more potent than cocaine, and they have been linked to an increased number of emergency room visits and poison control calls.
Benzodiazepines
These are used to treat anxiety, seizures, insomnia, muscle spasms and alcohol withdrawal. These medications are safe and effective for short-term use. However, since they are prone to tolerance, a greater dosage of the medication is needed to obtain the same effects. As a result, prolonged use can cause physical dependence and withdrawal when stopped suddenly.
Krokodil (Desomorphine)
This is a toxic homemade opioid used as a cheap heroin substitute. It is made by combining codeine tablets with various toxic chemicals, including lighter fluid and industrial cleaners. The drug is more powerful than heroin but has a shorter duration. It gets its name “crocodile” from the scaly, gray-green dead skin that forms at the site of injection causing permanent skin damage and extreme gangrene.
Purple Drank
Purple Drank, Sizzurp, Lean or Syrup is prescription-strength cough syrups containing codeine mixed with soda. These concoctions can exceed up to 25 times the recommended dosage of a prescription-strength cough syrup. It presents a high risk of fatal overdose due to its effect of depressing the central nervous system and slowing or stopping the heart. Mixing it with alcohol increases the risk. Initial euphoric effect leads to motor skill impairments, lethargy, drowsiness, and cardiac arrest due to depressed breathing.
If you or a family member have a substance abuse issue, talk to your physician or contact your Member Assistance Program at 888-860-1566. You can also go online to www.guidanceresources.com and use the company Web ID: CRCC to learn more about substance abuse. The program is confidential,
free and available 24/7 so you and your loved ones can get the help you need.
Dependent children through age 14 are eligible for 100% coverage for dental sealants on their first and second molars.
To locate a Delta Dental network provider, call 800-323-1743 or visit their website at www.deltadentalil.com. Service Representatives are available Monday – Thursday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. (CT).
The Importance of Dental Sealants
Fluoride in toothpaste and in drinking water protects the smooth surfaces of teeth but back teeth need extra protection. Sealants cover the chewing surfaces of the back teeth and keep out germs and food. Having sealants put on children’s teeth before they decay will also save time and money in the long run by avoiding fillings, crowns, or caps used to fix decayed teeth.
Don’t Forget to Protect Yourself!
Cold and flu season is upon us once again. To protect yourself, make sure you
and your family members (older than six months)
receive a flu shot. Flu shots are considered preventive care, so if you visit a BCBS PPO provider,
they’re covered at 100% by the Plan.
The information provided in on the LEVEL is of a general nature only and does not replace or alter the official rules and policies contained in the official plan documents that legally govern the terms and operation of the Welfare Fund. If this newsletter differs in any way from the official plan documents, the official plan documents always govern. Receipt of this newsletter does not guarantee eligibility for benefits. The Trustees have the right to modify benefits at any time.
When you retire and you’re not yet eligible for Medicare, you have options when it comes to your medical coverage.
Comprehensive Medical BenefitsFor eligible retirees and their dependents, the Plan offers a Comprehensive Medical Plan (PPO) through BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois. The Plan covers office visits and hospital care. Benefits for hearing aids through EPIC Hearing Services are also included. For retirees and spouses, 100% coverage is provided for annual comprehensive health evaluations and physical exams through Health Dynamics.
Prescription Drug Benefits
In addition to the Comprehensive Medical Plan benefits, you may also elect to enroll in the Prescription Drug Plan or you may elect it on its own. Prescription Drug coverage through Express Scripts offers retail pharmacy benefits and a home-delivery program for both brand name and generic drugs. Generic drugs are encouraged; in fact, a generic medication at a retail pharmacy costs you just $5 for a 30-day supply or $12.50 for a 90-day supply through the home-delivery service.
For retirees, both the Comprehensive Medical Plan and the Prescription Drug Plan require payment of a monthly premium. The Retiree Summary Plan Description (SPD) shows a schedule of covered services and deductible and coinsurance amounts. The SPD also provides information about benefits available to Medicare-eligible retirees. You can view the Retiree SPD and monthly premiums on our website at www.crccbenefits.org.
The Health Insurance MarketplaceSince the passing of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the health insurance marketplace is now an alternative option for pre-Medicare Retirees. A variety of plans is available, each with different costs and carriers. Check out www.healthcare.gov to view the options available in your area.
getting ready to retire? Know Your Options for healthcare!
Express scripts 2015 Formulary ChangeEach year, Express Scripts reviews its National Preferred Formulary list of covered medications. The following drugs will be eliminated from the Formulary on January 1, 2015. If you are taking any of the drugs listed below, you will be notified by Express Scripts and an alternate medication will be recommended. If you have any questions about these changes, call Express Scripts at 800-939-2089.
NEW ExClUsIONs
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FeNTORA PANCReAze veLTIN ePOGeN
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vIMOvO ORAL HePATITIs C DRuG TBD (exAMPLe sOvALDI)
Women’s health and Cancer rights act of 1998
Under federal law, group health plans, insurers and HMO’s that provide medical and surgical benefits in connection with a mastectomy, are required to provide benefits for certain reconstructive surgery following a mastectomy. In the case of a participant or dependent who is receiving benefits under the Plan in connection with a mastectomy and who elects breast reconstruction, federal law requires coverage in a manner determined in consultation with the attending physician and the patient, for:
• Reconstruction of the breast on which the mastectomy has been performed;
• Surgery and reconstruction of the other breast to produce a symmetrical appearance; and
• Prostheses and treatment of physical complications at all stages of the mastectomy including lymphedemas.
These reconstructive services are covered under our Plan and subject to the Plan’s annual deductibles and coinsurance provisions as long as the procedures are provided by a licensed physician according to Plan provisions.
