Insurance Services
By Jennifer Gomori, MAP Editor
Affordable quality healthcare is what most people are searching for given the rising costs of health insurance. MAP members now have a full range of options to choose from through a new agreement between the Union and Michigan Education Special Services Association (MESSA).
Underwritten by Blue Cross Blue Shield and Delta Dental, MESSA was originally established as a non-profit health plan or VEBA by the Michigan Education Association (MEA) for its members in 1960. As a 501©(9) Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association (VEBA), MESSA is a tax-exempt trust used to pay for members’ medical services and administering those benefits.
MESSA’s VEBA status already makes their costs lower than competitors to start with. Add to that the savings of not paying agent commissions and it’s easy to understand how MAP members and their Employers can save money on healthcare.
“We are an ally in Michigan for Union employees. We will try to be as competitive as possible,” said Heather Scott, MESSA Field Representative. “We want to give you an accurate rate for the best insurance at the best price.”
Adapted from an article in the MESSA DiscoverYou March/April 2021 newsletter
Looking around your home, it may not feel like much of an oasis these days. Your counters and tabletops might be cluttered with magazines, lesson plans, Sharpies and the remnants of yesterday’s lunch. Maybe your living spaces are overflowing with more stuff than the norm.
A lot of living has been happening in homes across Michigan over the past year — the 24/7 work-from-home, parent-at-home, stay-at-home kind of living that’s been made necessary by the pandemic. With few breaks from the homestead, things can (literally) start to pile up.
Having too much clutter in your home can increase stress levels. A study done by the Princeton University Neuroscience Institute found that the chaos of clutter limits your ability to focus and makes it harder for your brain to process information. Call it visual-stimulus overload.
Clutter has also been linked to increased levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which leads to tension and anxiety. As those feelings increase, so may your sense of helplessness of ever digging out of the mess.
Spring is here, so it’s the perfect time to reclaim your space from the mess and dive into some hardcore spring cleaning. Here are some tips to get started:
- Start with the room you use most: In her book “Organizing Plain & Simple,” Donna Smallin suggests starting in the room where you spend the most time. Success in an often-used space will help motivate you to keep going. If an entire room is too much to tackle, start with a defined space like a counter, a table or desk. Every success will spur you to do more.
MESSA is alerting members that imposters are calling and claiming they are from their health insurance company or a pharmacy working with MESSA. Here's the message MESSA recently sent out about how to handle these phone calls:
Alert: Scammers calling MESSA members
MESSA has been made aware that scammers are calling our members and asking them for personal information. These calls are fraudulent; MESSA never calls to solicit Social Security numbers from our members.
If a member receives one of these scam calls from someone claiming to be from MESSA, “your insurance company,” or a pharmacy working with MESSA, members are asked to hang up immediately and call our Member Service Center at 800-336-0013 to report it.
The Michigan Attorney General’s Office reports that these types of “imposter” scams are on the rise, and has provided some tips to help protect your identity.
If members have any questions, they can call us at 800-336-0013 or chat with us online through the secure MyMESSA member portal at messa.org. We’d be happy to help.
Adapted from an article in the MESSA DiscoverYou September/October 2020 newsletter
Getting your flu shot is always important, but it’s even more critical this year.
Health systems are bracing for a possible second wave of COVID-19 cases at the same time that cold and flu season usually heats up. That double whammy could overload local health facilities. By getting the flu shot, you can protect yourself, your loved ones and your local community.
MESSA makes it easy to get a flu shot. It’s a fully covered benefit for MESSA members and their covered dependents when you go to a payable provider. MESSA members have three provider options:
Your in-network health care provider
Visit messa.org and select “Find a Doctor” to be sure your provider is in-network.
Select retail pharmacies
Most Michigan pharmacies will give you a flu shot for free and bill MESSA. You shouldn’t have to pay the pharmacy up front for a flu vaccination. If a pharmacy asks you to pay up front, you should go to a different pharmacy or contact MESSA’s Member Service Center at 1-800-336-0013 so we can ensure you receive the immunization at no charge.
Adapted from an article in the MESSA DiscoverYou May/June 2020 newsletter
COVID-19 has disrupted the structure and routine of daily life, and it has taken a toll on MAP members and their families. While life as we knew it won’t return any time soon, there are ways to cope with this new way of life by focusing on overall wellness — both physical and mental.
MESSA Health Promotion Consultant Rhonda Jones is the driving force behind MESSA Wellness, a program that focuses on mindfulness, movement and nutrition to help members feel calmer, stronger and healthier overall. Jones is a registered nurse and certified health education specialist with a master’s degree in health behavior. She’s also a personal trainer and has extensive training in mindfulness practices.
Since the stay-home order has been in place, Jones has heard from MESSA members experiencing depression, anxiety and fear. Members are also reporting high levels of fatigue, low levels of motivation and a propensity to overeat.
“Anxiety and depression has probably been the No. 1 thing that people are reporting, which leads to the other things,” Jones said. And those feelings can lead to greater health issues, including weight gain, high blood pressure or diabetes.
Without being able to travel to member meetings to help start or revive a worksite wellness program, Jones decided to host weekly wellness sessions during May on Zoom. As part of MESSA’s Spring Self-Care Challenge, she brought together experts in mindfulness, movement and nutrition to help reduce members’ stress during this time of heightened anxiety. All of the sessions can be viewed on MESSA’s YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/MESSAhealth.