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| WOW! Notices |
Superhero Stories:
Our Superheroes' Stories are now on the WOW! website! Click here.
WOW! Rewards Update: Unfortunately, the online Lifestyle Self-Management Programs will no longer be an option for the WOW! Rewards program due to circumstances beyond our control.
Thinking about enrolling
in the MaineHealth health plan for 2010?
You can participate in WOW! Rewards this year and still receive the $10 bi-weekly reduction off your MaineHealth health insurance premium! | |
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| Greetings from the MaineHealth WOW! Team! |
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Spring is here! We at the WOW! Program hope that you are enjoying this new season.
As we mention in the 2009 WOW! Calendar, April is National Cancer Control Month. Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide. A recent study by the National Cancer Institute showed that "cancer risk was about 20% higher in those who ate the most red meat, and 10% higher in those who ate the most processed meats." Wondering how to get some non-meat protein into your diet? Add black beans to your favorite salsa, navy beans to your favorite soup, or try our tangy, satisfying Red Lentil & Lime Dip. Some hospitals in the MaineHealth system are especially aware of the link between food and health. Read the April WOW! Newsletter to find out about the "Healthy Food in Health Care Pledge that Lincoln County Healthcare has taken through the "Health Care Without Harm Program." For more information about the "Health Care Without Harm" program see this article sponsored by the MaineHealth Learning Resource Centers. Did you know that April is also Parkinson's Awareness Month? If you, or someone you love, suffers from this disease, contact The Parkinson's Information and Referral Center. This spring, the MaineHealth Learning Resource Centers (LRC) is offering a six-week course entitled "Getting Beyond Stress: New Skills to Enhance Your Work & Personal Life," beginning on April 28. The course is normally $50, but for this session only, WOW! is offering a pre-paid voucher for MaineHealth system employees who sign up before April 10th. Call the LRC at 1-866-609-5183 to reserve your spot and to receive your voucher. The LRC is also offering a free class on "Lowering the Cost of Your Medications" on April 14. Contact them at the number above for more information. Are you a Superhero? It's easier than you think. Simply stay on top of your preventive screenings to ensure that any health problems are detected early. Click here for a checklist of screenings. MaineHealth members with health insurance can visit their providers for many preventive screenings without paying co-insurance. Some of these screenings are requirements for WOW! Rewards, and "Superhero" status. For more information, visit www.mainehealth.org/wow or click here for WOW! Rewards requirements. Finally, for late breaking WOW! news, become a "Fan" of the MaineHealth Works on Wellness (WOW!) Facebook page. Or catch up with WOW! e-news and recipes by visiting our archive page. Happy April! Lisa Belisle, MD, MPH Medical Advisor, MaineHealth WOW! |
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| Reducing Health Care Costs- Personal Responsibility Time Has Arrived |
Last month I got a bill from one of my primary care physician practices  for a procedure I didn't have. While my share of the charge was small (only $7.25) the cost to the health plan was over $250...... Click here to read more from Deborah Deatrick, MPH and MaineHealth's Vice President for Community Health about her experience and recommendations for how you can take steps to become a better health care consumer and save money.
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| Beach to Beacon |
Interested in running the Beach To Beacon 10K on August 1?
MaineHealth has five entries that will be raffled off on May 29. In order to qualify for entry into the raffle you must meet the following criteria:
-Employee of the MaineHealth system
-Submitted and approved WOW! Rebate between October 1, 2008 and May 22, 2009
-Agree to participate on the MaineHealth corporate team (jersey provided)
If you meet the above criteria and are interested in being entered in the raffle, please send your name, organization you work for, email address and phone number to Lynn Connolly at connol@mainehealth.org.
Already have an entry and want to join the MaineHealth corporate B2B team?
If you are an employee of the MaineHealth System, already have a B2B entry and are interested in running for the MaineHealth corporate team (jersey provided), please send your name, email entry confirmation, organization you work for and email address to Naomi Anderson Schucker at andern@mainehealth.org. |
| Raising Readers |
 Discuss the importance of good health with your children using books as a kid-friendly starting place. In honor of the Week of the Young Child (April 19-25, 2009), Raising Readers Recommends Welcome, Little Baby by Aliki (HarperCollins, ISBN 9780688068103).
For information about the importance of reading to your child, visit the Raising Readers blog. |
| KidsHealth |
We at WOW! know that good health begins early. Did you know that teens can get high quality on-line health information from KidsHealth? Go to KidsHealth for articles such as: Now available: Videos! The suite for kids and teens features individual videos explaining what to expect from a variety of medical tests. Kids and teens can now see what it's like to have a CAT Scan, plus these nine other commonly performed medical procedures: Blood Test, EKG, IV, MRI, Spriometry, Strep Test, Upper GI, Urine Test and X-Ray.
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| Tobacco Tales |
Do medications really help when you're trying to quit using tobacco?
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| LifeBalance Employee Assistance Program |
LifeBalance has new resources to help you adapt to change and remain resilient through it.
This month LifeBalance is offering a new CD, Navigating Workplace Change, featuring Gregory Shea and Robert Gunther, authors of Your Job Survival Guide: A Manual for Thriving in Change. They share stories and valuable suggestions on how to thrive in today's times. No matter where you work or what type of job you have, you'll learn to navigate the whitewaters ahead and master the skills you need to thrive through change. You can also go online to read or download helpful articles including: ID: mainehealth
Password: lifebalance |
| Nutrition & Physical Activity |
MaineHealth WOW!'s new intern, Kelly Ahearn will graduate from the Exercise Physiology program at the University of Southern Maine and is also certified to teach Pilates through Pilates Academy International. Before she heads off to New York University to pursue her Master's in Nutrition and complete the requirements to become a Registered Dietitian, she will be writing a nutrition column titled "You Are What You Eat". You will also find some basic Pilates exercises to get you started. Click below for her first article and exercise!
Future articles will also be on the WOW! website under "Health Information". |
| Harold Alfond College Challenge |
 The Harold Alfond College Challenge is a new program that will provide a $500 grant to every Maine baby to start saving for college. This $500 grant is for all Maine babies born on or after January 1, 2009. There is no income limit or additional contributions required.
Click on the logo for more information! | |
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