The State Health Plan's Board of Trustees recently approved new health plan options for teachers and state employees that reward a range of healthy activities, including smoking cessation, taking an online Health Assessment and naming a primary care physician.

Beginning Jan. 1, 2014, these options will be made available for Active and non-Medicare Primary members. In addition to providing more options, this new plan focuses on helping members understand and improve their health. A healthy and engaged member population leads to cost savings and improves the long-term financial stability of the Plan.

During a recent listening tour, in surveys and through focus groups, members consistently expressed the desire for more options and incentives for healthy choices.

To learn more about health plan changes and expanded member options, click here.

February is American Heart Month. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death and disability in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One in every three deaths is from heart disease and stroke, which equals 2,200 deaths per day.

Do you know how healthy your heart is? Seeing your primary care provider every year for a physical exam and completing the Health Assessment on your Personal Health Portal are two great ways to learn about the health of your heart and overall well-being.

*Click here to find more NC HealthSmart resources on your Personal Health Portal.

This month, the State Health Plan is offering more retail pharmacy options to help retirees to save on copays for their diabetes and heart medications.

Through the Medication Adherence Program (MAP), retirees may visit a participating pharmacy to obtain a 90-day supply of their cholesterol, blood pressure or blood sugar medication for 2½ times the copay (instead of 3 times the copay).

For a list of the additional participating pharmacies, click here. To see a list of MAP medications, click here.

State Health Plan members who are enrolled in the Express Scripts Medicare™ Prescription Drug Plan and who have utilized their pharmacy benefit in the last month will receive an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) in the mail later this month. This is a new feature of the Express Scripts Medicare Plan to help members make smart decisions regarding their benefits.

For more information on the Explanation of Benefits, click here.

The State Health Plan is sponsoring your participation in the Step Up Carolinas exercise and weight loss challenge. Registration for the challenge will open on March 6, 2013.

Step Up Carolinas is an eight-week, online, team-based wellness competition that begins April 1, 2013. If you choose to participate, you will receive a free pedometer and have access to online tools to form teams, set goals, track progress, and motivate others. You can participate in one, two, or all three divisions within the Step Up Carolinas challenge that include: pedometer steps, exercise minutes, and weight loss.

Click here for more information on the Step Up Carolinas challenge.

State Health Plan member Steve

Steve Simpson Henderson County Public Schools

Simpson of Hendersonville, N.C., is the proud owner of a new iPad^® after winning the State Health Plan's latest monthly drawing.

Mr. Simpson, a career elementary and middle school teacher, retired from Henderson County Public Schools in 2006 but continues to work part-time in the county school system as a math co-teacher and tutor. To earn his chance to win, he just had to complete an online Health Assessment on the NC HealthSmart Personal Health Portal.

Click here for more information on winning an iPad^®.