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Benefits Alert Page
Bookmark this page and check back often for updated information about your employee benefits.
St. Luke's Community Emergency Centers
St. Luke’s Minor Emergency Centers have been renamed. They are now called St. Luke's Community Emergency Centers. Additionally, two new centers have opened, the Community Emergency Center at the Woodlands and the Community Emergency Center at the Vintage. Click here for a full list of urgent care centers.
San Felipe
5749 San Felipe (at Bering)
Houston, TX 77057-3101
(713) 267-7100
Taking care of yourself has obvious benefits. But BlueCross BlueShield of Texas will give you another reward: a $50 gift certificate when you take the easy-to-do Mayo Clinic Health Risk Assessment and authorize its release to BCBSTX. Of course, you're really winning a bigger prize: guideposts to making better health and lifestyle choices.
Taking the HRA The assessment takes about 15 minutes to complete. When you're finished, experts calculate your health status and give it back to you in easy-to-understand language. And they give you ways to make improvements. Print it out for future reference.
To reward you for being proactive about your health, BlueCross BlueShield will send you a $50 gift certificate to Academy if you live in Texas or to Sports Authority if you live outside of Texas. To take the assessment:
The Employee Assistance Program, which can help you and your family members deal with personal problems and sources of stress, will remain at 611 Walker for a few more months.
As always, the service remains free and confidential. EAP offers assessments and referrals, short-term consultations, crisis intervention and training for employees and their family members.
Pick up the phone for free medical advice from NurseLine
Got a rash? Or a bead stuck in your ear? Wondering what that gnawing pain in your stomach is? Advice for dealing with these and a wide range of other medical problems is only a phone call away.
NurseLine at (800) 987-7597 is a 24-hour medical phone service staffed by nurses trained to answer medical questions over the phone. The service is free to all city employees and their families enrolled in the HMO Blue Texas plan.
The nurses have extensive information and guidelines on their computers that help them steer callers to a good decision. Callers who don’t speak English are not a problem. With the help of a translating service, NurseLine can handle 140 languages. NurseLine should never be used as a substitute for 911. Still, the nurses who cover the phones are ready for any medical question – big or small. City employees and retirees, who have no immediate medical concerns but just want to know how to live healthier, are also encouraged to call NurseLine.How do I make my call to NurseLine go smoothly?
Identify yourself with your HMO Blue Texas insurance card number or social security number.· Know the medicines you are taking.· Be familiar with your medical history and your allergies.
Vacation time is earned according to the schedule below.
Completed years of service
Number of vacation days
Year 1
10
Year 2
10
Year 3
10
Year 4
10
Year 5
15
Year 6
16
Year 7
16
Year 8
17
Year 9
17
Year 10
18
Year 11
18
Year 12
19
Year 13
20
Year 14
21
Year 15
22
Year 16
23
Year 17
24
Year 18 and beyond
25
Employees who began working for the city before Jan. 1, 2000, can accrue a maximum of 720 hours. Employees who began work after Jan. 1, 2000, can accrue a maximum of 360 hours.
Blue Access lets members get information about their medical records directly from HMO Blue Texas at www.bcbstx.com/members. Members can also request additional plan member identification cards, replacements for lost cards and confirm who is covered. PPO members can check claim payments, get explanations of benefits, and request an e-mail notification when a claim is paid. All members can ask HMO Blue Texas questions and receive answers.
Also at Blue Access, members can:
Access the Mayo Clinic Web site and its resources
Navigate a healthier lifestyle with the Personal Health Manager
Many workplaces have been impacted by the recent build up of military forces in the Middle East. Employees have been activated, loved ones have been deployed and overriding uncertainty of what the future holds have contributed to work place concerns. Below is a list of useful Web sites that may help work sites and employees.
Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve - serves as an ombudsman for employers, reservists and guard members and can answer questions about requirements of the Uniformed Services Employment and Re-employment Rights Act. www.esgr.org
Other useful Web sites
Financial Planning All Military Branches – First Command Financial Planning www.firstcommand.com
