Q. The city encourages employees to take responsibility for our health and well-being. I’ve begun to set goals to improve my health, but I don’t have extra money. Does the medical plan or BlueCross BlueShield have helpful programs?

A. Yes. The Personal Health Manager provides a wide range of online tools and information to help you manage every aspect of your health and wellness, including planning your goals. Also, the medical plan and city promote wellness benefits for employees, retirees and eligible dependents through a variety of free or low-cost features.

BlueCross BlueShield provides many discount programs for city employees and dependents:

• Jenny Craig membership discounts, including a free 30-day trial.
• The complementary alternative medicine program.
• Curves offers a 30-minute workout.

Access these programs and others at www.bcbstx.com/member. Click on “BlueExtras.”

Also, the Texas HealthSpring Medicare Advantage plan offers a free health-club membership and fitness class. TexanPlus MA plan and Aetna Private-Fee-for-Service MA plan offer discounts on health-club memberships.

Click here to view the Free and low-cost wellness features of the city’s health plans chart