HR News – January-February 2007

HR news archives

Systemwide

Hearing and vision discounts available in the A&M Care plans

While all A&M System employees and retirees are eligible for a hearing aid discount through AHAA or may enroll in the Spectera vision plan, if you are in an A&M Care health plan, you have additional alternatives for hearing and vision discounts.

The BlueCross BlueShield of Texas hearing discount program is available in many areas of the country through TruHearing, a program that provides the latest technology on 100 percent digital hearing instruments. TruHearing provides a free hearing screening and offers discounts on hearing aids purchased from the provider who performs the hearing test.

Your children, parents and grandparents are eligible for the discount, even if they are not enrolled in an A&M Care plan.

No claim forms are required, and discounts are provided at the time of purchase. Typical discounts are 30 percent off the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) for the provider’s least expensive product and 60 percent off MSRP for more expensive products.

TruHearing also provides a two-year warranty on all products and a 45-day money-back guarantee.

To take advantage of the A&M Care plan’s hearing discount program, call TruHearing’s toll-free number, (877) 882-2020. TruHearing will locate a provider in your area and schedule an appointment. You’ll need to show the provider your A&M Care ID card. If the appointment is for a non-covered member, such as a child, parent or grandparent, you must accompany them to the appointment and present your A&M Care ID card.

For more information, see the TruHearing flier.

A&M Care plan participants can also take advantage of a discount vision program offered by Davis Vision, Inc., a national provider of routine vision care services, through BlueCross BlueShield of Texas.

To receive the discounts, call a network provider and schedule an appointment. Identify yourself to the provider as a Davis Vision plan participant and present your A&M Care ID card. Your Davis Vision ID number will be the same as the number on your A&M Care ID card.

For information on eye exam, eyeglass and contact lens discounts, see the Davis Vision flier.

Back to top

Using Answer Financial is easy!

If you like to comparison shop for the best prices, you’ll love Answer Financial.

As an A&M System employee, you can use Answer Financial to get prices from a wide range of top-rated companies that offer a variety of insurance products and financial services. Answer Financial makes comparison shopping quick and easy.

In addition, if you have questions about a product or service, you can speak with or e-mail a licensed insurance professional at no cost or obligation.

Simply call Answer Financial at (866) 493-8888 or go online to learn more about the products and services available, get rates, and apply to purchase a product or service.

For example, if you’re interested in homeowners insurance, you could:

  • Go to the Answer Financial website.
  • Go to “Start a Quote,” select “Home Insurance” from the drop-down menu and click “Go,” which will take you to the home insurance page.
  • On the home insurance page, you can click on a variety of links for more information about homeowners insurance or you can click on the “Homeowners Insurance” link that appears under “Start a Quote for any of the following.”
  • Enter the ZIP code where your home is located and click on “Give Me Rates.”
  • A form will appear, which you will need to complete to proceed. Enter:
    • the location of your residence,
    • street,
    • city,
    • the year in which your residence was built,
    • your home’s basic construction (a drop-down menu provides choices),
    • what protective devices your home has (a list is provided), and
    • if one of the people named as the insured is over age 58, retired and living in your household.

    After entering that information, click on “calculate home rebuilding cost.” If your browser pop-up blocker is on, you’ll need to turn it off or temporarily allow pop-ups to access the calculator.

  • A new window will open where you’ll enter:

    • the square footage of your home,
    • the construction classification (a drop-down menu provides choices),
    • the number of stories,
    • the type of covering on the exterior walls (a drop-down menu provides choices), and
    • whether your home has a basement.

    You can then click on “calculate value,” and the estimated value to rebuild your home will be provided.

  • You can then click on “recalculate” or “continue with this value.” If you click on “recalculate,” you can change your values in the pop-up window and get a new estimated value. If you click on “continue with this value,” you’ll return to the form page where you can click on “coverage info” at the bottom of the page.
  • Several coverage values will appear, along with suggested coverages. You can adjust your coverage amounts if you wish and select what you want your deductible to be.
  • Click on “view quotes” at the bottom of the page, and in seconds you’ll receive quotes from three companies.
  • You can save, print and/or e-mail your quotes. You also can apply for coverage by clicking on the company you prefer. If you don’t want to apply, you can save the quotes or just exit out of the web page. Receiving quotes does not commit you to purchasing the product.

At any point in this process, you can stop, go back or contact a licensed insurance provider.   

It’s that easy! The process for obtaining information and quotes for other types of insurance and services is similar to this example. Just follow the instructions on each screen.

You also can get information and quotes and/or apply by calling Answer Financial at (866) 493-8888.

Back to top

An introduction to mutual funds

Over the past decade, American investors increasingly have turned to mutual funds to save for retirement and other financial goals.

Mutual funds can offer the advantages of diversification and professional management, but they also involve risk. It pays to understand both the advantages and disadvantages of mutual fund investing and how to choose products that match your goals and tolerance for risk.

What is a mutual fund?

A mutual fund is a company that pools money from many investors and invests the money in stocks, bonds, short-term money-market instruments, other securities or assets, or some combination of these investments. The combined holdings the mutual fund owns are known as its portfolio. Each share represents an investor's proportionate ownership of the fund's holdings and the income those holdings generate.

While you can earn money investing in mutual funds, you can also lose money. In addition to market risk, all mutual funds have costs that lower investment returns and fees that are passed on to investors. Mutual funds are not guaranteed or insured by the FDIC or any other government agency—even if you bought the fund through a bank and the fund carries the bank's name.

Types of mutual funds

You have literally thousands of mutual fund choices. Most mutual funds fall into one of three main categories—money market funds, bond (“fixed income”) funds and stock (“equity”) funds. Each type has different features and different risks and rewards. Generally, the higher the potential return, the higher the risk of loss. Before you invest, decide whether the investment strategy and risks of the fund are acceptable to you.

  • Money market funds have a low risk as compared with other mutual funds and most other investments. By law, the funds can be invested only in certain high-quality, short-term investments issued by the U.S. government, U.S. corporations, and state and local governments.
  • Bond funds generally have a higher risk than money market funds, largely because bond funds typically pursue strategies aimed at producing higher yields. The Security and Exchange Commission does not restrict bond funds to high-quality or short-term investments. The different types of bond funds can vary dramatically in their risks and rewards.
  • Stock funds have historically been better performers over the long term than other types of investments. Over the short term, though, a stock fund’s value can rise and fall quickly and dramatically. Stock funds differ depending on if they are:
    • Growth funds that focus on stocks that may not pay a regular dividend but have the potential for large capital gains.
    • Income funds that invest in stocks that pay regular dividends.
    • Index funds that aim to achieve the same return as a particular market index, such as the S&P 500 Composite Stock Price Index, by investing in all or perhaps a representative sample of the companies included in an index.
    • Sector funds that may specialize in a particular industry segment such as technology or consumer products stocks.

Advantages and disadvantages

Mutual funds, as with any investment, have advantages and disadvantages. Whether you consider an investment feature an advantage or disadvantage depends on your unique circumstances. Features to consider include:

  • Professional management—Professional money managers research, select and monitor the performance of the securities the fund purchases.  
  • Diversification—This is a strategy that spreads your investments across a wide range of companies and industry sectors to help lower your risk if a company or sector fails.  
  • Affordability—Some mutual funds accommodate investors who don't have a lot of money to invest by setting relatively low dollar amounts for initial purchases, subsequent monthly purchases, or both.  
  • Liquidity—At any time, you can readily redeem your mutual fund shares at the current net asset value (NAV) plus any fees and charges assessed on redemption.
  • Costs despite negative returns—You must pay sales charges, annual fees and other expenses regardless of how the fund performs. 
  • Lack of control—You typically cannot ascertain the exact make-up of a fund's portfolio at any given time, nor can you directly influence which securities the fund manager buys and sells or the timing of those trades.  
  • Price uncertainty—With an individual stock, you can obtain real-time pricing information with relative ease by checking financial web sites or by calling your broker. By contrast, with a mutual fund, the price at which you purchase or redeem shares will typically depend on the fund's value (NAV), which the fund might not calculate until many hours after you've placed your order.

Earning money from your investments

You earn money with your investments through:

  • Dividend payments—A fund may earn income in the form of dividends and interest on the securities in its portfolio. The fund then pays its shareholders nearly all of the income (minus disclosed expenses) it has earned in the form of dividends. 
  • Capital gains distributions—When a fund sells a security that has increased in price, the fund has a capital gain. At the end of the year, most funds distribute these capital gains (minus any capital losses) to investors. 
  • Increased NAV—If the market value of a fund's portfolio increases after deduction of expenses and liabilities, then the NAV of the fund and its shares increases. The higher NAV reflects the higher value of your investment.

Before you invest

  • Consider how much risk you are willing to take with your investments.
  • Consider the effect that fees will have on your returns over time.
  • Don’t assume soundness based solely on a fund’s past performance or its name.
  • Read the fund’s prospectus and shareholder reports to learn about its investment strategy, potential risks, objectives, the securities it invests in, fees and historical performance.

This article is part of an ongoing series of articles regarding retirement savings. The information has been provided by various A&M System ORP and TDA vendors and SEC educational articles.

Back to top

Want to remain independent and self-reliant as you age?

If you want to remain independent and self-reliant as you age, you’ll want to explore Own Your Future, Texas, a state and federal collaborative resource to help you proactively plan for your future long-term care needs.

Think it’s too soon to be concerned about long-term care? Think again.

Taking care of your own health today is the first step in reducing your chances for needing long-term assistance with your health and personal needs as you age. Taking additional steps now to plan and prepare for future health, legal and financial issues will help ensure you’ll have a better life tomorrow.

Own Your Future, Texas includes descriptions of and links to the following resources, which are described both in English and Spanish:

Information resources to help you better understand aging:
Area Agencies on Aging
2-1-1 Texas
Benefits Check Up
Eldercare Locators

Community resource to help you determine if your community is a good place for long-term living:
Aging Texas Well

Housing resources to help you locate affordable housing that is adaptable to your changing needs:
The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs
The National Resource Center on Supportive Housing and Home Modification

Caregiving resources that can provide you assistance in caring for yourself or someone else:
Administration on Aging
Family Caregiver Alliance

Volunteerism resources that will help you improve your health through community involvement:
One Star Foundation
Texas Ombudsman Program Tough Enough to Care
Texas Adopt A Nursing Home Program

Healthy aging resources to help you enjoy good health as you grow older:
Texas Round-up
Health and Human Services Commission
Texercise
Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services
Texas Department of State Health Services
Walk Across Texas

Legal and financial resources to help you prepare for your future needs:
Texas Department of Family and Protective Services
Advanced Care Planning Documents
Texas Attorney General’s Office
Texas Department of Insurance
Texas Money Management Program
Texas Legal Services Center

Public retirement system resource to help you understand your retirement benefits:
Teacher Retirement System

You also can order a free U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Long-Term Care Planning Tool Kit from the Own Your Future, Texas web site or by calling toll-free, (866) 752-6582.

Back to top

New on the web

Several publications have been posted on the System Human Resources web site:
DeltaCare Dental HMO plan provider list (revised)
Davis Vision flier (replaces Cole Vision flier)
TruHearing flier (new)
FTE Quarterly Report (new)
Overview of TDA/DCP  (revised)
Active ORP/TDA Vendor List (revised)
Health Contributions and Plan Summaries (revised)
New Employee Benefit Enrollment Booklet  (revised)

Back to top

Any questions?

I enrolled in the John Hancock Long-Term Care coverage but haven’t received anything yet.  How will I know I have the coverage?

Coverage information for most of those whose coverage has been approved is now available on HRConnect. In addition, John Hancock will begin sending out certificates of coverage in early February.

More than 400 applications are still either being entered or reviewed as part of the evidence of insurability application process. You can call John Hancock at (800) 498-9100 to ask whether your application is in process or approved.

Long-Term Care coverage effective dates depend on when the application is processed and/or the coverage is approved. Effective dates for coverage are always the first of the month following approval. Even if you have guaranteed acceptance (no need to provide evidence of good health), the coverage will not be effective until the application is processed. 

Premium deductions for about 550 employees will be deducted from January pay. This will affect the January paychecks for biweekly paid employees and Feb. 1 paychecks for monthly paid employees.

Approximately 1,000 employees’ applications were processed after Dec. 20 but before Dec. 31.  These employees will have a Jan. 1 effective date. However, they were not included in the January payroll deduction file sent from John Hancock to the A&M System, so no premiums will be deducted from their January pay. Instead, two months’ premiums, for January and February, will be deducted from their February pay. This will affect the February paychecks for biweekly paid employees and the March 1 paychecks for monthly paid employees.

These employees and retirees should have already received a letter explaining the extra deduction. The letter references “a recent reconciliation” and notes that this may represent premiums “due but not collected.”

Since CNA premiums cannot be paid through payroll deduction after December, active employees and/or spouses whose coverage effective date is February 1 will receive a bill for January from CNA. You must pay this bill to keep your discounted John Hancock rate. 

Back to top

Meal planning and physical activity are keys to managing diabetes

Having diabetes can be extremely confusing. What do I eat? Should I exercise? How do I get started? These are questions most diabetes patients ask themselves throughout their journey with the disease.

“Asking these questions is the first step on the path of good diabetes control,” said Rachel Villarreal, R.D., L.D., health educator in the Diabetes Education Program, Texas A&M Health Science Center Coastal Bend Health Education Center. “At the foundation of diabetes management is meal planning and physical activity. Whether your diabetes is controlled with or without medications, these two diabetes basics are the keys to keeping blood sugar in check.”

Villarreal said planning diabetes meals can be puzzling, considering there is so much information on what is and is not appropriate for diabetes. Diabetes meal planning is actually very similar to general healthy meal planning. Any food can be included in your meal plan, although some foods are better choices than others.

  • Choose whole grain products over refined grains to get the added benefit of fiber. For example, try whole wheat pasta the next time you make spaghetti, or use 100 percent whole wheat bread for sandwiches.
  • Choose many brightly colored fruits and vegetables. Fill half of your plate with non-starchy vegetables such as spinach, carrots, broccoli or green beans.
  • Drink plenty of water and sugar-free beverages to keep hydrated.
  • Avoid fried foods or foods with lots of saturated fats and cholesterol such as french fries, coconut milk, bacon, heavy creams and butters. Choosing liquid oils instead of solid fats can also help control the amount of saturated fat in your diet.

Most importantly, eating too much of even the healthier foods can contribute to weight gain and poorly controlled blood sugar, so watch portions. 
           
Meal timing is also an extremely important factor in controlling blood sugar, Villarreal noted.

  • Eat at regular times and consider your meals like medications, to be taken at the same time each day.
  • Do not skip meals or go too long without eating, as doing so may lead to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). Meals should be no more than four to five hours apart for adequate blood sugar control.
  • Distribute the daily amount of carbohydrates over the three meals. In most cases, consistency of carbohydrate intake will reduce fluctuations in glucose levels. Consult your registered dietitian to determine how many servings of carbohydrates are appropriate for you.

Physical activity is also important in managing diabetes as it can help lower blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol. For most people, 30 minutes of aerobic exercise per day is optimal. If you have not been active in a while, start with 5 to 10 minutes and gradually increase the amount of time you exercise.

Aerobic exercise may include walking, dancing, low impact aerobics, bicycling, swimming or playing tennis. Try a variety of physical activity and make it fun.

Also, try to be active throughout the day. For extra activity, take the stairs instead of the elevator, walk instead of driving, work in the garden or house, and park at the far end of the shopping center.

Managing diabetes can be a challenge, but with the right information and tools, you should be able to keep your blood sugar in control.

The information in this article was provided as a courtesy by the Texas A&M Health Science Center Coastal Bend Health Education Center’s Diabetes Education Program at Corpus Christi. If you have any questions, check with your health care provider.

Back to top

Families that exercise together, stay together

While the headline may be a cliché, families do tend to bond when they share common experiences. And, with the obesity crisis in our society, exercising is a good experience for families to share.

Parents can play a key role in encouraging their children to be active by setting an example.

“If parents enjoy being active, their children will likely view being active as fun and want to join in as well,” said DeAun Woosley, fitness director for the Texas A&M University Department of Recreational Sports.

Ideally, exercising as a family should begin when your children are babies. This can be done by walking or jogging while pushing a jogging stroller, biking with your child in a child seat attached to your bike, enrolling in “Mommy and Me” classes, forming neighborhood exercise groups or even walking together.

As your children get older and more physically able, exercise activity can include games, backyard volleyball, basketball, baseball, tennis and other sports. Woosley emphasized that regardless of the activity, your children will be learning that fun physical activity is an important part of each day.

Another way to get your family involved with physical activity is to join a family-friendly health club or YMCA. An added benefit of these programs is the accessibility of fitness instructors who can help guide each family member on how to make the most of each type of exercise.

As a family, you can also participate in benefit walks, fitness fairs or other events. Seeing other families participating in fun physical events may motivate your entire family to be active.

If you didn’t exercise as a family when your children were younger and now they resist physical activity, don’t despair. Avoid referring to physical activity as a way to help your children lose weight or bribing them to participate, as these approaches provide little incentive and set the stage for failure. Instead, try referring to activities not as “exercise,” but as time spent together.

As you walk or do other activities, ask your children what they did that day or what they think about various issues. Most likely, your children will begin to value the exercise time as a special time that you’ve set aside to be with and listen to them.

A little competition may also be helpful. For example, you could get pedometers for family members so they can challenge each other to see who can walk the longest distance.

The information in this article was provided as a courtesy by Texas A&M University Department of Recreational Sports. As with any form of exercise, consult with your health care professional to determine if you’re able to do physical activity.

Back to top

Step aside, sugar!

If you’re one of millions who are trying to reduce calorie intake, using artificial sweeteners instead of sugar to sweeten foods and beverages may be just the answer.

But, what are artificial sweeteners? Mary Bielamowicz, registered dietitian and Regents Fellow, professor and extension nutrition specialist, shares the following summary of an article she co-wrote that is published in the April 2006 issue of Texas Cooperative Extension’s Health Hints.

Artificial sweeteners, sometimes referred to as sugar substitutes, fall into two categories:

  • low-calorie, generally non-nutritive sweeteners; and
  • nutritive sugar alcohols.

Low-calorie, non-nutritive sweeteners

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved five low-calorie, generally non-nutritive sweeteners:

Generally non-nutritive sweetener Number of times sweeter than table sugar (sucrose) Aftertaste Maintains sweetness when heated Uses
Acesulfame-K (SweetOne, Sunette) 200x No Yes Used in many foods and beverages. Does not contribute to tooth decay. Can be used in diabetes meal plans as it does not raise blood sugar.
Aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal) 200x No No Used in many foods and beverages. However, sweetness is lost when heated, so it is not suitable for cooking or baking. Can be used in diabetes meal plans as it does not raise blood sugar.
Neotame (common brand name not yet available) 8,000x No Yes Used in many manufactured foods and beverages.  Not available for cooking. Does not contribute to tooth decay. Can be used in diabetes meal plans as it does not raise blood sugar.
Saccharin (Sweet ‘N Low, Sugar Twin) 300x Yes Yes Used as tabletop sweetener and in beverages and medicines. Use in food is limited because its sweet taste is accompanied by bitterness. Does not contribute to tooth decay.  Can be used in diabetes meal plans as it does not raise blood sugar.
Sucralose (Splenda) 600x No Yes Used in many foods and beverages. Use as you would sugar when you cook or bake. Can be used in diabetes meal plans as it does not raise blood sugar.

The brand-name products mentioned above are included only as examples; other brands may be available as well.

Extensive scientific research has demonstrated the safety of these sweeteners when used in moderation. Even so, claims of adverse reactions have been made against these products, particularly aspartame. At this time, scientific research has not substantiated those claims. However, a safety label is included on aspartame because people with phenylketonuria (PKU) cannot metabolize one of its ingredients.

When cooking, low-calorie, non-nutritive sweeteners should not be used as the only sweetener because sugar provides more than just a sweet taste. Sugar also gives baked goods more volume, makes them more moist and tender, and produces a golden brown color.

For most baked goods, you can use a combination of sugar and a low-calorie, non-nutritive sweetener. However, for most recipes, use no more than ½ cup of the artificial sweetener. It is best to use the tested recipes developed by the companies that manufacture the artificial sweeteners.

Sugar is still the best sweetener for pudding, salad dressings, sauces, pie fillings and frozen desserts.

Sugar alcohols

Sugar alcohols are carbohydrates, but not sugars or alcohols. They are referred to as sugar alcohols because their chemical structures are similar to that of sugar and alcohol. The most common sugar alcohols used in the U.S. are sorbitol, manitol and xylitol.

Sugar alcohols are nutritive sweeteners that have been used for years in manufactured products such as gum and dietetic candies. They are not available for cooking.

Sugar alcohols deliver the taste and texture of sugar, but with about half the calories. They vary in sweetness from about half as sweet as sugar to equally as sweet, and they are sometimes combined with the low-calorie sweeteners listed above to create the desired level of sweetness. Sugar alcohols raise blood sugar, but not to the degree that sugar does, and they do not promote tooth decay.

The FDA classifies some sugar alcohols as “generally recognized as safe,” while others are approved food additives. One drawback to sugar alcohols is that they are incompletely digested and poorly absorbed, so consuming them may cause gastrointestinal effects such as gas production, softer stools and even diarrhea. Tolerance varies greatly from one individual to another.

This information is provided as a courtesy by Texas Cooperative Extension. It is directed to the general population and does not directly address the needs of diabetics. Those with diabetes or other medical issues should consult their health care provider or local county extension agent for more information.

Back to top