PROGRAM OPTIONS — NDPERS
NDPERS Wellness Programs
The North Dakota Wellness Center offers a collection of health management programs and tools available to state employees with benefits administered by the North Dakota Public Employees Retirement System (NDPERS).
MyHealthConnection
Whether you have a cold, a sore back or a chronic disease such as diabetes or asthma, our disease management program, called MyHealthConnection, comes complete with a health care information and support line to help you learn about your condition and the available treatment options. Health coaches, available 24 hours a day, every day, provide support for symptom management, significant medical decisions, and chronic condition management.
Tobacco Cessation Program
Participate in one of more than 20 approved smoking cessation programs. Most of which are available through public health departments across the state of North Dakota. All current state employees and their dependents age 18 and older with NDPERS health coverage who smoke or chew tobacco, and want to quit, are eligible to participate. An initial assessment will determine how ready you are to quit, your smoking or chewing triggers and what type of nicotine replacement therapy, such as patches or gum, and/or prescription medication you may need. If prescription medication is recommended, you will need to visit your doctor. The program will pay for out-of-pocket expenses, your office visit, prescriptions and over-the-counter medication.
Prenatal Plus Program
Whether it's a first child or the fifth, early prenatal care is the most important factor in having a safe pregnancy. The Prenatal Plus program can provide you with valuable information and support at no additional cost. Participants complete a screening questionnaire to determine if the pregnancy is higher risk. High-risk participants are referred to their physician. Everyone who participates receives valuable information on pregnancy-related health concerns, and a nurse checks in periodically to answer any questions you might have.
Member Education
Our Member Education Program helps you hold down the cost of health care by providing health information, free of charge, at your workplace. Our Member Education representatives are ready to visit your worksite to talk about:
- Health care issues
- Health care trends
- Technology costs
- Prescription drug costs
- Our demands on the health care system
- What role the Internet can play
- Benefits of a healthy lifestyle
Presentations may be tailored specifically for your employer-sponsored group. Our schedule is your schedule, and we can meet with employees during lunch hours or after work.
After you've had one Member Education meeting at your workplace, BCBSND can provide a monthly set of worksite materials designed to help you with timely, practical and relevant information on a variety of health-related topics. Get a quick look at health issues that impact your everyday life, with facts and figures on everything from child safety seats to secondhand smoke.
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Everyone has personal problems at one time or another, whether it's stress, family matters, money troubles, substance abuse or depression. The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) can help you confidentially deal with these issues before they take a toll on your mental health, personal life and job performance: abuse, age, alcohol and drugs, depression, grief, stress, marriage and parenting, relationships and workplace difficulties.
Walking Works™
Walking Works™ stresses the importance of walking at least 10,000 steps a day to maintain a basic level of fitness. The program is available free of charge to employers that participate with BCBS. It is not available on an individual basis. The program includes a presentation by a BCBS representative who gives a benefits overview of your health insurance plan. A second presentation explains the Walking Works™ program, the value of physical activity, goal setting, and how to incorporate this activity in your daily life. Each attendee at the meeting will receive an activity log and pedometer.
NDPERS 5 A Day Challenge
A collaboration between the North Dakota Department of Health, the NDSU Extension Service, the Healthy North Dakota Initiative and NDPERS, the 5 A Day Challenge is one strategy to help you make better dietary choices which can lead to better health and reduced use of medical services and health insurance. The program includes two on-site educational sessions presented by a public health nutritionist or extension professional and a personal challenge to increase servings of fruits and vegetables over the course of four weeks. You also receive a packet of educational and motivational materials that provide the information and tools to increase the daily servings of fruits and vegetables, personal goal setting and tools for tracking progress.
