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Health
and Other Resources
Spring
2008
Edition of The Advocate Now Online
 Among the topics covered in the
14th edition of The Advocate — an checklist from the
Employee Benefits Security Administration to help ensure
compliance for wellness and disease management programs, the
effects of the national increase in prescription drug use, the
trend among drugstores to use more pharmacy technicians, CEO Mary Kesel's "My View" column
on reducing medical errors, and more.
Winter
2008
Edition of The Advocate Now Online
 Among the topics covered in the
13th edition of The Advocate — a legislative update from
Capitol Hill, the real reasons organizations should
outsource, employee angst over consumer-driven health care plans,
an honor for one of client services manager Linda Carter,
why more employees are opting out of employer health coverage, a
new Visa gift card for health care and and CEO Mary Kesel's "My View" column
taking a look back at 2007.
Fall
2007
Edition of The Advocate Now Online
 Among the topics covered in the 12th edition of The Advocate — an individual patient advocacy success story, closing communication gaps in annual enrollment, the impact of demographic changes on physicians, slow wage growth at most employers and CEO Mary Kesel's "My View" column on
lessons learned from the controversial film, "Sicko."
Summer
2007
Edition of The Advocate Now Online
Among the topics covered
in the 11th edition of The Advocate — proposed changes
to the Family and Medical Leave Act, retention strategies that
work, customer service at The Benefit Advocates, a Benefits
Industry IQ test and the Social Security Administration's Death
Master File resource.
Spring
2007
Edition of The Advocate Now Online
Among the topics covered
in the 10th edition of The Advocate — neighborhood health centers, kiosks
for dispensing free generic drugs, alcohol awareness at work, water's weight-loss benefits, a drop
in employees taking health-care insurance and a Real People, Real Answers success story.
Winter
2006
Edition of The Advocate Now Online
Among the topics covered
in the ninth edition of The Advocate — Medicare
premiums increasing for wealthier seniors, signs that
Consumer-Directed Health Care plans are producing savvier health
care consumers, the rise of medical identity theft, research
findings on a possible link between diet and Alzheimer's disease,
the increased risk women smokers face of lung cancer and why high
levels of HDL cholesterol are good for your heart.
Summer
2006
Edition of The Advocate Now Online
Among the topics covered
in the eighth edition of The Advocate — the online newsletter
from The Benefit Advocates: a study finding few differences in the
quality of health care received by all Americans, the shortcomings
of Medicare D, the lack of savings and planning for medical
expenses, the cardiovascular benefits of eating fish, Lunch 'N
Learn sessions for employees to learn how to better use benefits,
why more and more companies are hiring older Baby Boomers and ways
The Benefit Advocates can help the employees of client company
make better financial decisions.
Spring
2006
Edition of The Advocate Now Online
Among the topics covered
in the seventh edition of The Advocate — the online newsletter
from The Benefit Advocates: applying and filing for the Medicare
Part D subsidy, the value of second opinions, the cost savings of
consumer-directed health care plans, coping with the increased
concern among employees about their personal finances, helping
employees wisely invest tax refunds, new services being offered to
individuals by The Benefit Advocates and Medicare's decision to
cover three types of obesity surgery.
Winter
2006
Edition of The Advocate Now Online
Among the topics covered
in the sixth edition of The Advocate — the online newsletter
from The Benefit Advocates: cost-saving strategies for reducing
retirement-plan costs, the decline of the traditional pension and
pension plan changes, helping seniors sort out the complexities of
Medicare D, guarding against the negative consequences of changes
in drug-plan coverage and encouraging older workers to stay on the
job.
Fall
2005
Edition of The Advocate Now Online
Among the topics covered
in the fifth edition of The Advocate — the online newsletter
from The Benefit Advocates: cost-saving strategies for reducing
benefit costs, the new Roth 401(k), 401(k) assistance from the IRS
for Hurricane Katrina survivors, creative solutions to keep aging
Baby Boomers productive, the retirement confidence gap between
women and men, tips on protecting yourself and your family from
the flu and the second My View column by President and CEO
Mary Kesel on her company's certification by the National Women
Business Owners Corporation as a woman-owned business.
Summer
2005
Edition of The Advocate Now Online
Among the topics covered
in the fourth edition of The Advocate — the online newsletter
from The Benefit Advocates: what employers need to know about
Medicare Part D and the new prescription drug benefit; the
importance of short-term medical insurance for college graduates;
financial planning for emergencies; changes to the
use-it-or-lose-it rule for health-care flexible spending accounts
and the first My View column in the series by President and CEO
Mary Kesel on the difference between leadership and power.
Spring
2005
Edition of The Advocate Now Online
 Among the topics covered
in the third edition of The Advocate — the online newsletter
from The Benefit Advocates: why consumer-directed health-care plans
might not be the promised cure for rising health-care costs;
encouraging the use of generic drugs; Social Security changes for
2005; a slowing in the rate of health-care benefit increases; tips
for reducing workplace stress; and how to wash away germs and keep
productivity-sapping illnesses at bay.
Summer
2004
Edition of The Advocate Now Online
 Among the topics covered
in the second edition of The Advocate — the online newsletter
from The Benefit Advocates: energizing your workforce to reap the
bottom-line benefits of fully engaged employees; streamlining
legally required communications, a new tool for fighting fraud and
reducing errors from the Social Security administration, updates
on new Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation monthly award amounts;
new federal pension relief legislation; the effects of colors on moods; and a
quiz testing your knowledge on coordination of leave under the
Family and Medical Leave Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act
and workers' compensation.
Winter
2004
Edition of The Advocate Now Online
 Among the topics covered
in the first edition of The Advocate — the new online newsletter
from The Benefit Advocates: changes to flexible spending accounts
that may make the tax-saving vehicle even more attractive for
employees;
why too many fund options might reduce retirement
fund participation; tips on cutting drug costs; how to manage for
performance; planning, preparing and saving for retirement; and 10
steps to better sleep.
Twenty Ways to Reduce the Likelihood
of Medical Errors
 Many people feel rushed, intimidated and embarrassed by asking
questions of their doctors and other healthcare professionals. But many medical errors can
be prevented if patients would talk openly with their doctors, ask questions and follow
medical orders.
Typical Health Plans Offered by
Employers 
 From indemnity or "fee-for-service" plans to health maintenance
organizations (HMO), preferred provider organizations (PPOs), point-of-service (POS) plans
and other options, learn some of the key differences between the different types of health
plans that many employers allow their employees to select from.
Dental Insurance Plan Basics
 Dental care is important
to your overall health and second only to health insurance as the most-appreciated employee benefit. Today, dental plans look a lot like health plans. Employers may offer Direct Reimbursement Plans,
dental PPOs or DMOs (dental maintenance organizations) as part of a comprehensive benefits
package.
Getting the Most from Office
Visits
 Do you ever leave your doctor’s office with unanswered questions,
unaddressed medical problems, expensive prescriptions and follow-up appointments that do
not fit into your busy schedule? A recent study stated that 90 percent of physicians
believed that serious health problems could be averted if patients and doctors talked
more.
Tips and Questions about
Scheduling Surgery
 From avoiding Fridays, because of the reduced hospital staffs on
weekends, to July at teaching hospitals, when new residents arrive fresh out of medical
school, learn how to make scheduled procedures as worry-free as possible.
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