Category: Wellness

2024 Onsite Health Screenings

Time to register for your onsite health screening!

A free health screening* event has been scheduled for employees (and spouses) who are enrolled in the State of Wisconsin Group Health Insurance Program.

At an onsite screening, you’ll learn your measurements for blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), cholesterol (HDL, LDL, and total), triglycerides and glucose, and be in and out in 20 minutes. Register Today!

  • LOCATION: University Union, Phoenix Rooms, Green Bay Campus
  • DATES: Wednesday April 3, 2024 OR Wednesday September 18, 2024
  • TIME: 8:00 am to 11:30 am

Please register at WebMD ONE – Login (webmdhealth.com) by clicking Get Started on the Biometric Screening card.

Earn your $150 Well Wisconsin Incentive

Complete three activities by October 11, 2024 to earn the $150 Well Wisconsin Incentive.

  1. Get a health screening or complete another health check option (ex: dental exam or coaching session).
  2. Complete the health assessment at webmdhealth.com/wellwisconsin  it takes about 10 minutes and is mobile and table friendly!
  3. Complete a well-being activity (ex. complete a challenge, listen to two Well Wisconsin pod casts, etc.)

For more information on the Well Wisconsin Program or to complete your activities, log in to webmdhealth.com/wellwisconsin.

*The Well Wisconsin incentive program is a voluntary program available to employees, retirees and spouses enrolled in the State of Wisconsin Group Health Insurance Program, excluding Medicare Advantage participants who have incentives available through their health plan. The Well Wisconsin incentive will automatically be issues to eligible participants upon completing the applicable activities. All wellness incentives paid to participants are considered taxable income to the group health plan subscriber and are reported to their employer, who will issue a W2. In some cases. the Wisconsin Retirement System acts as the employer. Retirees, continuants and their spouse will have some taxes withheld from the incentive amount earned. 

Well Wisconsin Program Participation – UW-Green Bay finished in top five!

Well Wisconsin is the uniform wellness program offered as part of the State of Wisconsin Group Health Insurance Program. This program is voluntary and provided at no cost to you and your spouse, if enrolled in the State Group Health Insurance Program. The program offers resources that can help you maintain or improve your current state of well-being and help lower your health risks and costs. There is also a monetary incentive available for you (and your spouse) to earn through the program.

The 2023 numbers are in, and 41.44 % of eligible UW-Green Bay employees (310 people) completed the three steps to get their $150 wellness incentive in 2023!  We also had 88 spouses complete the steps to get their incentive (21.10% of eligible spouses).  Listed below are the top five institutions.  For comparison, the 2023 participation rate for all eligible UW employees was 35.44%.  UW-Green Bay’s participation rate has been higher than the UW overall participation rate each year since 2019 – great job UWGB!

  1. Universities of Wisconsin System Administration (46.58%)
  2. UW-Oshkosh (45.03%)
  3. UW-Stevens Point (42.58%)
  4. UW-Stout (41.73%)
  5. UW-Green Bay (41.44%)

There are three steps to get our $150 wellness incentive, and the activity piece had the lowest completion rate for us:

  1. Health Assessment (44.12% of employees completed this step) (brief online questionnaire)
  2. Health Check (42.51%) (onsite health screening, dental exam or one coaching session)
  3. Health Activity (41.84%) (check out the new options for 2024: Well Wisconsin Well-Being Activities Flyer)

How do our health risks at UW-Green Bay compare to UW overall?  Our three highest health risks are the same:

  1. BMI (Body Mass Index)
  2. Blood Pressure
  3. Cholesterol (Total)

Get ready for 2024!

In good health, and with closer connection is exactly where you belong in 2024. Well Wisconsin is here to help. Learn how by joining one of the kick-off webinars on January 16 or January 31. With the new year comes new resources to support you through more personalized coaching options, including pain management, weight management, diabetes prevention, and more.

The incentive deadline will be October 11, 2024.  To participate in the Well Wisconsin Program, login or register on the WebMD ONE website (code: SOWI) or download the Wellness At Your Side mobile app through the App Store or on Google Play (code: SOWI).

Move for a Million in 2024 

Do you remember the Million Steps Challenge from years ago? It’s back and better than ever. Move for a Million is your challenge to move anyway that works for you, reaching the equivalent of one million steps. WebMD is hosting a webinar, “Move for a Million: Exercises for All” on January 18. Register for the webinar to get inspiration and movement recommendations for your life.

Don’t forget Wellness at Your Side this Holiday season

Take wellness with you wherever you go this holiday season. Chat with a coach, listen to guided meditations, or manage your Daily Habits plan. Keep Stress in Check, Cope with the Blues, Enjoy Exercise, Balance Your Diet, and more are all available anytime with the Wellness at Your Side app. Download the app and use connection code: SOWI. This app is available through Well Wisconsin.

More Information

For additional information regarding the Well Wisconsin Program, go to webmdhealth.com/wellwisconsin or contact the WebMD HelpLine at (800) 821-6591. Additional information may also be found at etf.wi.gov/well-wisconsin-members.

Personal health information is protected by federal law and will not be shared with the Universities of Wisconsin, Employee Trust Funds, or the group health insurance program. For more information, review privacy policy, short privacy video or the Department of Employee Trust Funds’ (ETF) Notice for Wellness Programs.

Reminder: To be eligible for the Well Wisconsin Program, you must be an employee, spouse or retiree enrolled in the State Group Health Insurance Program.  The incentive is considered taxable income.

Well Wisconsin Move for a Million: Exercise for All Webinar

Just Move for a Million – that is, move the equivalent of a million steps in ways that work for you. Get inspiration for movement in this webinar as we look at the benefits of physical activity, recommendations and exercises for all age groups. Well Wisconsin will also explore movement recommendations for people with chronic conditions or disabilities, and for people recovering from injury. Get ideas for moving your way with real-life scenarios.

Click to Register

Do not forget to Sync a Device for the Move for a Million Challenge starting January 1st going through October 11th on Webmd.com. Complete this challenge and you will earn your well-being credit to earn the $150 incentive. This challenge is also available for spouses to take part in if they are enrolled in your State Group Health Insurance Plan, for them to also get the $150 incentive.

See the blog post on more for the Move for a Million Challenge

Well Wisconsin Radio: Let’s Talk Winter Movement, Plus a Bonus Episode

Well Wisconsin Radio podcast discusses topics of health and well-being from experts around the State of Wisconsin

New Episode: Moving Outdoors this Winter

Janet Hutchens, expert from the Department of Natural Resources shares ideas for movement and education this winter in Wisconsin State Parks, including candlelight hikes the OutWiGo snow event and much more. Discover how you can get free entry to state parks, try out equipment like snowshoes and access to adaptive equipment.

Bonus Episode: Managing Anxiety with Exercise and Active Living

In this bonus episode two experts from UW-Whitewater – Logan Edwards, PhD., Associate Professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Jen Kaina, Assistant Director for Fitness and Aquatics – who share mental health benefits associated with exercise, activities to reduce anxiety, and tips for staying active at every age.

Listen HERE!

 

Well Wisconsin Radio: Let’s Talk Reducing Holidays Stress with Aromatherapy

Well Wisconsin Radio podcast discusses topics of health and well-being from experts around the State of Wisconsin.

New Episode: Reducing Holiday Stress with Aromatherapy

Join this episode for an interview with Robin Kourakis, a board-certified aromatherapist and trauma-informed sensory consultant, to discover the science behind aromas and their ability to bring up good or bad memories. The expert shares ideas for using aromatherapy to reduce stress this holiday season and discusses emotional rebalancing. You don’t want to miss this conversation that covers how to safely and effectively use essential oils and holiday aromas to find balance.

Listen HERE!

Wellness Committee: Winter Mindful Challenge

This time of year can be known to be stressful, and chaotic for people as we turn our focus on giving and making sure others needs are met. The Wellness Committee wants you to focus on yourself and reduce your stress. From November 26th to December 23rd be mindful/meditate for at least 10 minutes for at least 3 days a week, during the 4 week span. Use the form below to check off each day you are mindful/meditate, email your completed forms to wellness@uwgb.edu by January 10th to be put in a prize drawing.

Winter Meditation Challenge

Being Mindful/Meditation can help by releasing physical tension held in our bodies, which can help release worries buried in our minds, ease anxiety, stress and low mood. Meditation can even help have a more restful sleep.

Not sure where to begin we got you covered! Here are some resources and helpful tips on how to meditate.

UWGB has a subscription to YOU.uwgb which is sponsored by UW System and available not only for students but faculty and staff as well. You.uwgb has mindful/meditation examples that may help you.

One way to start would be to find a comfortable place to sit, typically cross legged with good posture and closing your eyes and just focus on your breathing.

Some other ways that the Mayo Clinic recommends is:

Walk and Meditate – Can do this when walking anywhere whether it be a path or on busy sidewalks. Have a slow walking pace and focus on each movement with your legs or feet. Focus on sights, sounds, and smells around you.

Read and Reflect – Read poems and take a few moments to reflect on their meaning. You can journal and write your reflections down.

Scan your body – Focus attention on different parts of your body, be being aware of various sensations such as pain, tension, warmth or relaxation.

Meditation apps are available. A free option is Insight Timer

How to meditate for beginners – Mental wellbeing tips – Every Mind Matters – NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Meditation: Take a stress-reduction break wherever you are – Mayo Clinic

Well Wisconsin Awards Nomination

Do you think the Wellness Committee is helping you achieve well-being? Please feel free to vote for us in the Well Wisconsin Awards Nomination for Excellence and Innovation Nomination!

Here is the link to put your vote in: Well Wisconsin Awards Nomination Form Survey (surveymonkey.com)

The Wellness Committee was founded in 2012. We do fun well-being challenges throughout the year, this year we had the March Madness Challenge, Summer Bingo Challenge, and the Fall Wellness Challenge.

Thank you to everyone for their support and participation with the Wellness Committee!