Northwest cares about the health and wellness of its employees and is responding to feedback from the employee engagement survey regarding concerns about the rising costs of health insurance premiums. For these reasons, the University’s employee wellness program is changing in 2023.
Preventive care is routine healthcare that includes screenings and labs to help prevent illness, disease or other health problems. Along with a healthy lifestyle, taking basic preventive care steps can immensely improve your health in the future and reduce healthcare costs.
What is changing
In 2023, Northwest is moving away from annual health risk assessments and implementing a primary care provider wellness program.
The primary care provider wellness program consists of an annual preventive visit and routine labs ordered by a healthcare provider. Our health plan covers an annual preventive visit and routine labs, funded at 100 percent, when you see an in-network provider.
Employees will need to download and print a Physician Screening Form (PSF) from the A Healthier You portal to bring with them to their preventive care appointment. Employees on a Northwest health plan who do not return the PSF by Oct. 15, 2023, will be assessed a $50 per month premium differential beginning with the December 2023 paycheck.
The on-campus biometric screening event that typically happens in October each year will no longer be offered.
The online health risk assessment questionnaire will not be required as a part of the primary care provider wellness program, but employees are still encouraged to complete the online assessment.
At this time, spouses on a Northwest health plan will not be required, but are encouraged, to participate in the primary care provider wellness program.
Next steps
For additional resources, including quick references and answers to frequently asked questions, such as how to access A Healthier You, how to download the Physician Screening Form and what to say when you call to make your preventive care appointment, visit https://www.nwmissouri.edu/hr/Primary-Care-Provider-Wellness-Program.htm.
Mark Aubuchon |
Kate Caniglia |
Katelyn Halsey |
Dr. Lance Tatum |
Dr. Stephanie Krauth |
Congwen Wang |
| Colin McDonough | Assistant Athletics Director for Media Relations | Department of Athletics |
| Joni McDonough | International Admissions Specialist | Office of Admissions |
| Jackie Runde | Online Academic Coordinator | Learning and Teaching Center |
| Jaime Collins | Office Manager | Department of Language, Literature and Writing |
| Sam Mason | Major Gift Officer | Office of University Advancement |
| Brandon Stanley | Assistant Vice President of Marketing and Communication | Office of University Marketing and Communication |
| Austin Meyer | Head Women's Basketball Coach | Department of Athletics |
| Cheryl Birkenholz | Help Desk Specialist | Office of Information Technology |
Northwest's Vector SafeColleges trainings are to be completed by Saturday, July 1, 2023. These trainings are related to a variety of topics throughout the 2022-2023 academic year.
Participation is accessible through the MoveSpring app, which is free to employees. The series concludes Saturday, Aug. 26, with an in-person 5K on the Bearcat Trail. The 5K is open to all employees and their families.
More information and registration details are available at https://www.nwmissouri.edu/hr/wellness/exercise.htm.
The following policies apply to parking on campus through Friday, Aug. 4:
Affinity groups are designed to create safe spaces for members to share and process experiences. As allies, our affinity group also allows participants the opportunity to identify ways in which we can appropriately use our privilege to bring about social change. For more information, visit Northwest affinity groups.
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Contact Giselle Greenidge ggreenidge@nwmissouri.edu |
Contact Elyssa Ford ebford@nwmissouri.edu |
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Contact ALLY@nwmissouri.edu |
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These employee-led groups aim to foster a diverse, inclusive workplace. Contact each group individually.
Northwest Staff Council represents a unified voice for all Northwest staff. To learn about staff, upcoming events or voice concerns, visit Northwest Staff Council.
Staff Council elections are happening soon for the upcoming year. Look for more information from your area leaders or talk with your Staff Council representative.
The Office of Human Resources highlights the following resources that employees may use as necessary. Mindful by BlueKC, the EAP and TAO are completely confidential.
The University has established a partnership with Family Guidance Center to provide a crisis counselor on site. Holly McMillen, a certified licensed professional counselor, is available Monday through Friday to respond to any crisis or resource needs.
This service is confidential. Contact Holly directly to schedule an appointment at hmcmillen@fgcnow.org or 660.853.8196.
For more information, contact the Office of Human Resources at 660.562.1127.
Mindful by BlueKC is a behavioral health initiative dedicated to reducing stigma around behavioral health in our communities while making care accessible and affordable for members. Mindful by Blue KC is a commitment to covering the health needs of the whole person and comes to life as a set of tools and resources to address stress, depression, anxiety, substance use and more. This ensures that members can access and afford the behavioral health care they need.
Mindful Advocates are available 24/7 and are licensed behavioral health clinicians who match members to providers and guide care plans. Mindful Advocates may be contacted at 833.302.6463. For more information, visit Mindful by BlueKC initiative.
All Northwest employees are eligible to use Ability Assist Counseling Services sponsored by The Hartford. Click here to read about the benefits this program offers.
This is a private online library of behavioral health resources. It is a free and confidential resource available to Northwest employees and students. For more information, visit TAO-Therapy Assistance Online.
Wellness Services is offering a variety of online programing. Follow Wellness Services on Twitter and Instagram at @nw_wellness for updates.
The center provides reliable information about a variety of mental and behavioral health topics. For more information, visit New Directions Health Resources.
For information about a specific substance use, visit New Directions Substance Use Disorders Center, or call the Substance Use Disorder Hotline at 877.326.2458.
If you have questions, email healthybearcat@nwmissouri.edu.
Northwest is continuing to focus its new employee wellness website on mental health support. The website includes information and resources related to the topics of sleep, relationships and finance.
Our first topic in the series is sleep, and the website is accessible at www.nwmissouri.edu/hr/wellness.
USI's Benefits Resource Center is a free resource service for employees and encourages you to reach out for any information, questions, or help with insurance or benefits.
Click this link to download a flyer with more details and contact information.
BlueKC is partnering with Sapphire Digital to offer SmartShopper, an incentive platform that can save members money on health care expenses every time they select a reward-eligible, lower-cost care for qualifying procedures such as MRIs, colonoscopies or blood work.
SmartShopper is embedded within the provider finder and cost estimator tools in your mybluekc.com portal. Click here to watch a short video about SmartShopper.
MOSERS offers educational programs to help members learn information about their benefits as they progress through their career and experience different life events along the way.
Newer Employees and MOSERS Webinars: Start learning about the state benefits administered by MOSERS.
Mid-Career Webinar: Learn how different career and life events may affect your pension benefit.
Ready to Retire Sessions: Learn about the retirement process and how different decisions may impact your pension benefit.
Stay up to date and visit www.mosers.org/education frequently for more information, including schedules and how to register.
For employees in a MOSERS eligible position and nearing retirement, keep in mind the termination and reemployment rules. Those rules state that before receiving a benefit payment from MOSERS, IRS rules require a “bona fide termination” of a member’s employment. For purposes of MOSERS Board Rules, a "bona fide termination" occurs when:
For more information, please see MOSERS' FAQs on termination and reemployment rules and its termination and reemployment rules flyer.
Please note, if an employee does not have a bona fide separation of service, their retirement will be null and void, meaning they will not receive their pension payments.
The MO Deferred Comp plan is a supplemental retirement savings option available to employees. Visit www.modeferredcomp.org to learn more about the plan, register for upcoming education sessions or find financial planning options.
Blue KC offers members digital tools to allow quick access to health insurance plan information to support them along their health journey.
Today, many members enjoy the convenience of Blue KC Virtual Care from their mobile device or laptop computer. Virtual care offers a fast, simple way to see a doctor 24/7 for sick care or to make an appointment with a behavioral health provider.
The Blue KC Virtual Care has moved from its own, standalone app to the MyBlueKC mobile app. This change means virtual care is now a feature in an app that members frequently use. With just a few taps, members can have a video visit with a doctor as well as get benefit information, view claims, download digital ID cards, and connect to health and wellness programs – all in one place. Make sure you have updated to the latest version of the MyBlueKC mobile app through your device settings for the virtual care functionality.
Click here for instructions on how to get the MyBlueKC app.
Some employees have received emails from financial planning companies implying they are partnered with MOSERS. The content of the emails suggests that members must pay for a meeting with a retirement counselor and that they can learn how to increase their retirement savings. This is inaccurate. MOSERS has not authorized any outside financial planners to advise our members on their MOSERS benefits.
As a reminder, the services offered through MOSERS and MO Deferred Comp are provided to MOSERS members at no cost. In regard to increasing their retirement savings, MOSERS members have the ability to meet with MO Deferred Comp financial education professionals to help make savings decisions as they prepare for retirement.
Northwest advises all MOSERS members to stay vigilant and double-check the addresses of email senders before clicking any links.
The A Healthier You program gives you convenient online and mobile access to wellness tools that you can use to live your healthiest life. Plus, you’ll earn points that can be redeemed for chances to win gift cards to some popular retailers. For more information about the program, click here.
Blue365 is a free health and wellness discount program offered to Blue KC members for year-round discounts on gym memberships, fitness gear, healthy eating options and more. To register and browse available discounts, log in to your mybluekc.com portal and select Health Programs in the Health & Wellness menu. For more information about the program, click here.
The Foster Fitness Center, Student Recreation Center and Hughes Fieldhouse walking track are free for all employees and spouses to use. Employees and spouses must complete the assumption of risk and waiver of liability form on CatPAWS in advance of using the Foster Fitness Center.
The Hughes Fieldhouse walking track is available for employee use, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Employees should enter through the south doors, and parking is available in the south lots. Kids are welcome but must be accompanied by an adult at all times while on the track. Click here to view a listing of when the walking track is not available.
Mosaic Medical Center-Maryville offers a personalized weight management program called Healthy Lifestyles. The program is designed to help people of all ages and sizes achieve an improved quality of life through medical nutritional counseling, teaching and lifestyle changes. For additional information about the program, visit Healthy Lifestyles: Personalized Weight Management Program.
Home Chef is recognizing our nation’s educators and school support personnel with a 50 percent discount on their first scheduled Home Chef meal kit and a $10 discount on five subsequent deliveries. Simply use code EDU50 at checkout to begin receiving your education discount.
Home Chef makes home cooking simple. Their fresh, weekly meal kits are customized to your liking and delivered straight to your doorstep. Minimize your trips to the grocery store and distress your evenings with delicious, pre-planned meals starting at just $6.99 per serving. Here’s how it works:
Your education discount is available at //homechef.com/edu and, if you already are a customer, you can verify with ID.me on the payment page of your account to begin receiving 10 percent off all future orders.
Wellness Services is offering COVID-19 first and second vaccines as well as the bivalent COVID booster (Pfizer and Moderna). Call 660.562.1348 to schedule an appointment.
Employees may walk in to Wellness Services for an influenza vaccine between 10 and 11 a.m. Monday through Friday when the University is open. Bring your insurance card with you.
Beginning in May, all Northwest employees receive an e-bill to their University email, rather than a mailed paper bill. To opt out of an e-bill, complete the Paperless Billing Opt-Out form in MyNorthwest under Employee Resources -> Finance & Administration -> Billing.
https://www.nwmissouri.edu/intranet/employee/web/paperless-billing.htm
The mission of the Bearcat Food Pantry is to provide a source of food and necessities for Northwest students and employees experiencing food insecurity and hunger. The food pantry is located in the J.W. Jones Student Union and is accessible from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Northwest accepts food donations for the pantry at the Student Engagement Center and the Office of Student Affairs located on the second floor of the Student Union. For a list of most needed items, visit Bearcat Food Pantry. Monetary donations to support the food pantry should be directed to the Northwest Foundation and are tax-deductible.
Friends of International Students (FIS) is a community-based organization established to match interested area individuals and families (friends) with international students at Northwest. The program goals are to provide support to the students as they become adjusted to their new home and to promote friendship and understanding between people of different nationalities.
FIS is recruiting friends to connect with international students. Friends are asked to make contact with assigned students at least once a month during their year-long commitment to the program. Contact can take many forms, including family dinners, attending sporting events, pumpkin carving and various other activities involving two-way cultural tradition sharing. For more information or to apply, contact board members at FIS@nwmissouri.edu or visit www.nwmissouri.edu/international/services/friends/.
Visit the “How to Purchase Office Supplies” guide. Various binders, hanging file folders and other office supplies are available at no cost to departments at Central Receiving.
Purchasing has created instructional videos explaining how to create a purchase requisition and a Central Stores purchase requisition in Banner/INB. The videos are available in MyNorthwest, Employee Resources - Finance.
It is important for employees to apply good ergonomic practices. To view a complete list of ergonomic suggestions, visit Workstation safety guideline.
