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FOR YOUR BENEFIT |
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September,
2008 |
Vol. 20 No 3 Published
quarterly by the
Trustees of the Operating
Engineers
Trust Funds |
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EVENTS
FOR AUGUST, SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER 2008
Monthly
Cataract Awareness Month. Aug. 1-31. Cataracts are the leading cause of
blindness in the world. For more information, go to
www.preventblindness.org.
National Immunization Awareness Month. Aug.1-31.
Immunization is critical to maintaining health and preventing
life-threatening diseases among people of all ages and cultures.
For more information, go to
www.cdc.gov/vaccines/events/niam/
default.htm.
National Inventors’ Month. Aug.1-31. Pay homage to the inventors of the world
who have changed the quality of our lives. For more information,
visit
www.inventhelp.com/National_Inventors_
Month.asp.
College Savings Month. Sept.1-30. Most families need to plan ahead for the
cost of college enrollment. And programs like the “529
Plan”—available in most states—can make it easy and affordable
for the average family to save. The College Savings Plans
Network sponsors this month to encourage recognition of the
importance of a higher education. Get the facts at
www.collegesavings.org.
Mold Awareness Month. Sept.1-30. Indoor mold growth and its impact on
human health, especially on children and the elderly, is
something only recently understood and widely accepted. For more
information on detecting and conquering mold, go to
http://moldfacts.org.
Dyslexia
Awareness Month.
Oct.1-31. Millions of children and adults worldwide live
with this neurological disorder that impedes their ability to
read; many more go undiagnosed. Use this month to learn the
signs of dyslexia and understand its consequences—at home and in
the workplace. For more information, visit www.interdys.org.
Daily
Solar eclipse. Aug. 1. A total eclipse of the sun will be visible on this day in
the Northeast, as well as in Europe and Asia. This is the second
and last solar eclipse for the year. The first occurred on Feb.
7 and was an annular eclipse, meaning the sun appeared as a halo
around the moon.
Start of the Summer Olympic Games, Aug. 8-24.
The XXIX
Olympiad will take place in Beijing, China. The 5 animated
mascots – one for each Olympic ring – symbolize a fish, a panda,
the Olympic flame, an antelope and a swallow. The first syllable
of each mascot’s name spells out “Beijing welcomes you”.
Canada Yukon Discovery. Aug. 18.
On August 17,
1896, George Washington Carmack, a former sailor living with a
Native American tribe, discovered potato-sized nuggets of gold
in a Yukon river. News of the discovery launched the Klondike
gold rush, with more than 30,000 prospectors flocking to the
area.
Democratic National Convention. Aug. 25-28.
The
convention will take place in Denver, Colorado. The last time
the Democratic National Convention was held in the Mile High
City was 1908, which was also the very first time that a major
party held its convention in a Western state.
Labor Day. Sept. 1.
Legal public holiday,
originated in 1882 when the Central Labor Union (of New York
City) sought to create "a day off for the working man". Has been
celebrated on the first Monday in September since the 1880s.
Grandparent's
Day. Sept. 7.
Originated with Marian McQuade, a housewife in Fayette County,
West Virginia, whose primary motivation was to champion the
cause of lonely elderly in nursing homes. She also hoped to
persuade grandchildren to tap the wisdom and heritage their
grandparents could provide. President Jimmy Carter in 1978
proclaimed that National Grandparents Day would be celebrated
every year on the first Sunday after Labor Day.
California
Admission Day. Sept. 8.
In
February of 1848, Mexico and the U.S. signed a treaty to end the
Mexican War, and Mexico yielded a vast portion of the Southwest,
including present day California, to the U.S. In 1849,
Californians sought statehood and, after heated debate in the
U.S. Congress arising out of the slavery issue,
California entered the Union as a free,
non-slavery state.
California became the 31st state on September 9, 1850.
Columbus Day.
Oct. 13.
Annual observance of Christopher Columbus’ arrival at the
Bahamas, Oct. 12, 1492, after a dangerous voyage across
“shoreless seas”.
Columbus
always believed he had discovered islands off the coast of
India.
United
Nations Day.
Oct. 24. The anniversary of the day in 1947 the majority
of the world’s countries adopted the charter that formed the
United Nations.
Halloween.
Oct. 31. Though it has its roots in ancient religious
traditions, this day is now celebrated by kids wearing costumes
and going trick-or-treating.
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Getting your Free
Credit Report
The federal
government requires that each of the three national
credit-reporting agencies-Experian, Equifax, and
TransUnion-gives you a free credit report every year. You
can order them from all three at once, or at different times.
But the ONLY authorized online source is at
www.annualcreditreport.com, say the Federal Trade
Commission. Consumers should be aware that there are many
sites out there that claim to offer "free" credit reports but
often charge you for another product if you accept the report.
To request your credit report by phone, call (877) 322-8228; by
mail, write to Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box
105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281. Do not contact the
individual credit-reporting agencies. |
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How to
protect your
asthmatic child at school
If your
child has asthma and is headed back to school, you’ll want to
ensure that he or she is allowed to carry an inhaler when
necessary. Despite the fact that most states have passed laws
allowing students to self-administer their asthma drugs, some
schools are strictly interpreting the laws and requiring
students to obtain permission from school nurses or school
officials before being given access to their medication and
inhalers.
What’s a
parent’s best plan of action? The American Lung Association says
communication between the school and the parents is essential to
make sure that your child is safe. Parents need to ask the
school about laws and local policy in place allowing students to
carry and self-administer asthma medications. The ALA also
recommends that all students have an Asthma Action Plan, a
written directive detailing personal information about the
child’s asthma—such as symptoms, medication, and physical
activity limitations—and specific instructions of what to do if
medication does not immediately improve the situation. All
teachers, coaches, the school nurse, and the office should have
an updated action plan for your child. For more information, go
to www.lung.usa.org.
Adding up asthma
Nearly
20 million Americans have asthma.
Nearly 5
million asthma sufferers are children.
Each
year, 5,000 people die from asthma in the United States.
—FDA
Office of Women’s Health |
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Spice Up
Your Health
An apple a day may
keep the doctor away, but half a teaspoon of cinnamon can have
remarkable effects, too.
Government
researchers report that cinnamon improves insulin activity,
which in turn improves blood sugar concentrations. According to
the United States Department of Agriculture, consuming as little
as about a half teaspoon of cinnamon a day can lead to dramatic
improvement in blood sugar for people with Type 2 diabetes.
Those who have elevated glucose, triglycerides, LDL cholesterol,
or total cholesterol levels may benefit from the daily inclusion
of cinnamon as well, researchers say.
Consuming this
amount of cinnamon is safe and users should not experience any
ill effects, the researchers say. Shake a little in your coffee,
or make tea with ground cinnamon or cinnamon sticks. The good
news: The active ingredients are not destroyed by heat. Try it
in your oatmeal, on vegetables, even in main dishes like
spaghetti or meatloaf! (Note: The active components are not
found in cinnamon oil.) |
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Going Nuts For
Almonds
Shelling out for a
bag of almonds might be a bad idea if you need to lower
your cholesterol. Almonds are recognized as a
cholesterol-lowering food; studies also show that they
can reduce the risk of heart disease.
One ounce of
almonds-about 25 nuts-contain 164 calories and 1.10
grams of saturated fat. That same ounce is also a
good source of protein, potassium, vitamin E, and
magnesium-and has no cholesterol.
Almond lore
Almonds were key to
the world's first "to-go" snack. Ancient desert
nomads combined almonds with chopped dates, bit of
pistachios, sesame oil, and breadcrumbs and rolled them
into balls. The concoctions travel well.
King Tut apparently
knew the nutritional value of almonds. Several
handfuls of them accompanied him into the tomb, perhaps
to nourish him on the post-life journey. |
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SPECTERA – Vision
Network Change
As of May 1, 2008, Costco
stores are no longer in the Spectera Vision network. The doctors
at Costco remain in the network (for eye exams), but purchases
of glasses and contacts at Costco locations will no longer be
considered in-network. If you are enrolled in Spectera and have
questions, you may refer to their website at
www.spectera.com or call their Customer Service Department
at 1-800-638-3120. |
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PREVENT OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSE
Question:
If my doctor is contracted with Blue Cross and he refers me to
another provider for blood tests, x-rays, or a consultation, can
I assume that those other providers are also Blue
Cross-contracted providers?
NO!
Traditionally, doctors do business with certain radiology and
pathology labs they’ve used in the past. Doctors sometimes also
refer patients to their colleagues or friends for treatment.
These other providers might even be in the same building as your
doctor. This does not necessarily mean that these other
providers are also under contract with Blue Cross.
Some important
points to remember:
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Always
refer to your Blue Cross Directory or to their
website at www.anthem.com (Nevada) or www.anthem.com/ca
(California). If the provider is not listed, the
provider most likely does not have a contract with Blue Cross.
This means that the allowable charges will be subject to the
annual deductible and the Fund will pay normal Plan benefits.
You could incur significant out-of-pocket expenses.
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Always
ask your doctor to review the Blue Cross Directory and, if
possible, refer you to a contracted provider. Do not expect
your doctor to have a current Blue Cross Directory. You
should keep the Directory handy and take it with you when you
visit the doctor so that you and the doctor can refer to it.
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Chances
are good that your doctor has contracts with many different
insurance plans. This is why it's important for you to remind
the doctor that you would like to use Blue Cross-contracted
providers as often as possible. It is your responsibility
to remind the doctor that you need to use contract
providers to keep your out-of-pocket expenses low.
X-rays & Lab
Tests:
If your doctor sends you outside his office for
x-rays or blood tests, you will need to find out if that
provider has a contract with Blue Cross. Blood and laboratory
tests are performed by doctors who are listed in your Directory
under "pathology." X-rays are performed by doctors who are
listed in your Directory under "radiology."
Specialists:
If your doctor feels you should be seen by a specialist, ask him
to look in the Directory and refer you to a Blue
Cross-contracted specialist.
Surgery &
Hospital Services:
If you need surgery, it is very important for you
to ask your doctor to choose other Blue Cross-contracted
physicians whenever possible. Most doctors have privileges to
admit patients to several different hospitals – and not all of
those are Blue Cross-contracted hospitals. Make sure your doctor
is admitting you to a Blue Cross-contract hospital or you will
incur significant out-of-pocket expense! |
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Uncommon distinctions
"There is something that is much more scarce, something far
finer, something rarer than ability. It is the ability to
recognize ability."
-Elbert Hubbard |
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Protecting a mortgage
In today’s
uncertain economy, many homeowners are having trouble keeping up
with their mortgage payments. People find themselves in crisis
for lots of reasons—including skyrocketing household costs, job
loss, and serious illness. But foreclosure is not always
inevitable. Here are a few tips from the U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development (HUD):
• If you know
you’re in trouble, contact your lender immediately.
Lenders usually want to help you keep your property, as the
alternative is often expensive for them.
• If you get
a letter from your lender, open it immediately.
Don’t ignore it because you can’t face your problems. Hiding
from such problems only makes them worse.
• Know the
laws and your rights. Call HUD, which offers low-cost or free counseling
nationwide. HUD counselors can help you understand the law and
your situation more thoroughly.
• Take a hard
look at your finances. After healthcare, your house payment should be your next
priority. Cut optional expenses like cable television, gym or
other memberships, and other things you can live without.
• Assess your
assets.
Can you sell something to help you make your payments? Can
someone else in the household get a job to contribute to the
house payment?
• Don’t pay
for foreclosure prevention help. Instead, use your money toward your house payment.
Don’t fall for promises that these companies will negotiate a
deal with your lender. They might, but they’ll probably
charge you a huge fee for it. Use information and services
available from your lender or from HUD counselors.
• Don’t fall
for scams asking you to sign something that will “stop your
foreclosure immediately.” You could be signing a legal document that hands over the title of
your home to the scammer, making you a renter instead of an
owner. |
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Inspiration comes from
surprising places
Gordon Parks,
the youngest son of 15 children, was born in 1912. His father
was a dirt farmer in Kansas, and when his mother died, Parks
began making his living at 15 by playing piano in a brothel,
singing, washing dishes, and waiting tables on a train. Poor and
black, Parks attended high school, but never graduated. While he
was in school, one of his teachers told the students in his
class not to waste their parents’ hard-earned money on college
because they were just going to end up being maids and porters
anyway. In 1938, Parks bought a $7 camera from a pawn shop and
set out to prove his teacher wrong.
“I picked up a
camera because it was my choice of weapons against what I hated
most about the world, including racism, intolerance, and
poverty,” Parks said. Eventually, he became a photographer for
Life and Vogue magazines, made several films (one
of which was Shaft), wrote novels, poetry, orchestral
scores, and co founded Essence magazine. He volleyed back
and forth in life, from high fashion to chronicling the
African-American experience. The self-taught and exceptional
artist had to break through racial barriers in every field he
pursued. Of the many honorary college degrees he was awarded,
Parks dedicated one to the teacher who had told him not to
bother going to college—because it was she who had inspired him
throughout his life to prove her wrong. |
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HAVE YOU CHANGED YOUR
ADDRESS?
It
is very important that you keep the Fund Office advised at all
times of any change in your address. Changes of address
cannot be accepted unless the change is in writing and is signed
by the eligible member.
Click Here to Print a Change of Address Form. |
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PANEL DENTIST UPDATE |
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ADDITIONS:
Surat
Attaphitaya, D.D.S.
558 Wet Badillo Street
Covina, CA 91722
(626) 331-0506
Bruce Baker, D.M.D.
(Pediatric)
29645 Rancho
California Road
Suite 237
Temecula, CA 92591
(951) 506-1666
2nd Location
13422 Pomerado Road
Suite 102
Poway, CA 92064
(858) 679-6660
Charles Calder, D.D.S.
Oral & maxillofacial Surgery
6140 S.
Fort Apache Road, Suite 120
Las Vegas, NV 89148
(702) 655-8400
Jack Chan, D.D.S.
818 Civic
Center Drive
Oceanside, CA 92054
(760) 722-4765
Donald Graham, D.D.S.
1000 N.
Silverbell Road
Tucson, AZ 85745
(520) 746-1068
2nd Location
1400 W.
Valencia Raod, Suite 100
Tucson, AZ 85746
(520) 624-7514
Kamee Huh, D.D.S.
16455 Main
Street, Suite 17
Hesperia, CA 92345
(760) 244-6077
Reza Izadi, D.D.S.
Endodontist
23361
El Toro Road, Suite 105
Lake Forest, CA 92630
(949) 305-0202
Jinho Joe, D.D.S.
16200 Bear
Valley Road, Suite 105
Victorville, CA 92395
(760) 952-2102
Jeff Kinner, D.D.S.
Pediatric
653 N.
Town Center Drive, Suite 104
Las Vegas, NV 89144
(702) 838-9013
Yong Lai, D.D.S.
8200 S.
Maryland Parkway, Suite 130
Las Vegas, NV 89123
(702) 492-6608
Miles Madison, D.D.S.
44244
Division Street
Lancaster, CA 93535
(661) 942-6200
2nd Location
3131
Santa Anita Avenue, Suite 201
El Monte, CA 91733
(626) 444-2605
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Melvin Markham, D.D.S.
8961 Heil
Avenue
Westminster, CA 92683
(714) 847-2232
Juan Mejia, D.D.S.
Ehab Sammaan, D.D.S.
Babak Aminpour, D.D.S.
Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
1358 West
Sixth Street, Suite 101
Corona, CA 92882
(951) 734-4620
Jean Miller, D.D.S.
810 St.
John Place, Suite C
Hemet, CA 92543
(951) 652-4040
Rubin Nichols, D.D.S.
558 West Badillo Street
Covina, CA 91722
(626) 331-0506
Bin Ho Park, D.D.S.
378 N. Main
Street
Corona, CA 92880
(951) 735-7410
Jason Sherman, D.D.S.
1260 Hamner
Avenue, Suite C
Norco, CA 92860
(951) 279-5200
Tom Sumnicht, D.D.S.
13910 Lyons
Valley Road, Suite G
Jamul, CA 91935
(619) 669-1338
2nd Location
11
Naples Street
Chula Vista, CA 91911
(619) 426-5640
TERMINATIONS:
Ronald Cunning, D.D.S.
9595
Central Avenue
Montclair, CA 91763
(909) 624-9087
Carole Lowe-Richens,
D.D.S.
1552 W.
Warm Springs Road, Suite 120
Henderson, NV 89014
(702) 451-1889
2nd address
3481 E. Sunset Road, Suite 101
Las Vegas, NV 89120
(702) 451-1889
John F. Mack, D.D.S.
7310 Smoke
Ranch Road, Suite F
Las Vegas, NV 89128
(702) 254-7507
DELETE
the following ADDRESSES:
Shalabh Puri, D.D.S.
139 North
“A” Street
Oxnard, CA 93030
(805) 483-9537
Yong Kim, D.D.S.
Sam Kim, D.D.S.
9620 S. Las
Vegas Boulevard, Suite E-14
Las Vegas, NV 89123
(702) 616-4702
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