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.  

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.

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

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.)

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.

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.

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:

• 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.

• 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.

• 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!

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

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.

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.

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.