Pitt Benefits

Step Up, Step Out Corporate Wellness Challenge

Partnering with the Pittsburgh Business Group on Health and the American Heart Association, the University of Pittsburgh is participating in a 10-week Corporate Wellness Challenge that tracks steps in a competition-style format. Activities counted are not limited to walking. Gardening, housework, golfing, and more are converted into steps and evaluated on a week-to-week basis. Learn how to increase physical activity in unique ways with fitness experts. Keep track of your steps to compete with coworkers and employees of companies nationwide.

Did you know?

— According to a Harvard University study, you will gain about two hours of life expectancy for each hour of regular exercise, no matter what age you begin.

— Brisk walking for as little as 30 minutes a day can bring heart-health benefits and reduce your chances for a stroke by lowering bad cholesterol (LDL) levels and high blood pressure.

— By making physical activity part of your everyday life (e.g., walking at lunch, biking to work or playing basketball in your free time), you can begin to see other benefits, including:

Controlling your weight;
Managing stress;
Boosting energy levels;
Preventing bone loss.

What are you waiting for?

Sign up as an individual or with a team (must have five employees)! Join at any time. The program runs from April 2 – June 10.

For details on registration and tracking information, please visit the Human Resources Department web site announcements section at www.hr.pitt.edu.

Introducing MyUPMC!

MyUPMC, formerly known as UPMC HealthTrak, is the new, comprehensive way to connect to your health care. After accessing MyUPMC, you will be able to view outpatient medical information, communicate with your doctor, and have access to the UPMC Health Plan secure member website, MyHealth Online. MyHealth Online is a resource available in addition to MyUPMC and provides access to review your spending, see claims that have been paid, and links to a variety of tools to help you manage your health and health care.

With MyUPMC you can:

View test results and medical history for adults and children;
Renew prescriptions;
Request appointments;
Pay bills or ask billing questions;
Manage family health records;
Track chronic conditions;
Go mobile with an app for iPhone and Android devices.

MyUPMC lets you communicate with your doctor and access your medical records anytime, anywhere, through your computer, tablet or smart phone.

You are eligible to use MyUPMC if you are 18 years of age or older and have access to the Internet. You also may have the ability to use MyUPMC if you are the parent or legal guardian of a minor patient. Certain restrictions to information may apply. Legal guardians must provide a court order to obtain proxy access for a minor patient. There is no cost to participate; however, certain features within MyUPMC may have associated fees.

If you previously had a HealthTrak account, you can use your existing username and password. You can sign up for a new account by visiting MyUPMC.com and completing an online application. You will be asked to verify a series of questions to confirm your identity and upon successful verification of your identity, a MyUPMC access code will be given to you. If you have difficulties, please email help@myupmc.com or call the MyUPMC support line at 1-866/884-8579, option 2.

Upcoming Financial Seminar

The Benefits Department, in collaboration with Vanguard, is offering a workshop entitled “Feeling Secure: Taking Control of Your Financial Life” as part of the faculty and staff development program. This interactive workshop is developed for faculty and staff who are interested in a comprehensive financial planning overview. Participants will be provided with an overview of several financial planning topics. The course begins with a discussion of the importance of taking control of your finances by determining your net worth, creating a spending plan and managing credit. This is followed by a detailed discussion of retirement investing that includes sections on basic terminology, appropriate asset mix, investment portfolio construction and explanations of the types of available retirement plans. The workshop concludes with a discussion of planning for the unexpected, with reviews of the role of estate and insurance planning. Details of the workshop follow:

Presenter: Vanguard

Date: Thursday, March 27, 2014

Time: 9 a.m.–noon

Location: 342 Craig Hall

To register for this workshop, please go to www.hr.pitt.edu/fsdp.