Out-of-Country Emergency Travel Health Coverage

Red River College employees and their eligible dependents have 100% Emergency Travel Health coverage.

What is an out-of- country medical emergency?

The definition of an out-of-country medical emergency is “an unforeseen injury or illness that begins while the insured person is traveling outside his or her home province”.  You will not be covered if you are travelling against medical advice.

What to do during a medical emergency out-of-province/country?

When traveling abroad, it is important to carry your Great-West Life ID Card. Your card includes the toll-free numbers required to obtain assistance during a medical emergency.  In the event of an emergency call Global Medical Assistance (GMA) as soon as possible.  The call can be made during or immediately following a medical situation, such as:

• You are hospitalized or about to be hospitalized.
• You need assistance in locating proper medical care.
• Physician and/or Hospital requires insurance verification (confirmed through GMA directly).
• You are involved in an accident requiring medical treatment.
• You have a medical problem and require translation service.
• Emergency evacuation is deemed medically necessary (arrangements will be made through GMA).
• Any serious medical problem arises. 

Be prepared to give the name of the person covered, the group and contract number and a description of the problem.

For more information or to print your ID card, log in to the Great-West Life Member Portal with your Great-West Life user name and password.

Great-West Life Online Services

Access to the online site for your group Health and Dental benefits information has never been easier with Great‐West Life’s GroupNet™ for Plan Members.

Available 24/7, this user friendly site provides the following:

• Online claim submission
• Sign up for direct deposit claim payments
• View and print your claim status and Explanation of Benefits (EOB) for the past 24 months. The EOB can be used to coordinate benefits with other insurance carriers.
• Create and print a summary of your claim history by patient and/or benefit.
• Complete and print personalized claim forms.
• Access to Great-West Life’s Health & Wellness Site

Sign up now at www.greatwestlife.com

GroupNet™ Mobile

Information when you’re on the go from your Benefits Solutions People. Great-West Life’s GroupNet™ Mobile app lets you take GroupNet™ for Plan Members with you. You can download GroupNet™ Mobile to Android™, BlackBerry®, and iPhone.

Great-West’s GroupNet™ Mobile lets you:

• Submit claims online through Member eClaims
• Access personalized coverage information about benefits, claims and more – quickly and easily, any time
• View card information including: member ID, Drug and Global Medical Assistance
• Locate the nearest approved provider who has access to Provider eClaims, through a built-in GPS mapping tool

Did You Know?

Through STRATA Select, you could purchase individual insurance? Depending on your needs – whether you are looking for coverage for your parents or additional Travel Health for your next hot vacation – individual insurance is available. Check it out!

Over the past few weeks the staff on NDC’s 5th floor have been sporting an Amaryllis growing competition.

This all started back in October when I sent a little email around to see who might be up for some friendly competition and raising a beautiful plant (a great distraction over the cold winter months). Not long after that 14 staff chipped in $10 dollars and 14 Amaryllis’s were bought and planted.

The objective of this competition was to see who’s plant would be the tallest and who would be voted best dressed by Dec 16th. There was intermittent measuring and smack talk was encouraged.

Within a week all of our departments (Staff Learning & Development, Sustainability, Nursing, Environmental Safety and Health, Developmental Learning, Research and Planning, the Recycling Team and Recognition of Prior Learning) were mingling, popping in to see the plants and of course sizing up the competition.

By Dec 16 plants that started at 4 cm were now 50-60 cm with beautiful red blooms. When it came time to pick our winners, our celebrity judges, Nancy Alexander and Lori Grandmont, had a very difficult time selecting only two.  They chose the “McHansen” from Nursing as the tallest plant and “Jorge” from Staff Learning and Development for best dressed.

At the end of the day we all walked away with a beautiful plant, a few more friends that we got know on our floor, and the experience of sharing in some great RRC team spirit.

Parents may be used to having their homes toddler proofed, however, with the festive season many go out visiting and we could use a short refresher on keeping our little visitors safe. Here are a few tips from Parachute who have great injury prevention tips and reminders.

• At the start of get-togethers, agree on who is going to watch the kids and for how long. Otherwise, family and friends may believe someone is watching the young ones, when no one is doing so.
• Toddlers are curious and active so it’s natural for them to want to explore a decorated tree and its ornaments. It’s safest to have your tree out of reach (e.g., a tabletop tree) or in a room with a safety gate so the child can see but not touch it. Even for preschool children, it’s best to have soft, unbreakable decorations, such as those made of felt.
• Candles are one of the most common causes of household fires. If you must use candles, place them in sturdy holders that won’t tip, away from flammable materials and well out of the reach of children. Always extinguish candles before leaving the room.
• Keep purses and bags away from toddlers reach as they may hold dangerous items, such as medicines or a lighter.
• Gas fireplaces can burn little hands when the glass barrier is touched. Safety gates can keep your child at a safe distance. Consider not using the fireplace when young children are around.

From Health Services

Voluntary Benefits

Through Red River College’s affiliation with HUB International STRATA Benefits Consulting, employees have access to a suite of voluntary products and services offered at discounted or preferred group rates.

Why does Red River College offer a voluntary benefit program?

We offer our employees a comprehensive benefits program and are committed to enhancing and aligning this program to meet the needs of our employees.

What is Group Home Insurance?

The Co-operators Group Home Insurance program, depending on the type and amount of coverage chosen, shelters you from financial loss due to theft, unforeseen events such as fire or vandalism or personal liability that may occur if someone is injured while visiting your home. The group insurance is tailored to you!

What do the Co-operators offer?

The Co-operators group insurance program offers Red River College employees group home insurance that is tailored to meet your needs. By being a part of the Co-operators group home insurance program, you have the opportunity for the following value-added benefits:

• OneStep™ – 24/7 claims service that never sleeps and handles most claims in as little as one call.
• Flexible payment options – choose the day, method and frequency for your payment deductions.
• Claims guarantee – claims counseling and no increase of premiums if you decide to pay a claim out of pocket.
• Service Review Panel – regional panels of client volunteers that offer impartial review for claimants who may be unsatisfied.
• Automatic Coverage – for most new insurable items until the next renewal date without changing the premium.
• Blanket Limit Coverage – complete coverage of up to $2 million for building, contents and outbuildings, and additional living expenses.

For more details on the Co-operators group home insurance program, or to get a free, no-obligation quote, call 1-800-387-1963 or visit www.cooperatorsgroupinsurance.ca.

Tips to Submitting Online Claims

To use Member eClaims, you must be registered for GroupNet™ for Plan Members and signed up for Direct Deposit of claims payments.

How Member eClaims Works:

You will see a ‘Submit a claim’ link under the Claims section once signed in to GroupNet™ for Plan Members. Claims can be submitted following these steps:

1. Select Type of Claim Submission Method
– If coordinating regular benefits and the HCSA, select Health, Drugs, Vision & Dental Plan Type.
– If only submitting a claim to the HCSA, select the HCSA/Medi-Dent Account Plan Type.

 2. Select Type of Claim
– If you answer ‘yes’ to the question to reimburse any unpaid portion from your spending account, the claim will automatically be considered under the HCSA.
– If the claim is submitted only to the HCSA, you must select the check box that acknowledges you understand the claim will not be applied to any Health, Drugs, Vision or Dental plan.

3. Enter Provider information.
4. Select a Patient.
5. Enter in the Expense Details.
– If you answer ‘yes’ if the claim has been submitted to or paid in part by another group plan, you must enter the amount paid by the other insurance carrier in the box “Other Insurance Paid”.
6. Read and Agree to the ‘Terms and Conditions’ and the ‘Claim Summary and Consent’ sections.
7. View or Print the Confirmation and Summary of your online claim.

Once your claim has been adjudicated, you will receive confirmation via an email notification or text message to your mobile phone.

If your Great-West Life ID card is lost or misplaced, replacement cards can be requested online through the GroupNet™ for Plan Members site.

Tips to Completing Paper Claim Forms

 For many employees, submitting claims for reimbursement can be confusing; from deciding which form to use, to where to find the required information. Submission of incomplete forms can cause delays in processing and payment.

The following are some tips to assist you when completing and submitting Great-West Life claim forms:

• All Health claims, including Vision claims, are to be submitted on a Healthcare Expense Statement.
• All Dental claims not submitted electronically by your Dentist are to be submitted on a Dentalcare Expenses Statement. Some Dentists may also use a Canadian Dental Association claim form, which is also acceptable.
• Claim forms can be found on Great-West Life’s website.
• Indicate at the top of the form if you would like this claim applied to the Healthcare/Dentalcare plan only, Health Care Spending Account only, or both.
• Your Plan Member ID Number is your RRC Employee number and can be found on your Great-West Life ID card.
• Attach all original receipts to the claim form. If you are coordinating with a spouse’s plan, attach the Explanation of Benefits (EOB) received from their insurance company.
• In the event a receipt is not available when purchasing glasses or contact lenses, Part 9 of the Healthcare Claim form can be completed by your Optometrist, Optician, or Ophthalmologist to be eligible for reimbursement.
• The claim form must be signed by the Employee, not the person(s) for whom the claims are being submitted.
• Make a photocopy of the claim form, receipts and any other attachments in the event the claim is lost in the mail. Originals will not be returned.

Direct Deposit for Claims Payments

You can have your benefit cheques automatically deposited to your account by Great-West Life using Direct Deposit.

With Direct Deposit, there are no payment delays due to mail disruptions, no chance of cheques being lost or stolen, and no need to deposit your cheques in person.

Great-West Life will deposit cheques directly into your account with any credit union, trust company or bank in Canada. There is no charge for this service.

If you sign up for Direct Deposit, you will receive an e-mail notification when your claim has been paid. You will also have access to an online Explanation of Benefits.

Remember for faster claims submission, you can submit your own claims online through GroupNet.

Its that time of year! The leaves have fallen, we’ve quickly changed into our parkas and mittens, and most importantly the thoughts of a winter vacation at a warm destination are filling our dreams….. Here are a few resources to make that dream a reality:

• First things first, if you are an adventure traveller you are usually thinking about destinations that are not usually for the faint of heart!These are also likely destinations where the Canadian Government has issued travel warnings – best to check first at travel.gc.ca. Even if you aren’t thinking about trekking through North Africa, there could be a regional advisory for the country you are planning on visiting. Some Caribbean countries have regional advisories you might not be aware of, but usually they are along borders and away from the popular destinations.
• You have the destination! Now what kind of traveller are you? If you’ve visited any of the popular tropical destinations, accessible via Winnipeg, you’ve likely stayed in an all-inclusive resort. Why not try a vacation rental this time around and live like a local? Sites like AirBnB and Trip Advisor Vacation Rentals manage listings of private homes around the world. Need a little more adventure? Try a tour with options ranging from 5 star lodges to camping out under the stars. Taking an organized tour with a reputable company is a sure way to immerse yourself in the culture of the country you are visiting. Browse through hundreds of opportunities with Adventure Centre, a Canadian tour broker that promotes only reputable tour companies. Many tour companies cater to families too!

Read More →

As the weather gets colder, and the days get shorter, it gets easier to go home and curl up in blanket with a bowl of your favourite comfort food. With that thought in mind, this past weekend I cracked open my recipe books and a few websites to make a few tried and true foodie favourites to have on hand for a quick supper or munchies for TV night.

First on the list was a vegetarian lasagna, full of veggies and feta cheese. I also love kettle corn, so I made a pail of it – yes I said a pail of it. Other items on my culinary to do list are breaded chicken fingers, butter chicken and many – many cookies like chocolate chip, oatmeal, ginger snaps and Oreos. It’s great to have snacks on hand to avoid the fast food trap, and for impromptu entertaining. Feel free to check out a few of my recipe favourites and make your own cornucopia of comfort food this winter.

With the flu clinics over at the Notre Dame Campus there are still numerous ways to receive the flu shot. The flu shot is still available on a walk in basis at the Health Centre in room HM-08 on the NDC campus.

You can also get your flu shot on a walk-in basis at the Health Office based at 306 Paterson Global Foods building.

The Health Centre recommends that staff and students print and complete the immunization consent form (sections A-D) that is available at on the Health Services website. It is also recommended to phone the applicable Health Centre ( NDC 632-2238, PGF 631-3386) before coming in for a flu shot so that they can advise you on when it is best to come in. Remember as with any clinic depending on circumstances you may have to wait if the clinic becomes busy and there is a 15 min waiting period after you shot.

Although WRHA Winnipeg Mass Flu Clinics are now closed, it is not too late to get the flu shot from your regular health care provider or from your local community health office. A list of locations and phone numbers of public health offices that can give you the flu shot is available on the WRHA webpage (http://www.wrha.mb.ca/healthinfo/a-z/influenza/clinics.php).

If you are looking for more information to help you make the decision whether or not to receive the flu shot this year, please visit the following blogs found on the RRC Wellness blog page (http://blogs.rrc.ca/wellness/). These blogs address common questions and concerns regarding influenza and vaccination against the flu in an easy to read and compact manner.

• “If you think flu season is coming up…you’re right!”
• “How is the flu vaccine made? Is it safe?”
• “Myth or fact? – What is the truth behind flu season?”

According to the Government of Manitoba the peak incidence of influenza occurs during the months of December and January each year. Although it is only October it is always a good idea to get the vaccinated against influenza early in the flu season, as it may take up to two weeks to build the required antibodies that will protect you against the flu.

From Health Services Practicum Nursing Students Alexis and Thomas

Each year many myths surround influenza and the decision whether or not to get vaccinated. In order to make the best and most informed decision whether or not to get the flu shot, it is important to understand what information is based on fact, and what is a common misperception or “myth”. Here are five of the most common myths about the flu and flu vaccine:

Myth #1:  The flu vaccine can give you the flu.     FALSE

The flu vaccine contains only deactivated or “dead” influenza virus. This means that the vaccination against the flue cannot cause you to catch influenza. Influenza nasal sprays may be referred to as “live attenuated influenza vaccines” as they do contain live flu virus, however it is important to note that these viruses are engineered to remove the parts of the virus that actually make people sick. The reason this myth is still around is because people often mistake the side effects of the vaccine (such as a runny nose or sore throat lasting for days) as them having caught the flu.

Myth #2: The flu is annoying but it’s harmless.  FALSE

As stated in our first blog “If you think flu season is coming up…you’re right!”,
people commonly mistake the “stomach flu” and the common cold as influenza. In reality influenza is much more serious than either of these conditions. The flu
will not only sideline you from school or work for up to two weeks, influenza hospitalizes 200, 000 people/year in the U.S, and it kills almost the same number of people per year as breast cancer kills! Influenza is more than annoying… It is potentially deadly.

Myth #3: People who are young & healthy don’t need to worry about getting vaccinated against the flu.   FALSE

While it is true that a young and healthy person will likely fully recover after the flu, no one is protected against influenza without the getting the flu shot.
Being young and healthy does not make you immune to the harsh symptoms of the flu or how long you will suffer from it. If you do not receive the flu vaccine you’re at greater risk of catching the flu, meaning you are more likely to suffer from sudden onset fever, coughing, headaches, sore throat, runny nose and extreme fatigue for up to two weeks! Students and staff need to be aware that catching the flu will mean missing numerous days of both school and work. This can all easily be avoided by getting the flu shot! Another important reason for individuals to get vaccinated is that influenza is easily transmitted to your loved ones. Even if you are healthy, your young children, chronically ill family members or friends, and the elderly have a greater risk of catching the flu, suffering from its symptoms, and are at greater risk of actually dying from the flu!

Myth #4: Flu shot protects me against influenza for years.   FALSE

As stated in our second blog “How is the flu vaccine made? Is it safe?”, the flu virus undergoes seasonal genetic drifts that change the identity of the virus each flu season, and allow it to go undetected by your immune system. Vaccination against the flu is specifically targeted at the strains of the influenza virus that are believed to circulate during this flu season only. This means that the immunity you received from being exposed to the flu or getting a flu vaccine in previous years will not be effective in the next flu season (or in following years).

Myth #5: The flu shot is the only way to protect myself from the flu. FALSE

Each year researchers do their best to design the influenza vaccine to target the most common strains of influenza circulating in the world. Sadly, this does not mean that the strains the vaccine protects you against will be the strains that you actually encounter-you may still get the flu even though you got the flu shot. One of the major benefits of getting vaccinated against influenza is that you may only suffer  mild to moderate flu symptoms rather than severe symptoms as a result of the protection you do receive from the flu shot! It is also very important to wash your hands often, cover your cough, and avoid individuals who appear sick to protect yourself as the influenza virus spreads easily through coughing, touching and sneezing. By keeping your hands clean and away from your face and mouth you can also decrease your risk of getting the flu.

For more information concerning the flu and influenza vaccination check out the
previously posted influenza blogs on the RRC Wellness Blog page, or visit WebMD to learn about more myths.

For dates and times of flu clinics held at RRC please visit the Health Services webstie for more information and to download the needed form to take with you to the clinic. Clinics start at Stevenson Aviation Oct 22, NDC Oct 23,24,25, EDC Nov 1 and LTC Nov 7,8. There is no cost for getting the flu vaccine.

From Health Services Practicum Nursing Students Alexis and Thomas

Let’s talk about Sleep!

Transitioning to college life can be tough and may contribute to loss of sleep and fatigue. Sleep debt is the cumulative effect of not getting enough sleep. It is what leads to mental and physical fatigue.There are a lot of choices to make when you enter post-secondary education. Choices that might help you balance your demand include whether to work, how many classes to take, and how long study time should be. There are two main reasons for lack of college student sleep:

• Late night studying
• “Social” commitments and late night partying

You can’t give up either of the above on a consistent basis. But your body needs sleep on a consistent basis, and this conflicts with the trappings of a successful and fun college life. Here are some tips and information that can help you with sleeping as a College student.

• Did you know that everyone has their own unique sleep needs? You should be able to go to sleep at the same time, get up at the same time and feel rested during the day. Find out how much sleep you need by trying to get 7-8 hours of sleep a night for a week, see how you feel and adjust from there. No need for naps. It may take a week to adjust, being sleep deprived students that you are, but you can do it. The National Sleep Foundation recommends that adults get 7-9 hours of sleep at night.
• According to the National Sleep Foundation hitting SNOOZE does not help. It actually makes you more tired throughout the day. The snooze button is one of life’s little luxuries. At best, it’s a psychological crutch. At worst, it’s throwing off your brain chemistry for the day. As well, it’s certainly not helping you get any real sleep; you do not make it back to REM sleep that helps you feel rested. Set your alarm for when you need to get up, get up and give yourself time to get ready without being rushed!

Are you often feeling “run  down”  Did you know?

• Being sleep deprived impacts the immune system. Our ability to fight off infections becomes more difficult. This puts us at risk during cold and flu season, which is now!
• The heart and lung function is adversely affected by lack of sleep and is associated with worsening chronic lung and heart disease and high blood pressure.
• A common myth: Watching TV helps you sleep. This is untrue as TV is stimulating and can interfere with falling asleep.

Tips for sleep:

• Turn off your cell phone. Pick a time, like after 10pm to turn off your phone so its not a distraction
• Set yourself clear boundaries. Keep a regular sleep wake cycle, tell yourself you will only stay out so long, and stick to it.
• Have a study buddy. You can keep each other on tract and on time.
• Exercise. Daily activity can help you get a deeper more restful sleep during the night. Experts generally recommend exercising at least 2-3 hours before bed. However, everyone is different, so try to fit exercise into your schedule where you can. For tips on exercise see our previous blog.
• Put your computer to sleep. Bright screen savers can be distracting and keep you from sleep.

If your fatigue does not improve with consistent restful sleep, seek medical advice as you could have a medical condition resulting in your fatigue. For depression, sleep apnea, anemia or diabetes to name a few.

For more information on sleep tips see BedTimeNetwork or American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

Researchers believe lack of sleep may contribute to mental health problems such as depression and anxiety in College students. For more information on mental health and sleep see Mental Health Canada.

Services at Red River College such as counselling, tutoring and academic support check out the RRC student services website click here. These services can help relieve some of the burdens causing you to miss out on sleep.

Visit us next week for info on stress and tips for dealing with it.

From Health Services U of M Practicum Nursing Students

Alexis and Candice