Ways to Use Your Health Benefits

Your benefits improve your health and happiness.

4 Ways to Use Your Health Benefits Wisely

We want you to care for yourself as well as you care for others. With the amazing, low-cost health, dental, and vision care provided, getting the most from all of the benefits available to you is simple. Using use your benefits wisely saves you time and money, and  keeps costs affordable for the entire caregiver community.

Complete a Preventive Care Appointment with Your Doctor

Caring for others starts with your own health care. It’s important to make time to visit your doctor before, and as soon as, you start to notice health issues.

Your doctor is called a Primary Care Provider (PCP), and they can help coordinate your care and refer you to specialty doctors if needed. When you have a relationship with your PCP, they know you best and can help you get the care you need. It’s easy to find a PCP and schedule an appointment. 

Use Your Emotional Health Benefits to Improve Overall Health

Your emotional health is an important part of your overall health. If you are feeling stressed, anxious or if life’s challenges are becoming difficult to manage, your emotional health benefits can help. There are many ways to get connected to emotional health support. Your doctor can refer you to an emotional health provider, or you can try a self-care benefit from the comfort of home.

Make an appointment: 

For an in-person appointment to discuss your emotional health, call your health provider. If you have healthcare coverage through SEIU 775 Benefits Group, your co-pay for one-on-one emotional health visits is $0 in-network.

  • Kaiser Permanente members: Call Kaiser at 1-888-287-2680. For urgent or crisis care, call the Consulting Nurse Service at 1-800-297-6877. For members in Vancouver or Longview: call 1-855-632-8280 or contact your doctor.
  • Aetna members: Call 1-800-624-0756 or search for emotional health providers at www.aetna.com.
  • Apple Health (Medicaid): You have access to emotional health services through your Behavioral Health Organization (BHO). Find more services in your area or call 1-360-725-3700.

Self-care Tools: 

There are many free and low-cost benefits for caregivers that can help address anxiety and depression:

  • Headspace Care, the free smartphone app that gives you immediate, 24/7 access to personalized emotional support and life guidance.
  • Tools for Calm, a one hour per week for 6 weeks instructor-led, live video course on mindfulness. Along with other caregivers, you will learn new and practical ways to deal with the stress and challenges in your life. This is a CE course available for all active caregivers for 6 credits, who have not previously taken the course.
  • Resource Finder, a confidential tool that helps connect caregivers and their family members in need of personal life help with free and low-cost services such as access to emotional support, and childcare, legal or debt support.
  • Professional support is also available through your healthcare coverage*. This includes medication, individual and group therapy and alternative care and other benefits depending on your health plan provider.

Get immediate support: 

  • If you are in crisis or immediate danger, please dial 911. Otherwise:
  • To talk to someone on the phone, call the Washington Recovery Help Line at 1-866-789-1511, available 24 hours a day.
  • Or text “NAMI” to 741741 to talk to someone via text. The NAMI Free Support number is available 24 hours a day.

Compare Urgent Care Versus Emergency Room Care

A visit to the Emergency Room costs you more. Choosing the right option for your immediate medical needs helps keep health insurance costs down for you and all caregivers. It can be confusing knowing where to go when you or a loved one aren’t feeling well or have experienced an injury. Use this chart to determine whether to go to Urgent Care or the Emergency Room.

ER form

 

Complete a Dental Visit to Boost Overall Health

Protecting your smile is important to your health. Proper dental care reduces your risk for serious dental conditions, and benefits your overall wellness. The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends:

To keep your smile healthy, your dental benefits include, at no additional cost to you:

  • Routine exams
  • Regular cleanings
  • X-rays
  • Gum care
  • Fillings

Learn more about your Delta Dental or Willamette Dental plan.


Access Your Benefits

You have affordable, high-quality benefits, and using them can keep you healthy and happy.

Find Your Health Plan