GET IT CHECKED: You Might Have Diabetes—and not Even Know

More than 37 million U.S. adults have type 2 diabetes—and 20% don’t know they have it!

Another 96 million U.S. adults (more than 1 in 3) have prediabetes—and 80% don’t know they have it!

Do you know if YOU are prediabetic or have type 2 diabetes? The symptoms are hard to spot, so the only way to know is to get a simple blood test which is often done as part of an annual wellness visit.

  • If you have type 2 diabetes, you have an increased risk for heart disease, stroke, chronic kidney disease, nerve damage, and more.
  • If you have prediabetes (and 1 in 3 of us do!), it will progress to type 2 diabetes unless you take action to reverse it.

If you are overweight, over 45 years old, have a close blood relative with type 2 diabetes, or are physically active less than 3 times a week, you are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes or prediabetes.

But there’s good news.

A few proven (and good for you anyway!) lifestyle changes, such as losing weight if you’re overweight, eating a healthy diet, and getting regular physical activity, can help you manage type 2 diabetes, and even reverse prediabetes.

Even better, there are many resources to help you make these changes—see our list below.

#NationalDiabetesMonth #AmericanDiabetesMonth

Resources

  • Kaiser Permanente: Live Well With Diabetes. Learn how to manage your blood sugar through diet, medications, and exercise.
  • Providence: HEAL Program. The HEAL Program is a CDC-recognized diabetes prevention program offered in conjunction with the health coaching services that are available to Providence Health Plan participants.
  • Express Scripts: Weight Management Care ValueSM Program. If you qualify, Express Scripts will invite you to participate in this program at no cost to you. Be sure to take advantage of this valuable opportunity if you are contacted.
  • CDC: Take the Prediabetes Risk Test here. The National Diabetes Prevention Program helps people prevent or delay type 2 diabetes.

SEASON’S GREETINGS: Make it Stress-Free This Year

Does your stress level go up during the holidays? If it does, you’re not alone. Stress can lead to physical illness, depression, anxiety, and substance misuse. Help keep the happy in your holidays with a few sanity-keeping strategies:

  1. Plan, plan, plan. Post a family calendar listing everyone’s activities, including time for family traditions. Give yourself permission to avoid over-committing by saying “no” to some events.
  2. Make a budget and stick to it. Spending money on your loved ones is important, but it's also important to pay your energy bill. Don't buy gifts that you'll be paying off for the rest of the year.
  3. Maintain healthy habits. Start each day with a short walk or workout and a positive outlook. Fill up on healthy snacks, like fresh fruit or vegetables, and limit yourself to one holiday treat per day.

If you feel excessively stressed for days at a time, a few visits with a mental health provider can help you learn strategies to keep stress at a healthier level.

  • Kaiser Permanente Participants:Schedule an appointment online with one of Kaiser Permanente’s behavioral health in-network providers. To learn more about KP’s mental health and wellness support, click here.
  • Providence Participants: Schedule an appointment online with one of Providence’s behavioral health in-network providers. You also have access to Behavioral Health Concierge (get help selecting a therapist), Learn to Live (self-directed virtual therapy) and TalkSpace (virtual behavioral health therapy). Click here to learn more.
  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP): The EAP provides up to eight free counseling sessions per situation, per year to all PPS employees and anyone living in their household. Get details about your EAP benefits on the PPS website, the Uprise Health website (access code: OEBB), or call Uprise Health at 866-750-1327.
  • SD-1 Library:

YOU’RE ENROLLED! Now What?

If you enrolled during the Annual Enrollment period this fall, the selections you made take effect in the new Plan Year:

  • Active Employees and Early Retirees: The new Plan Year begins January 1, 2024
  • Substitute Teachers: The Plan Year began October 1, 2023

You can make the most of your benefit coverage (and make sure your claims are paid on time) by taking a few steps to connect with the Health Trust, your Plan carriers, and your healthcare providers. See our infographic for easy-to-follow steps (be sure to click on “Get More Info” for details).

Tip: If your contact information (phone number, address, or e-mail address) changes, you could miss out on important benefit information. Avoid delays by keeping everything up to date with the Trust Administrative Office, PPS, your providers, and your union. Follow our Change of Address checklist to make sure you don’t miss anyone.

Share this Post:
Go back to Trust Blog home page