FDA authorizes second booster shots of COVID-19 vaccine for older and immunocompromised individuals
The Food and Drug Administration expanded the booster shot emergency use authorization for the Pfizer and the Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. A second booster dose can be administered as follows:
Pfizer or Moderna booster may be administered to individuals aged 50 or older at least four months after getting the first booster dose of any authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine.
Pfizer booster may be administered to certain immunocompromised individuals aged 12 or older at least four months after getting the first booster dose of any authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine. This includes people who have undergone solid organ transplantation, or who are living with conditions that are considered to have an equivalent level of immunocompromise.
Moderna booster may be administered at least four months after the first booster dose of any authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine to individuals aged 18 or older with the same certain kinds of immunocompromise.
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Employee assistance program supports mental health, enhances plan value
Nationally, employees have missed more than 200 million workdays due to mental health conditions each year, costing $17 billion in lost productivity. And that was before the pandemic.*
We need to collectively provide solutions that can help people address and or mental health concerns. One way we’re doing so is with counseling and support services through Mazzitti & Sullivan EAP, which is available to your employees through their Capital Blue Cross plan at no additional cost to them. It includes:
Four confidential counseling sessions for each subscriber and four more for each covered dependent.
Services ranging from marital and grief counseling to crisis intervention, and much more.
Professional training courses and access to financial and legal resources.
Visit our EAP resource page for employers, which includes how the program works and materials you can use to encourage your employees to use it.
* Kelly Greenwood, Vivek Bapat, Mike Maughan, “Research: People Want Their Employers to Talk About Mental Health,” Harvard Business Review, 2019.
Learn about the maternal health equity crisis and what we can do about it
Please join Capital Blue Cross and the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association on April 29 at 1:00 PM for an insightful look at how America’s maternal health equity crisis is affecting employers and employees. Advancing Maternal Health Equity: Coming Together to Support Mothers in the Workforce will include a panel discussion, led by maternal health experts, about ways we can work together to make the maternal journey safer for all women. Register today to learn about:
The extent of the maternal health crisis in the United States and the disproportionate impact of disparities on mothers of color.
The harmful effects of these disparities on employers and their workforces.
Our commitment to reducing racial disparities in maternal health, and strategies for employers to join health plan partners and other stakeholders in advancing maternal health equity together.
Proper drug disposal avoids dangers for employees, families
America’s drug crisis hits our workplaces dramatically, and it’s an epidemic that often starts at home.
Unused or expired drugs left in homes was a major contributor to the more than 100,000 overdose deaths in the year ending April 2021, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Misuse of drugs also leads to addiction, which is costly for businesses and their employees.
That’s why drug take back – which refers to safely ridding homes of unused or expired prescription medications – is so important. Removing these potentially dangerous drugs can keep them from slipping into the wrong hands.
April 30 is National Drug Take Back Day, a day meant to highlight the dangers of leaving unused medications in our homes. Employers can help by educating employees about the dangers of expired or unused drugs in their homes.
To help in this effort, Capital Blue Cross has a web page urging people to “Make Every Day a Drug Take Back Day,” and not limit safe disposal to the annually assigned Take Back Days. Visit Capital Blue Cross’ page for more information, and for guidance on finding a take back site near you.
Looking to give your wellness program a free boost? Check out Blue365®
Head on over to Blue365's employer solutions page to register for one of the upcoming Blue365 employer demos. The one-hour demoswill show you how your employees can get free access to dozens of discounts and deals on health and wellness products from top brands.
The Blue365®program is brought to you by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association is an association of independent, locally operated Blue Cross and/or Blue Shield Companies. Blue365 offers access to savings on health and wellness products and services and other interesting items that members may purchase from independent vendors, which are different from covered benefits under your policies with Capital Blue Cross and its family of companies, its contracts with Medicare, or any other applicable federal healthcare program.
What levers can employers pull to help control health care costs?
As the healthcare system evolves, employers continually face challenges related to cost, quality, and access. At the same time, they want to provide a competitive benefits package to attract and retain a talented, skilled workforce. Added to this are challenges related to keeping an existing workforce healthy, avoiding high-cost claims, and preventing or reducing worksite injuries that can hurt productivity and lead to costly workers compensation claims.
So what can employers do to address these challenges? Dr. Rob Muscalus, Capital Blue Cross’ Director for Client Analytics, says there are three basic “levers” you can pull.
Most of us know some lifestyle behaviors can lead to cancer, such as smoking. But many may be surprised to learn that drinking alcohol is a risk factor for cancer, and when combined with smoking or inactivity, can contribute to as much as 40% of all cancers. Half of U.S. adults drink alcohol. If you drink alcohol, here's what you need to know.