Blog Posts

Premera Blue Cross is creating a Medicare Member Advisory Council (MAC).   “The customer is the center of all we do” is the core tenet of Premera’s values. Creating this council will allow us to put that value to action by working together with members during meetings, identifying with their points of view

As a Premera Blue Cross Medicare Advantage member, you receive up to $50 each quarter to use on over-the-counter (OTC) health and wellness products through OTC Health Solutions. That’s up to $200 per year to spend on generic personal care items, bath and safety supplies, incontinence items, and more! Your...

The rapid rollout of COVID-19 vaccinations has created a lot of understandable questions about, well, all of it. Dr. Steven Jacobson, medical director, and clinical pharmacist Emily Tsiao stopped by New Day Northwest to answer as many of those questions as they could.   Q: Is the vaccine safe?

Gardening is great for your health—and not just because growing a Northwest vegetable garden may inspire you to eat better. Gardening has been linked to stress relief, an improvement in overall mental health and even a lower risk of dementia. Growing a Northwest vegetable garden is particularly rewarding. See

Last year, a Gallup poll counted visiting the library as the  most common cultural activity  Americans engage in–by far. To the surprise of many, the opinion poll showed that library visits outpaced the next most popular activity – going to the movies – by nearly 2 to 1. Of course the whole world changed

Because our pets can’t talk to us, they give us signals to let us know how they are feeling. But are you sure you can read those signals? “Most conflicts that arise between animals and humans are due to miscommunications,” said Dr. Kimberly Krug of the  Animal Behavior Clinic  in Portland. “To commu

If you’re taking advantage of having more time at home to finally tackle yard projects, make sure you they don’t take you down the following week. Yard work includes uncomfortable positions, heavy lifting, and repetitive movements that can lead to neck, back, wrist, and knee pain. Lauren Zilke, doc

After years of planning and imagining, you’ve finally retired. You may have spent time relaxing, traveling and enjoying family time, but if you find that you’re feeling bored and a bit out of touch, it may be time to explore a new hobby. Brittany Blue with Sound Generations  says it’s important for older adu

We live in a “bigger is better” society – big food, big cars, big houses. But more homeowners are starting to believe less is more, and they’re choosing to downsize to smaller homes or even to condos and apartments. Linda Deppa, a Certified Professional Organizer with  Uncluttered Northwest , help

The best camera for the job is the one in your hand. For many of us, that’s the one on our smartphones. Read on for tips for filling your albums with clear, well-composed shots. Adjust Focus and Exposure [How to get great shots from your smartphone 1 IMAGE] Although smartphone cameras can be prett

Have you ever been at a breathtaking natural place and gone to take a photo, only to see the image doesn’t nearly capture the majesty you’re experiencing? That’s because nature photography can be hard! There are a lot of variables that go into great landscape photography. But whether you’re shooting on a camera

Staying active has countless benefits. For older adults, exercise can help improve or maintain health and keep you independent longer. It can help increase bone density, strength maintenance, fall prevention, and improve mood. The American Council on Exercise recommends that people over age 50 to engage