Vermont
Digital's Vermont Office Participates in "Making Strides
Against Breast Cancer"
Members of the Digital Vermont office walked, volunteered their
time and gave generously to the Making Strides Against Breast
Cancer walk on Oct 16. How did we help raise money? It was through
a "swear jar" which was placed in the office and filled up over
several weeks. (Don't ask who actually contributed the most
money.)
Maximum HSA Contribution to Rise Slightly in
2012
The maximum contribution that can be made to an HSA in 2012 is
$3,100 for employees with single coverage, up from $3,050 this
year. The maximum HSA contribution for those with family coverage
will be $6,250, up from $6,150 this year.
Increases in the HSA limits are tied to changes in the cost of
living; however, the minimum deductible for a high-deductible
health care plan to which HSAs must be linked will stay at $1,200
for single coverage and $2,400 for family coverage.
New Guidelines on Women's Health
As a part of health care reform, the federal government released
new guidelines that require health insurers to fully cover
preventive health services for women. Insurance companies will have
to remove co-payments on coverage of preventive care services,
including all government-approved birth control methods, in new
plans beginning on the first renewal after August 2012. This
applies to non-grandfathered plans.
Also included as a part of this legislation is full coverage of
screening for gestational diabetes, testing for HPV in women over
30, counseling for HIV and other STDs and screening for domestic
violence.
For more info go to: http://www.hrsa.gov/womensguidelines/
The Generic Push - Popular Prescription Drugs Losing
Patents
Some of the most popular prescription drugs are about to get a lot
cheaper. About 120 brand-name drugs have patents that will expire
in 2011 or 2012, resulting in an influx of generic drugs to the
market and saving consumers millions of dollars.
Among major drugs on the list for this year and
next:
- Lipitor, a popular cholesterol drug, goes generic in
November 2011
- Solodyn, used to treat bacterial infections, in November
2011
- Zyprexa, which treats schizophrenia, in October
2011
- Lexapro, used to treat depression, in March 2012
- Provigil, which treats sleep problems, in April
2012
- Plavix, an antiplatelet drug that prevents blood clots,
in May 2012
- Singulair, an Asthma drug, in August 2012
Click here for a list of more drugs going
generic and their release date.
Vermont Worksite Wellness Conference: Apply for a
Wellness Award
It's worksite wellness awards application time again:
- The application is reflective of your worksite wellness program
from January - December 2011
- Application deadline is December 16, 2011
Save the Date
The Vermont Annual Worksite Wellness Conference and Governor's
Council Awards Ceremony will be held March 28, 2012, at the
Sheraton Hotel and Conference Center, Burlington, VT., from 8 a.m.
- 4 p.m.
