Health Advocate

Central Michigan University faculty and staff members have access to Health Advocate services.

These services include employee assistance, wellness and coaching, provider matching and chronic care support.

Employee assistance program and work/life support

Available to all employees

Employee assistance program

 Support to work through relationship and financial/legal issues, stress, depression, substance abuse.  Get practical strategies and work/life resources to make life easier and find balance.

• Confidential counseling sessions (6)  available in person or virtually (by telephone, chat, text or video)
• 24-hour Emergency Hotline available to employees, spouses, dependents, parents and parents-in-law
• "In-the-moment" support for personal issues, including a professional clinical assessment
  
• Comprehensive national network of more than 62,000 licensed professional counselors

Work/life support

Work/life Specialists can locate resources to help employees with a broad range of work/family issues:

• Childcare
• Eldercare
• Financial issues
• Legal concerns

Online and mobile resources  

Employees have 24/7 access to a full range of online resources on the web portal and mobile app.

Digital Cognitive Behavior Therapy (dCBT):  A proven, technology-driven approach to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) that helps users manage problems like stress, anxiety and depression with a focus on current problems rather than issues from the past.

Webinars:  A complete library of new and archived webinars on goal setting, budgeting, mindfulness, stress, grief and loss, resilience and more.

Financial:  Calculators and other resources focused on issues like budgeting, estate planning, debt management and identity theft.

Financial Fitness Center: Features include a Financial Fitness Checkup, information on savings and investments, and hundreds of interactive tutorials on key financial health topics.

Wellness and wellness coaching

This program is available to all benefit-eligible staff, fixed-term & medical faculty, and post-doctoral research fellows.

Wellness program overview

The CMU Wellness Program through Health Advocate can help you thrive, no matter your health and well-being goals.

• Get a snapshot of your health with your Personal Health Profile
• Stay accountable to your goals through support from a Wellness Coach
• Jump-start healthy changes by joining a challenge
• Nourish your body with healthy recipes and meal plans
• Become more wellness savvy by participating in workshops
• Monitor your progress with Health Advocate trackers

Access the Health Advocate member website or mobile app to participate in wellness challenges and workshops, quickly connect with a Wellness Coach, and explore even more resources to help you focus on your well-being.

Device Integration:  The Health Advocate Wellness portal can sync with hundreds of the most popular devices and apps, making it easy for you to participate in challenges and track your progress.  Manual tracking is available on the portal and app.

Interactive Challenges: A challenge portal makes it convenient and fun for employees to meet their health goals.  Choose challenges that are in line with your goals, track activities and support and motivate your coworkers.  Stay active all year with many personal challenges to choose from.

Educational Resources:  A wide range of wellness articles and resources are available on the Wellness portal.

Wellness incentive

CMU 2023-2024 Wellness Program Guide (Detailed guide to wellness program and incentives)

Complete your choice of well-being activities to earn points.  Earn $100 for every 200 points you earn, up to $400 max for 800 total points.  Rewards can be redeemed for gift cards, merchandise and/or debit card.  The last day to complete activities for points is June 30, 2024.  Points and reward dollars do not roll over so use them by July 31, 2024 or lose them!

• Level 1: 200 total points = $100
• Level 2: 400 total points = $100
• Level 3: 600 total points = $100
• Level 4: 800 total points = $100

Rewards are subject to taxation at time of redemption. (Note: this is a change from previous taxation of wellness rewards)

Spouses and dependent children age 18+ can utilize the wellness program features, but are not eligible for the $400 reward.

Wellness coaching

Health Advocate offers unlimited access to highly trained personal Wellness Coaches by telephone, chat, email and secure messaging.  Coaches can address topics such as weight loss, tobacco cessation, fitness, nutrition, stress management and heart health, and support members who have diabetes, asthma and other chronic conditions.

Wellness Coaches have the leading credentials in the wellness industry. All Coaches must have a Bachelor's degree in a health-related field and complete a 4-month training period with a senior coach.  Certification in tobacco cessation counseling by the American Lung Association is also required along with one additional certification in a relevant specialty (e.g., exercise physiology, nutrition, health education).

Employees can communicate with their Wellness Coach via secure email and chat messaging on both the web portal and app.

Wellness workshops  

Features a variety of 6- to 12-week interactive online workshops on topics such as:

• Beginner/Advanced Weight Loss
• Beginner/Advanced Nutrition
• Walking for Fitness
• Achieving Financial Wellness
• Preventing Heart Disease
• Stress Management
• Strengthening Your Resilience
• Sleep Well, Live Well
• Tobacco Cessation

Nutrition support

Tools feature recipes and meal plans that have been evaluated and approved by medical directors and registered dietitians to provide employees with guidance based on their specific needs.  Search for recipes based on your health requirements, dietary preferences, eating style and ingredients available.

Engagement 360^o

This program is available to all benefit-eligible staff, fixed-term & medical faculty, and post-doctoral research fellows.

A foundation service of Health Advocate, Engagement 360^o connects employees and their family members to benefits, services and programs through a single, toll-free number, where a dedicated Health Concierge can help them with their healthcare needs.  Experts can help clarify diagnoses and treatment options, locate leading providers, make appointments and resolve time-consuming issues relating to healthcare.  Personalized support is available by phone, online and mobile app.

24/7 healthcare help from a dedicated Health Concierge

• Explain coverage and coordinate benefits
• Identify leading in-network doctors and make appointments
• Facilitate required pre-authorizations
• Coordinate services related to all aspects of employees’ care
• Work with providers and insurance companies to research and resolve a wide range of related complex matters, such as insurance claims and medical billing issues

Second opinions

Research and identify top experts and Centers of Excellence across the country for second opinions and facilitate the transfer of medical records, tests and lab results.

Medical decision support

The Health Advocate clinical team will explain diagnoses and treatment options, research and identify the latest, most advanced approaches to care, discuss the cost and quality of medical services to drive more informed decisions, help patients and family members prepare for doctor visits and much more.

Targeted gaps in care coaching

Clinical experts provide personalized coaching, motivating employees to take action to receive important preventive care and engage in improving health.

Quality connect provider match

This program is available to all benefit-eligible staff, fixed-term & medical faculty, and post-doctoral research fellows.

Shop for medical procedures and services using the Quality Connect Provider Match tool online or through the mobile app.  Top providers in their specialties are recommended based on quality measurements.

Measurements shared include:

Physicians

• Overall Outcome Quality Score - compared to their peers
• Top procedures provided
• Experience
• Network Status
• Patient mix - e.g. focus on children
• ABMS Board Certification
• Patient Satisfaction
• Demographic data including education, gender, languages
• Cost Effective Score as compared to peers
• Cost comparisons for specific procedures

Hospital

• Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade
• Patient Satisfaction (HCHAPPS)
• Quality Outcomes (CMS)

Enrollment advocate with ALEX

Available to all employees

Not sure what plans are best for you?  Contact a Health Advocate for personalized guidance today!  Health Advocate experts are available to help you take the guesswork out of choosing what's best for your health, your wallet, and your personal situation. 

Health Advocate and ALEX have teamed up to offer you a personalized easy-to-use benefits decision support tool combined with the guidance from an Advocate expert.

Check out this Getting Started Guide!

Chronic care support program

This program is available to all benefit-eligible staff, fixed-term & medical faculty, and post-doctoral research fellows.