Summer 2024

Support your best health this season by introducing a balanced, nutritious diet. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a healthy diet helps to protect against malnutrition in all its forms, as well as noncommunicable diseases including diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer. A balanced, nutritious diet not only lowers your disease risk – it may also boost your energy level while helping you achieve and maintain your optimal weight.

To build a healthy diet, consider purchasing local, seasonal produce. Foods that are produced and purchased seasonally are often fresher and tastier than those consumed out of season. More importantly, studies have shown that fruits and vegetables contain more nutrients when allowed to ripen naturally on the plant. There are numerous online resources, such as the Farmers’ Almanac or the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s website, that can help you determine what produce is in season based on your local climate.

Hydrate While You Eat

Every season brings its own bountiful harvest, but summer produce in particular may even help your body adapt to the weather conditions. Fresh fruit such as watermelon and strawberries – both at peak during summer – contain a high-water content which provides hydration in addition to their other essential vitamins and minerals.

Local Goes a Long Way

Farmers markets or local you-pick farms are excellent options to ensure you’re purchasing the freshest, most high-quality and nutrient-dense produce available. Opting for local produce also provides a greater understanding of where your food came from and how it was grown; when purchasing from local farms, you can ask questions directly to the farmer to learn more about how your produce is grown and what (if any) pesticides it may have been exposed to. Moreover, purchasing locally grown food supports the local economy and helps maintain nearby farmland.

We encourage you to consider local options and optimize your health by eating seasonally. Seasonal foods are an important and accessible component of a healthy, balanced diet that will fuel your body, lower your disease risk and promote your overall health and well-being.

Summer is an excellent time to embark on an adventure. Whether you’re headed for a big city, a National Park, a sandy beach or somewhere in between, traveling allows you to build connections with new people and places, often leading to greater life satisfaction and overall happiness.

An upcoming adventure is undoubtedly a source of excitement and novelty, but travel often causes a deviation from routine that may take a toll on your health and well-being. To combat this, there are several steps you can take that will help you make the most of your trip and limit the adverse effects of new environments and experiences:

1.     Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate

Proper hydration is one of the most effective ways to boost your immune system. Adequate water consumption helps ward off bloating, a common symptom reported by travelers, and aids in the digestion of foods that may be outside of your usual eating habits.

According to the Mayo Clinic, the adequate daily intake for an average, healthy adult is 15.5 cups for males and 11.5 cups for females, but you are strongly encouraged to strive for more than that while traveling. It’s easy to lose track of consumption while you’re on-the-go, so it’s recommended that you get a head start on the day with two full glasses of water upon waking or during breakfast. Additionally, you should travel with a reusable water bottle or stock up on bottled water in areas where tap water is inaccessible or unreliable.

2.     Maintain proper sleep patterns

Sleep is essential to your overall well-being. While some travel destinations may support rest and relaxation, the process of traveling is, in general, not very kind to our usual sleep patterns. Jet lag, hectic schedules, and unfamiliar sights and sounds all contribute to disruptive sleep. To support your best sleep, consider traveling with an eye mask and/or sound machine and always be mindful of caffeine and alcohol consumption to limit sleep disturbances. Additionally, you should take steps to create an optimal sleep environment, such as setting the thermostat to your preferred temperature and minimizing exposure to blue light (cell phone, laptop, TV) before bedtime to maintain your circadian rhythm. 

3.     Disinfect your hands and high-touch surfaces

The spread of germs during travel, especially on public transportation, is nearly inevitable. Additionally, new environments often contain airborne bacteria that your body has not yet built an immunity toward, so it is even more important to practice regular handwashing while traveling. Disinfecting high-touch surfaces such as your cell phone and doorknobs is also an effective step in limiting the transmission of germs. Carrying hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol throughout your travels will also help you stay healthy while preventing the spread of germs to others as well.

Traveling can be an incredibly enriching experience. By preparing yourself with a few tips and tricks to maintain your best health throughout the trip, you’re that much more likely to return home refreshed and rejuvenated with wonderful memories to share.

Pharmacy Benefit Dimensions (PBD) provides members access to mail order services that deliver a 90-day supply of maintenance medications directly to your home at no additional cost (express shipping available for an additional charge). Depending on the prescription drug benefit plan provided by your employer, you may register with one of two convenient mail order options - Wegmans Mail Order Pharmacy Services or ProAct Mail Order Pharmacy Services - to receive your medication via mail order. Participating in PBD’s mail order service will save you a trip to the pharmacy and may reduce your copay costs as compared to a 30-day supply (depending on your plan).

To enroll in PBD’s mail order service, simply follow the steps below:

1. Request a 90-day prescription from your provider
2. Register for mail order services by mail or phone, or online at Wegmans’ website.
3. Pay your copayment using Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express or by check or money order

* Please be advised that it may take up to two weeks for you to receive your first order, so make sure you have at least a 14-day supply before ordering or request a 30-day supply from your provider to fill at your local pharmacy.

More information about PBD’s mail order service can be found on our website. As always, if you have questions about your coverage or benefits, our Member Servicing professionals are available to assist you Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET at (716) 635-7880 or 1-888-878-9172. TTY users please call 711.

Here are the quarterly changes to the Pharmacy Benefit Dimensions drug formulary:

The following medications will be added to the formulary:

The following changes were/will be made to the formulary:

• Androderm® - from T2, PA to non-formulary
• Methitest® - from T2, PA to non-formulary
• Natesto® - from T3, PA to non-formulary
  

The following new generic medications are available:

The following medications were reviewed and will remain non-formulary:

• Rezdiffra®
• Tryvio®
• Pivya®
• clobetasol ophthalmic suspension
• Tyenne® subcutaneous (SQ)
• Selarsdi®
• Alvaiz®
• Rezenopy®
• Myhibbin®
• Letybo®
• Spevigo®

Please reach out with any questions you may have. To best assist you, choose from the following:

Questions about your pharmacy benefits as a PBD member? Contact Member Services, 1-888-878-9172.

Questions about a claim from a pharmacy or provider? Contact our Pharmacy Help Desk, (716) 635-3578.

Questions about the benefits of partnering with PBD? Contact our Sales Department, (716) 860-0743.

Stay informed: pbdrx.com | LinkedIn | PBD News