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Lower Your Risk

There are actions you can take to promote a healthy lifestyle and reduce your risk of developing breast cancer, such as:

  • Eat a healthy diet, including five or more servings of fruits and vegetables daily.
  • Limit your alcohol intake to one drink per day and don’t smoke.
  • Being physically active - as little as 30 minutes of exercise a day can begin to reduce a woman’s risk of breast cancer.
  • Maintain a healthy weight.

Be sure to get a mammogram. A mammogram, an X-ray image of the breast, is a safe and effective way to detect cancerous tumors. The procedure is non-invasive, takes only a few minutes, and saves lives. Beginning at age 40, women should get a mammogram every one or two years. No matter your age, if any of the following factors apply to you, discuss with your doctor whether a mammogram is appropriate: 

  • Personal or family history of breast cancer
  • Menstrual periods occurring before age 12 or after age 55
  • You have never given birth or had your first child after age 30
  • Dense breast tissue
  • Radiation therapy to the chest before age 30

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FAQs

How does the Spousal Credit work?

The 2012 collective bargaining agreement permits employees to receive a credit of up to $1,200 if their spouse opts out of the Transit Employees’ Health & Welfare Plan’s health insurance program. It can only be used as a credit against medical and dental benefit expenses incurred as a Participant in the Plan. You must elect the spousal credit option each year.

Up to $100 per month will be applied to reduce the cost of your medical and dental insurance. It cannot be applied to reduce the cost of any supplemental life insurance you may have elected or of any other voluntary benefit.

Example

Your plan requires a monthly contribution of $80 toward single coverage and $208 toward family coverage. Here is how the credit will work:

  • For a family with only employee and spouse coverage, the spousal credit would change your plan from family to single (from $208 to $80) and the credit would further reduce the monthly contribution for single coverage ($80) to zero.
  • For a family with employee, spouse and children coverage, the spousal credit would not change your family plan coverage ($208), but it would reduce the $208 amount you pay to $108 (the maximum credit of $100 per month).

This credit is available to employees and retirees, but cannot be combined with the employee opt-out payment. This credit is available only if the employee or retiree remains covered in the Transit Employees Health and Welfare program.

You can only elect the spousal credit option during the annual open enrollment period, usually in May of each year. It will be effective for your premiums for the following July 1st. Download the Spousal Credit form here.

If you have more questions, please contact the Health and Welfare Plan Office.

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