Concordia Behavioral Health (Concordia) and University of Miami Behavioral Health (UMBH) are joining together in a partnership and merger of operations. In this partnership, the goal of both entities is to provide members with a high quality behavioral health benefit program. Effective February 1, 2014, Concordia will manage the behavioral health benefits for UM faculty, staff, and their families. Current benefits, copays, provider networks, and behavioral health services will not be affected by this transition. If you are currently receiving care through a UMBH provider, your relationship with the provider will not change.

To begin receiving care with a behavioral health specialist, or for more information about Concordia, please contact them at 1-800-294-8642 or visit www.concordiabh.com. If you have any questions about the University’s behavioral health benefits, please contact HR-Benefits at www.miami.edu/benefits/ask.

The Well ’Canes Incentives Program is back for 2014. Designed to encourage you to learn about your personal health and motivate you to improve your overall well-being, this wellness program can help you earn up to $300. By completing various wellness activities such as getting an annual physical, completing an online health assessment, and tracking exercise and meals, you can earn points toward your cash incentive. This year, the Walking ’Canes program was added to the list of activities that will earn you points, and participants who registered by Thursday, January 30, can receive 500 points just by completing the program.

The Well ’Canes Incentives Program is offered by HR-Benefits and is open to all faculty and staff enrolled as primary policy holders in the UM/Aetna medical plan. Participants may register for the incentives program at any time. Visit miami.edu/wellcanes to learn more and register today!

Walking ’Canes is offered by the UM Wellness Center at the beginning of each calendar year and is open to all UM faculty and staff. For more information please visit the Walking ’Canes webpage or call 305-284-LIFE (5433).

Whether you’re currently contributing 1.5 percent or 10 percent of your salary to your UM retirement plan, there is always an opportunity to improve your retirement outlook. This could mean increasing your voluntary contributions, choosing a different mix of investment funds, or simply meeting with a retirement representative to ensure you are on the right financial track. Click here for valuable information to help you plan for 2014 and beyond.

The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 requires employers to file annual reports with the Internal Revenue Service and the U.S. Department of Labor on the status of their various employee benefit plans and to provide employees with a summary of those reports, called Summary Annual Reports. The 2012 Summary Annual Reports for the Retirement Savings Plan II (RSP II) and the Supplemental Retirement Annuity (SRA) are now available to view by clicking here.

Are you familiar with your Social Security benefits? Social Security Benefits 101, a lunchtime seminar presented by the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program (FSAP), will provide participants with valuable information regarding how the United States Social Security system works, eligibility requirements, and available options to individuals considering retirement. Led by a public affairs specialist from the Miami-Dade Social Security Administration Office, the seminar also will feature an HR-Benefits representative to answer benefits-related questions at the following locations and times:

Coral Gables campus: Tuesday, December 10, from noon  to 1 p.m. at the McKnight Building, second-floor training room

Miller School of Medicine campus: Wednesday, December 11, from noon to 1 p.m. at the Dominion Parking Garage, room 155

RSMAS campus: Thursday, December 12, from noon to 1 p.m., at the Library Media Center

FSAP Health and Wellness seminars are offered as part of the University of Miami’s Well ‘Canes Program. To register, go to www.miami.edu/ulearn. For help with ULearn registration, call the FSAP at 305-284-6604. All University of Miami faculty, staff, and retirees are welcomed. Please feel free to bring your lunch.