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  • Tykar Williams: Member Profile

    Tykar Williams: Member Profile

    Tykar Williams

    Why did Tykar Williams begin his health journey and join WeightWatchers®? Weight loss and pain-free knees have allowed Tykar to fully engage in life.

    “I feel more energetic now, so I can spend more time with my kids,” he says. “I can even go to hip-hop concerts as often as I like. It’s great!”

    Tykar Williams is a physical therapy technician who’s been with Mount Sinai Health System for over 25 years. He noticed over time that he had put on weight. His casual observation turned to concern last summer, when his primary care physician told him he had prediabetes.

    “I wanted to be the best version of myself again and avoid unexpected things sneaking up on me,” Tykar says. Following his doctor’s recommendations, he changed his diet—cutting down on fast food and eating more fruits and salads. Then he started exercising, going to the gym and walking more. It wasn’t long before he began to see results, which he calls life-changing. “When I started losing weight,” he explains, “I felt less pressure on my knees, like I was turning back the clock. I started to look better and feel better.”

    Having lost over 50 pounds, I have no intention of looking back. That’s why I joined WeightWatchers through the Benefit Fund’s new partnership—to keep off the weight.

    Tykar has lost over 50 pounds and has no intention of looking back. That’s why he joined WeightWatchers through the Benefit Fund’s new partnership. “Having lost that weight, I want to do what I can to keep it off,” he says. He particularly likes the WeightWatchers app, which helps him track his meals using the Points® system. “That system guides me to choose healthy options,” he says. “The meal I’m thinking of may not be worth the points! Plus, it helps me to be more knowledgeable about what I eat.”

    Share Your WeightWatchers Journey for a Chance to Win WW Swag!

    Tykar, Joanne and Salvatore are not alone: More than 4,000 1199SEIU members have joined WeightWatchers since our partnership began. If you’re one of them, will you share your WW story to help motivate other members? Email us at WeightWatchers@1199Funds.org and let us know what you like best about your experience so we can share your good news! Of course, to sweeten the pot, we will enter you in a monthly giveaway to win a gift certificate to the WeightWatchers shop!

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  • Healthy eating is a great way to start your wellness journey!

    Healthy eating is a great way to start your wellness journey!

    Healthy eating is a great way to start your wellness journey!

    You’ve probably heard the expression “You are what you eat.” It’s true! The foods we put in our bodies help us live longer, fuller lives by building and repairing cells, and a well-balanced diet supports our bodies and minds in so many other ways. Healthy eating builds strong bones and muscles, aids digestion, boosts mood and provides the energy we need to to be there for the people we love. It also strengthens the immune system that can protect us from developing medical conditions such as heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and some cancers.

    Sign up today

    Download the WeightWatchers app and sign up for our Premium program, which includes:

    • In-person or virtual workshops with a health coach
    • Meal and activity tracking
    • On-demand fitness and mindfulness videos
    • Access to chat with health coaches 24/7 for unlimited support or to answer questions
    • A social network designed just for 1199SEIU members—join the 1199ers group
    • Lifetime free membership for those who reach their goal weight
    Sign Up Today

    The WeightWatchers advantage

    Eating a healthy diet can be a challenge, so to support you on your journey, the Benefit Fund has partnered with WeightWatchers to offer you a discounted—or no-cost—membership. Sign up today for the program that can help you reach your goals with meal planning and tracking tools, more than 12,000 nutritious and tasty recipes, and even a special 1199ers-only social network to help you achieve your goals!

    Tried WW and left? Come back and try again!

    Maybe you checked it out and thought it wasn’t for you or you weren’t ready for it yet. That’s okay. The good news is our partnership with WeightWatchers is ongoing, so you can come back and renew your membership when you are ready. It’s there for you when you need it.

    WeightWatchers has so much to offer!

    Nutrition made easy—Get meal-planning tools and 12,000-plus recipes.

    An award-winning app—Tap into tracking tools, on-demand workouts, meditations, five-minute audio coaching sessions and more.

    1199ers Group—Connect with fellow members to share tips, celebrate wins, get wellness advice from WW Coach Ang and work toward your goals with others on the same journey.

    When work is stressful, schedules are packed and pizza delivery seems so appealing, go ahead and order!

    With WeightWatchers, everything is on the menu. Their Points system helps you develop healthy habits while still making room for the foods you love. Every food and beverage get a point value based on its overall nutritional benefit. Depending on your weight and goals, you get a points budget at the start of each week with daily points along with additional weekly ones to use whenever you want. So, go ahead and order that pizza if you want it. Instead of two slices, maybe eat just one for 9 points, with a large side of grilled vegetables for zero points! You can eat as many zero-point foods as you want, and there are more than 200 zero-point food options available.

    Learn more about the WeightWatchers Points system by watching Coach Ang or Coach Gigi in a Benefit Fund-recorded Kickstart session.

    Learn More

    Not ready to join WW yet?

    Maybe joining WW is too big a leap for your first step. That’s okay, WW will be here when you are ready for it! In the meantime, you can find our Special Edition of For Your Benefit online that features information and tools you can use to start your health journey.

  • Supporting Each Other at LI Community Hospital

    Supporting Each Other at LI Community Hospital

    Supporting Each Other at LI Community Hospital

    These two 1199SEIU members are part of a group of coworkers from Long Island Community Hospital who have joined WeightWatchers together.

    Joanne Rosso, Unit Secretary

    Joanne wants to continue doing the work she loves—and prepare for a healthy retirement when the time comes. So she’s making her health a priority by joining WeightWatchers and riding her bike for exercise.

    Joanne Russo has been a Unit Secretary at Long Island Community Hospital for over 37 years and is not ready to stop any time soon. When she learned about her Benefit Fund’s partnership with WeightWatchers, Joanne was thrilled. She’s off to a great start, losing eight pounds in eight weeks. “It’s important to me that you can eat regular food with WW,” Joanne says. “You use their Points® system and budget your diet accordingly to what’s going on in your life.”

    You can scan a barcode to find out the points—how great is that?

    She attends workshops about five times a week—either in-person at a nearby WeightWatchers Studio or by Zoom. “I love sharing my experiences with other members—and getting feedback is great, too,” Joanne says. “I always walk away feeling like I learned something. And everybody at work who’s joined is absolutely loving it!”

    Joanne loves all the things she can do with the WeightWatchers app, like track her food.

    Salvatore Oliveri, Radiology Associate

    Joining WeightWatchers makes it easier for Salvatore to spend time doing what he loves—treasure hunting—without worrying about his weight. “I’m still looking for that lost million-dollar Picasso,” he says with a laugh.

    Salvatore Oliveri knows how effective WeightWatchers can be, having used it to lose weight in the past. Since being diagnosed with diabetes, he brought his numbers down by changing what he eats but had trouble developing healthy eating habits and maintaining his weight. “I needed to do something about my weight,” Salvatore says. “The WW partnership with the Benefit Fund was a great opportunity, so I jumped on it.” He’s off to a good start, having lost 12 pounds in just about a month.

    If Joanne shows me something on the WW app I didn’t know about, I’ll try to return the favor. We help each other out and encourage one another that way.

    Salvatore regularly shares tips with his coworker Joanne Rosso. “It’s awesome having other people at work use this benefit,” he says. “If Joanne shows me something on the WW app I didn’t know about, I’ll try to return the favor. We help each other out and encourage one another.”

  • Birthing Baby and Beyond

    Birthing Baby and Beyond

    Birthing Baby and Beyond

    Learn what to expect when labor and delivery begin, as well as what it means to advocate for yourself and how to do it.

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  • El nacimiento ​del bebé y más

    El nacimiento ​del bebé y más

    El nacimiento ​del bebé y más

    Obtenga información sobre el proceso del parto y el parto, así como sobre cómo defenderse.

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  • Planning a Healthy Pregnancy

    Planning a Healthy Pregnancy

    Planning a Healthy Pregnancy

    Find out what to anticipate and how you should prepare for your baby’s delivery. Plus, learn how to take care of your new bundle of joy.

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  • Cómo planificar un embarazo saludable

    Cómo planificar un embarazo saludable

    Cómo planificar un embarazo saludable

    Aprenda qué esperar y cómo prepararse para el parto, así como a cuidar de su bebé después del nacimiento.

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  • Benefit Funds Expand Partnership with EviCore to Include Clinical Trial Management, Effective January 1, 2023

    Benefit Funds Expand Partnership with EviCore to Include Clinical Trial Management, Effective January 1, 2023

    Beginning January 1, 2023, EviCore’s standard Clinical Trial Management Program will be available to support Benefit Funds members’ access to applicable outpatient clinical trials for all cancer types, as applicable. The program includes expert clinical trial case reviews by EviCore Medical Directors to identify reimbursable standard of care drugs and advanced imaging to improve the provider experience and optimize treatment options. For more information, visit the Benefit Funds’ Medical Review Programs Medical Oncology Services web page in the coming weeks, contact your Provider Relations Representative or call our Provider Relations Call Center at (646) 473-7160.

    More Provider Connections

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  • Remember to Always Refer to the Benefit Funds’ Preferred Drug List and to Update Your Provider Demographic Information

    Remember to Always Refer to the Benefit Funds’ Preferred Drug List and to Update Your Provider Demographic Information

    Important Reminders

  • Message From the Executive Director and CEO

    Message From the Executive Director and CEO

    Message From the Executive Director and CEO

    Dear 1199SEIU Members,

    Welcome to a special edition of For Your Benefit, created to inspire you, our members, to live healthier, happier lives. This special edition is focused on your total health, because for all you’ve been through—and all that you do—you deserve the focus to be on YOU! And, to support you on your health journey, I am excited to share with you our new online Healthy Living Resource Center!

    Good health is the key that allows us to experience life’s joys. It enables us to live our lives to the fullest, unlock opportunities and be there for those who need us.

    Like many of you, I know it can sometimes be challenging to take the time we need for self-care, rejuvenation and making sure our health is in order. Yet, good health is the key that allows us to experience life’s joys. It enables us to live our lives to the fullest, unlock opportunities and be there for those we love. That is why we created the Healthy Living Resource Center. It is our way of supporting you on your healthcare journey, by connecting you with the information and tools you need to thrive and live your best lives. We know you take your health seriously, and we want to make your journey easier.

    Your journey starts with taking one small step. That step will be different for everyone, but by starting small and building on your accomplishments, you will prevail. Only you can unlock the door to your health and we are here to provide the keys for you to do that.

    So get ready for an illuminating experience. To help you navigate the path to continued wellness, both the Resource Center and this special edition of For Your Benefit are divided into the following sections: Healthy Eating, Healthy Bodies, Healthy Hearts, Healthy Minds and Healthy Provider Relationships. Each area provides ways for you to learn and connect, whether you prefer virtual, in-person, solo, one-on-one, group, traditional, nontraditional or holistic options.

    You will also hear from other 1199SEIU members, as they share their own experiences with healthy living and its advantages. Plus, you’ll hear from experts, learn about the health measures you should keep an eye on and find out about Benefit Fund resources as well as exciting partnerships with some of our participating providers.

    Of course, this issue provides just a glimpse of the Healthy Living Resource Center. Please visit the Healthy Living Resource Center regularly to discover all that it has to offer. And we would like to hear from you—what information you find helpful and what else you would like to see. You’ll be able to share your thoughts, questions and opinions with us on the site. We look forward to taking this journey with you.

    Meanwhile, enjoy the rest of the year—with all the promise that it holds—and stay well!


    In good health,


    Donna Rey, EdD
    Executive Director, 1199SEIU Benefit and Pension Funds
    CEO, 1199SEIU Funds Administrative Operations