MESSA

Are you looking for a quick and easy way to see your MESSA benefits and resources to support your pregnancy journey? Oh baby! Do we have you covered. Check out https://bit.ly/3zFm1P4 to find great information about pre- and post-natal care, lactation support, breast pump coverage, and more.

Healthy living means taking care of your whole health, including your mental health. MESSA health plans have the coverage and resources you need to support your mental health. Click here to learn more: https://bit.ly/4f3iqe4

☀️Fresh Michigan raspberries are coming into season!☀️

👩‍🌾Whether you pick them yourself or pick them up at your local farmer's market, fresh raspberries are a great way to add some summertime to your favorite dish.🍨

Check out these ideas to help you max out the fresh raspberry goodness while it is here.

🎆Wishing everyone a fun and safe Independence Day!🎆

We hope your day is filled with friends, family, fireworks, and delicious summer food.

Still looking for an easy (but delicious!) dish to serve at your Independence Day festivities? We've got you - your search is over. Cowboy Caviar (who doesn't love that name?) is a blend of textures and flavors that you will love. Serve it with tortilla chips or eat it as a side - you decide.

Check out the recipe here: https://bit.ly/465CsAF

What side dishes are you taking to your summer barbecues? Share below - we love to get new ideas from our members!

🍔🌭Summer barbecue is the best kind of food.🥩🍗

When you fire up the grill this summer, don't forget some fun, easy and healthy side dishes to go with the burgers and dogs (or to take care of your vegetarian friends). Here are a few of our favorites:

Who doesn't love corn on the cob during the summer? If you're not grilling your corn, you are missing out on the sweetest corn around. Not sure how to grill corn without having it dry out or burn? Here are some great corn grilling tips from delish.com: https://bit.ly/3RCs4dt

Nina's cucumber salad: Farmer's markets about with delish summertime cucumber options. Try a refreshing and tasty cucumber salad with a lemon sour cream dressing for your next barbecue (recipe from Allrecipes.com): https://bit.ly/4ey57BT

Summer strawberries make our mouths water! This recipe is a fun departure from strawberry desserts to a yummy strawberry pasta salad (recipe from Prevention.com): https://bit.ly/4c83Obb

Hello, Summer! 🌻🌼

Today marks the official start of the sunniest season of the year.🌞☀️ We are so excited about long days at the beach, to picnics in the park, to barbecques with friends, and more. 🏖️🍉

Embrace the sunshine, soak up the vitamin D, and make some unforgettable memories under the summer sky. (Before we all know it, it will be Back to School time!📖 )

What are your big summer plans? Share in the comments below - we would love to hear about them!

🎉 Happy Juneteenth! 🎉

Today, we commemorate the end of slavery in the United States and celebrate the resilience, strength, and heritage of Black communities. Let's honor this historic day by reflecting on the progress we've made, acknowledging the work that still needs to be done, and standing in solidarity with those fighting for justice and equality.

🌿🌱It's National Herbs and Spices Day. What better day than this to talk about how to use your garden's herb bounty all summer long. 🌿🌱

From basil to mint to cilantro, there's nothing like the vibrant flavors of homegrown herbs in your favorite dishes. And there is great news if you haven't been by your local nursery in a while: even if you didn't get your herb starts going this winter, you can pick up your favorite herb plants this weekend and still give them plenty of time to grow.

Here are a few fun and healthy recipes to get spice up (see what we did there?) the way you use herbs and spices in the kitchen this summer. 🍽️ (Recipe credits: The Food Network)

It's a great time to be outside, and Michigan's extensive trail network offers plenty of options for everyone. From running to cycling to horseback riding, you can find a trail to enjoy exploring nature and new communities.

Find out more about trails across Michigan here https://bit.ly/45lfTYh, and drop a comment with your favorite trail to explore below.

🎉 Happy Father's Day to all the incredible dads out there! 🎉

This weekend, celebrate the men who shape us, support us, and inspire us every step of the way. Whether it's sharing words of wisdom, lending a helping hand, or simply being there with a comforting hug, dads play a special role in our lives.

Wishing all the dads a day filled with love, laughter, fun and memories. Happy Father's Day! ❤️

🌟 June is National Men's Health Month! 🌟

Do you have a man in your life who needs a nudge to focus more on his health? Does your dad procrastinate about seeing his cardiologist? Does your brother shudder when he hears the words "prostate exam"? Does your spouse drag his feet on scheduling his colonoscopy?

Whether it's a reminder from his family doctor to eat more fruits and veggies or some well placed sticky notes around the house to help him remember his preventive care appointments, we all know a man who needs some extra encouragement to take care of his health.

Use this month's DiscoverYou article on the things men should do every year to take care of their health https://bit.ly/3yQmTQu. You can also forward this to your favorite procrastinator today as a friendly hint that his health matters to you!

🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️ Happy National Running Day! 🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️

To celebrate, lace up and hit the pavement or trails.👟 Whether you're a seasoned marathoner, just starting out, or prefer to stick with a power walk with Rover, every step you take is a step toward better health.🏅

Before you hit the starting blocks, make sure to out these reminders on how to start training from MESSA Health Consultant Rhonda Jones: https://bit.ly/4aS4m3H

☀️ During the winter, it can feel like summer is NEVER going to arrive. But now it has, so it's time for some reminders about how to stay safe in that wonderful sunshine we longed for.

Did you know the sun can damage your skin in just 15 minutes? Intense exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays without protection can cause sunburn, dark spots and skin cancers like melanoma. While people with lighter skin color are more susceptible to skin cancer, anyone can get it. And skin cancer is the most common cancer in the country, according to the American Cancer Society.

Sun safety is something we should practice year round, but summer is a great time to remind yourself of the easy things you should do to protect yourself while your outdoors soaking in the rays. ☀️

Check out this DiscoverYou article for some easy rules to follow: https://bit.ly/3Vuo41a

Are you getting your greens in this May? 🥦

Let's talk about the power of veggies. A diet rich in vegetables can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol, help with blood sugar regulation, and make you full longer.

Looking for fresh ideas for your lunch and dinner menus? Check out some of our favorite salad recipes (there's nothing boring about these greens!). And share your favorite recipes below for easy, delicious and fun ways you prepare your green food to keep all the goodness of veggies front and center.

Today, we pause to remember and honor the brave souls who made the ultimate sacrifice serving our country. Their courage and dedication to defending our freedom will never be forgotten.

As we take time to enjoy this day with family and friends, let's keep those who have given everything in our thoughts and hearts.

When Perry preschool teacher and MESSA member Pat Blevins was diagnosed with cancer, she needed to focus on getting the care she needed. What she didn't need was to worry about the stack of bills that were piling up for her travel expenses as she sought treatment at Mayo Clinic.

Fortunately, Pat had signed up for supplemental plans MESSA offers its members to make sure they have the coverage they need for all of life's unexpected events.

“That was a major godsend for me,” Blevins said. “I could focus on getting treatment instead of worrying about how I’m possibly going to pay for any of this. When I signed up for it, I had no idea I had any health issues to address."

Visit https://bit.ly/3K1wsym to read and watch a video about Pat's story, and to get a 101 on supplemental plans.

Cheers to National Water Safety Month! 💦

Dive into our top tips for staying safe in the pool, at the beach, and everywhere in between:
Always swim with others.
Provide constant attention to children you are supervising in or near water. Stay within arm’s reach of young children and inexperienced swimmers.
Watch all children and teens swimming or playing in or near water, even if they know how to swim.
Make sure your child learns to swim. Upgrade their swimming skills each year.
(From Seattle Children's Hospital)

Let's make a splash this summer, safely! 🏊‍♂️

Spring clean your health routine! 🌷

Let's declutter our habits and make room for more mindfulness, better sleep, and healthier choices. MESSA’s preventive care benefits can help: https://ow.ly/mk1w50RKYem 🌱

Spring clean your health routine! 🌷

Let's declutter our habits and make room for more mindfulness, better sleep, and healthier choices. MESSA’s preventive care benefits can help. Check out the link in our bio.🌱

We all have nights when don't get all the 💤s we need. But when we don't have good bedtime habits, sleepless nights can become the norm. And that's exhausting! 😴

To celebrate Better Sleep Month, MESSA Wellness Consultant Rhonda Jones shares some reminders about things we KNOW you're probably heard from you doctor or you mom, too. Or both. 😉

We ❤️ our members. Make sure you're getting enough sleep!

Happy National Women's Health Week! 💃

Let's celebrate all the amazing women in our lives by prioritizing our health and wellness. Share your favorite ways to practice self-care and empowerment! Check out https://bit.ly/3ykZrKT to learn about how MESSA takes care of the women taking care of our schools, kids and communities. 👑

🌸 Happy Mother's Day !

Mother's Day is all about YOU, moms! Whether it's breakfast in bed, a day off from chores, or some other type of delightful pampering by the kiddos, we hope your day is as amazing as you are! 💐💖

Did you know MESSA members have access to great resources for every stage of parenting? Check out https://bit.ly/4a4WFGM and download the Ovia app today.

We love hearing from our members about what makes them love their MESSA health plans. We ARE different -- we have been committed from the very beginning to being a health plan focused on providing exceptional benefits and service to the people serving our kids and our communities.

We don't want you to take our word for it. Instead, see what members are saying.

There's so much more where this video came from. Visit https://bit.ly/44rQ9Ja to find more member stories about how MESSA made a difference for them and their families.

🎉 Happy National Teacher Appreciation Day! 🎉

Polish off those apples. 🍎 Today, we celebrate the teachers who have dedicated their lives to the kids in classrooms throughout Michigan. From Hancock to Morenci and everywhere in between, we ❤️ teachers for all they do in the classroom and for our communities.

Want to celebrate a teacher you work with or know? Drop a comment and tag them so we can all give them a much-deserved round of applause. 👏

It's National Nurses Week! 🩺

Let's give a big shoutout to all the incredible nurses out there who work tirelessly to keep us healthy and safe.

Did you know MESSA has a team of nurses who help our members dealing with a serious illness or injury as part of our Medical Case Management program? We ❤️ MESSA nurses! Be sure to tag a nurse you appreciate in the comments below! Looking for more information on MESSA Medical Case Management? Visit: https://bit.ly/3Wq2Emo