On May 1, 2010, Michigan enacted historic legislation to create smoke-free environments and endorse health and wellness for residents. To promote health and wellness on campus and in our community, WMU is launching Kick the Nic – a program administered by Sindecuse Health Center that gives students, faculty, staff, and dependents a variety of resources to choose from to successfully stop using tobacco.
Here are two sections to help you get started:
Read on to discover some available options.
Learn about nicotine replacement products and reimbursement (faculty and staff only)
Methods available to encourage tobacco users to quit include phone or appointment consultations with tobacco cessation specialists, clinician appointments for prescription products, and other on-line programming. The goal is to have people quit using tobacco by providing convenient, supportive programming optimal for their lifestyle.
Sindecuse tobacco cessation specialist
Blue Cross Blue Shield – Quit the Nic
Convenient phone consultation or consultative appointments are available. Call 269-387-3290 to schedule your phone consultation or appointment. We will be happy to answer any questions you might have about our program.
There are no out-of-pocket expenses for phone consultations or visits with the Sindecuse Tobacco Cessation Specialist if you are a faculty, staff, dependent, or WMU retiree with BCBS insurance group #31473. For students and WMU employees covered under other insurance plans, Sindecuse staff will assist you by submitting charges to your insurance company for tobacco cessation services.
Sindecuse Health Center clinicians encourage you to choose programs available at Kick the Nic for tobacco cessation in addition to receiving prescription items. If you are participating in a tobacco cessation program and would like to talk to a clinician about receiving a prescription to stop smoking, just call (269) 387-3290 to schedule an appointment.
Some nicotine replacement products are available without a prescription in our pharmacy and do not require a clinician visit. Scheduling an appointment to receive a prescription does not automatically enroll you in Kick the Nic. There are just a few easy steps to enroll– click here to get started.
Quit the Nic is a telephone-based program designed to help eligible members in their efforts to quit all forms of tobacco use. Visit the Blue Cross Blue Shield website here.
Aetna offers helpful strategies for quitting smoking and staying smoke-free. A broad range of useful information is available to help you prepare; to learn more, visit the Aetna website.
You may also consider participating in an online program to help you achieve your goal. Here are some websites you might be interested in as a starting point:
e.g. nicotine patches, nicotine lozenges, nicotine gum.
WMU will reimburse qualifying individuals on the cost of tobacco cessation products. Read on to see if you are eligible.
Sindecuse Pharmacy has licensed pharmacists who are available to address questions regarding nicotine replacement and prescription products to help you stop using tobacco. Prescription products are available with a clinician order. Please call 269-387-3355 to talk with our pharmacy staff.
Sindecuse Pharmacy will ship products to students, faculty, staff, dependents, and retirees residing in satellite campus locations.
If you are a faculty, staff, dependent, or WMU retiree with BCBS insurance, group #007005281, you’ll want to take advantage of WMU’s offer to reimburse you on the cost of tobacco cessation products. Products are covered by insurance, just copays reimbursed.
Here's how it works: after being tobacco free for three months, you will receive a check from WMU for 50% your the cost of tobacco cessation products you've purchased through Sindecuse Pharmacy. After successfully quitting tobacco for 12 months, WMU will send you the remaining 50% of total expenses incurred on products used.
Please keep in mind that if you participate in Kick the Nic program, you will receive reimbursement of no more than $500 for out of pocket expenses in your lifetime. Again, to receive reimbursement, products must be purchased through Sindecuse Pharmacy.
Note: If you plan to use the tobacco cessation specialist at Sindecuse, simply call (269) 387-3290 to schedule either a phone consultation or visit. Skip the remaining steps since enrollment will be done at the time of consultation or phone appointment.
