Ah, back-to-school season—the magical stretch where your coffee disappears faster than your patience, and your kids somehow manage to get sick within 48 hours of Day One. Here’s a thought most people miss: the Plan built a service for exactly this chaos. And it’s not buried in some handbook or lost amongst newsletters. The information is literally on your medical ID card – and for most of you, in the app on your phone. So, “we’ve got you” while you juggle homework, work, and yes…even the family dog, who clearly thinks she’s in charge.
Yes. We’re talking (again) about Included Health. Think of them as your personal healthcare sidekick, minus the waiting rooms, traffic jams, and the existential dread of denied ER claims and appeals for … well… not exactly emergencies.
Virtual urgent care? ✅
Mental health support? ✅
Real experts, right when you need them? ✅
But wait, there’s more than just “don’t die waiting for an appointment.” Included Health can:
- Match you with high-quality, in-network care (so you actually see someone competent).
- Hook you up with a leading specialist for a second opinion (because Google is not a doctor).
- Connect you with a registered nurse for treatment advice (yes, someone who knows what they’re talking about).
- Give you a text-based coach to help you crush your personal goals this school year—like maybe not losing your mind before Halloween.
Back-to-school doesn’t have to mean back-to-chaos. Take care of yourself first, because the only thing worse than your kid forgetting their homework… is forgetting your own health.
And for the tiny, bewildering minority of active members or early retirees who haven’t downloaded the app or created a login for themselves—or, mind-bogglingly, their family—well, what can we say? You’ve either consciously, or inadvertently, chosen chaos. The uncomfortable truth is that inaction is still a decision. Ignoring the tools designed to guide you doesn’t spare you the consequences; it simply guarantees you’ll feel them more acutely.
So, if you’re determined to navigate life’s turbulence without a paddle, without a map, and frankly, without a clue—by all means, carry on. But if what you actually need is a hand getting started, don’t overthink it. Ask. Or better yet, drop by the office. We’ll gladly show you how—because unlike chaos, help is always just one decision away.
Meanwhile, for the rest of us, the app and your ID card serve as quiet beacons—small reminders that even the simplest action can steer us more safely (and healthfully) through the storm of homework, work, and the ever-demanding family dog.
Sometimes the most powerful tools are the ones hiding in plain sight.