🩺 Tips for a painless open enrollment season

💗 Plus: Non-monogamous relationships and the science of 'forest bathing'

View this email online This week’s newsletter is brought to you by podcast coordinator Julia Carney Subin Yang for NPR Wake up, it’s open enrollment season! That means it’s time to pick your health insurance for next year (and once more, Google what PPO means). 💙 OK real talk, choosing a health insurance plan — if you’re lucky enough to have one — is important. This decision may set you up for better health and lower out-of-pocket costs in the year to come. But it can be confusing, complicated and stressful. Between the alphabet soup of acronyms and all those daunting data tables, it can be hard to figure out which plan to choose. Tasha Carter, the insurance consumer advocate for the state of Florida, shares a few simple things you can do to make the best choice possible. (By the way, PPO means “preferred provider organization.” Check out Life Kit’s open enrollment glossary here.) Read the story here 🧠 Evaluate your medical needs (and how they might be different from last year) What does your 2024 look like, health-wise? You can’t predict the future (or can you? e-mail us) but you probably have a general idea of your health needs in the next year or so. Are you thinking about getting pregnant? Are you planning to have an elective procedure? Maybe you want to start going to therapy and have a weekly co-pay to consider.  These details can help you pick a plan that covers those procedures, medications, specialists and more. If you’re not sure if your health needs will be different from the year before, talk with a doctor you trust and who knows your medical history.  👀 Read the summary of benefits Even if you’ve had the same health insurance plan for years, read the summary of benefits. Companies are required to provide a summary to consumers written in simple language, and you can learn a lot from it. If you don't get it in the mail at the beginning of the year, log on to your health insurance website or call the number on the back of your insurance card and ask for it.  "Oftentimes, insurance companies make changes to benefits, so you want to make sure you understand what those changes are and how they may impact you" and your health, Carter says. Those changes may prompt you to pick a different plan.  Another advantage of reading your insurance coverage plan super carefully? You may find out about freebies and perks. Your insurer, for example, might offer discounts to your local gym membership or services that improve your quality of life, like LASIK surgery or massages. Once you’ve picked your health insurance, learn how to make the most of your plan. That includes finding a good primary care doctor — and making sure you know how to file a claim.   You got this! Happy open enrollment szn!   Health and wellness      athima tongloom/Getty Images How to save a life with CPR Every year, more than 350,000 people go into cardiac arrest outside of a hospital setting in the United States. CPR, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, can help double or triple survival rates. In this episode, we'll explain the basics of this emergency procedure so you can feel empowered to help in a life-or-death situation. Listen to the episode here.   d3sign/Getty Images The science of forest bathing: 5 ways it can boost health and lower stress Spending time in the forest isn't just enjoyable, it's good for your health. Here are some research-backed exercises to try the next time you find yourself under a canopy of trees. Read the story and listen to the episode here. Newsletter continues after sponsor message Listen Sponsor-Free Support public media while getting expert advice on health, finance, relationships and more with Life Kit+. You'll get sponsor-free listening AND that warm fuzzy feeling that comes with making a difference. You can also check out loads of other NPR+ podcasts with benefits at plus.npr.org. Explore Life Kit+ We asked, you answered Last week, we asked you to tell us about your Halloween costume. Life Kit listener Amelia Candeub shares her favorite costume of all time — and her plans for this year. Still need help deciding on what to wear next week? Check out our episode on how to pick a clever, low-cost costume. I dressed up as Ira Glass of “This American Life” twice for Halloween. I wore thick, rectangular glasses and a suit and held a briefcase. At each house, instead of saying "trick or treat," I said "donate to your local public radio station!" I don't know if anyone donated to WHYY that night, but people found a 13-year-old dressed as Ira Glass pretty cute. This Halloween, I'm dressing up as a regency gentleman. I haven't seen Bridgerton and I haven't read much Austen, but I love the look of the time with the tailcoats, the cravats and the shirts with the ruffles in the front. I made the tailcoat of this look out of a thrifted jacket. It always feels good to give new life to a garment that might have been thrown out.  We want to hear from you This week, we published an episode on public speaking — a topic that gives a lot of people anxiety. We want to know: What do you do to get over your jitters around giving a speech or presentation in front of an audience? Email us with your advice at lifekit@npr.org and we may feature your response in a future newsletter.  Relationships Kaz Fantone/NPR Live with your parents? Here's how to create a harmonious household Three people who've spent time living with their parents as adults share advice on how they've coped with their situation. Don't compare yourself to others, they say — and find ways to still live your life. Read the story and listen to the episode here.   Photographs by brooklyngrace/Unsplash; Sindy Süßengut/Unsplash; Collage by Kaz Fantone/NPR A beginner's guide to exploring non-monogamous relationships When we think about romance, many of us have a specific script in mind. Two people date, fall in love and get married. But that traditional path doesn't work for everyone. Read the story and listen to the episode here.   Life skills     PM Images/Getty Images Anxious about public speaking? We've got tips If the thought of speaking in front of people makes your stomach flip, this episode will help you create a speech you can deliver with confidence. We'll go over how to prep, write for the ear and recover if you forget your lines. Listen to the episode here.   studiostockart/Getty Images Boo! Halloween is coming. Here's how to decide on a costume Haven't figured out your costume yet? Don't sweat. Stylist Sophie Strauss explains how to create a Halloween outfit that's unexpected, fun and won't break the bank. Read the story and listen to the episode here.  Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: LifeKit@npr.org Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Daily News, Code Switch, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Life Kit emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy