Healthy. Views VIP: Depression: Get Help to Get Better. Depression is an illness, not an attitude.

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1 VIP: Healthy Views WINTER 2014 Depression: Get Help to Get Better Depression is an illness, not an attitude. It can improve with the right diagnosis and treatment. Everyday life can be depressing at times. But when depression takes over, it s time to get help. Depression that lasts more than a few weeks or that leaves you unable to cope with everyday life is called clinical depression. It is an illness, not an attitude. And it can improve with the right diagnosis and treatment. Clinical depression can be caused by a number of factors, such as: Brain chemistry that is out of balance Stress Physical problems Disease Medications Heredity Depression may not be easy to recognize. It can play a part in eating disorders, substance abuse, and other addictive behaviors. A careful diagnosis is important for getting the best treatment. A number of antidepressant medications are effective and nonaddictive. They restore balance to brain chemistry. And they don t use tranquilizers or other potentially habit-forming drugs. For many people, the best treatment combines medication with counseling or other talk therapy. The medication eases symptoms and restores everyday functioning. The talk therapy helps resolve social concerns. When Should You Seek Help? If any of the following symptoms are long-lasting or get in the way of normal activities, consult a doctor: Low mood or hopelessness Loss of interest or pleasure in friends, family, hobbies, work, or sex Not being able to sleep or sleeping too much Self-blaming for past events Difficulty concentrating Food cravings or loss of appetite Weight change that s not planned Thoughts of suicide or death Crying or feeling weepy Feeling worse in the morning Feeling anxious or irritable Physical pain Depression can seem overwhelming. But seeking professional help can be a giant step toward recovery. member information 2 Reclaim Bladder control 4 drug interactions 5

2 Member Information Contact Us We re here to answer questions and provide the information you need. Contact us to check your membership status, check a claim, or ask a question. Contact us by phone or by mail: Phone Call Member Services for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Members TTY: Hours of Service October 1 to February 14: Seven days a week, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. February 15 to September 30: Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mail AmeriHealth VIP Care (HMO SNP) Member Services 200 Stevens Drive Philadelphia, PA Member Rights and Responsibilities We are committed to treating our members with respect and dignity. AmeriHealth VIP Care and its network of doctors and other providers of services do not discriminate against members based on race, gender, religion, national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, or any other basis. More information about member rights and responsibilities can be found in the Evidence of Coverage book you received when you became a member, and anytime at Care Management Welcome to AmeriHealth VIP Care s Care Management. A Care Manager is available to help explain what s going on with your health plan and support you as you try to stay healthy. They help organize, plan, and link you to the health services you need. They check on your treatment and help you transition from hospital to home. They make sure you get to doctor visits and follow doctors orders. Because your Care Manager tracks your care and helps you take charge of your health, the quality of your health care improves. It s another way that AmeriHealth VIP Care is here for you. To speak to your Care Manager, call Resursos en Español Para informacion en español, por favor llame al department de atencione al cliente de AmeriHealth VIP Care (HMO SNP). Resursos en Español? Multi-Language Interpreter Services If English is not your first language, we have free interpreter services to answer any questions you may have about our health or drug plan. To get an interpreter, just call us at Someone who speaks English and your language can help you. This is a free service. Tenemos servicios de intérprete sin costo alguno para responder cualquier pregunta que pueda tener sobre nuestro plan de salud o medicamentos. Para hablar con un intérprete, por favor llame al Alguien que hable español le podrá ayudar. Este es un servicio gratuito. Urgent Care Appointments If you need care when your doctor is not available and it is not an emergency, call the Nurse Call Line at You can also visit an urgent care center if you are hurt or sick and you need care within 24 hours to avoid getting worse but don t need to see a doctor right away. Some examples of when you may need urgent care are: a sprain or strain, diarrhea, throwing up, a cut or scrape, an earache, a sore throat, and a cough or cold. VIP Healthy Views 2 Winter 2014 Member Services TTY

3 Access to Health Care: Our Commitment to You At AmeriHealth VIP Care, we want to make sure you have reasonable access to health care services, providers, and customer service. Your health care providers must give you an appointment within a certain number of days after you call. The table below shows how long it should take to get the care you need. Please call Member Services at (TTY: ) if you cannot get an appointment during these time periods. Type of Visit Emergency care Urgent care appointment Routine care appointment Preventive care appointment How Long it Should Take to Get Care Immediately Within 24 hours Within 10 business days Within three weeks After Hours Calls When you call a doctor after normal business hours, you should have calls answered by an answering machine or answering service within 10 rings. You should be referred to the emergency room as appropriate. Drive Time to Network Providers and Hospitals AmeriHealth VIP Care provides access to providers within short driving distances. Provider or Service Two primary care providers (PCPs) or high-volume specialists Hospital Availability to Members in Urban or Suburban Areas Within 30-minute drive Within 30-minute drive Availability to Members in Rural Areas Within 60-minute drive Within 60-minute drive Customer Service Phones Customer Service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Calls will be answered in less than 30 seconds. You will not be on hold for longer than two minutes. Our Quality Improvement Program The mission of the AmeriHealth Caritas family of companies is to help people get care, stay healthy, and build healthy communities. We have a special concern for individuals and families in financial need. AmeriHealth Caritas has a robust Quality Improvement (QI) Program that looks for ways to: Improve our members health and their families health Improve our services to our members The QI Program: Looks for areas that need to be improved in medical and preventive services Offers disease management and health programs Provides outreach to members and gives health education Performs medical and service area studies when they are needed Monitors the quality of care and services given by AmeriHealth Caritas providers, such as medical, dental, vision care, and pharmacy services Creates programs for members with special health care needs Works with providers to improve our services Surveys members and providers and uses the answers to improve our services Monitors and evaluates itself annually to make sure it is working to improve services If you would like more information about our Quality Improvement Program, call Member Services at (TTY: ). VIP Healthy Views 3 Winter 2014

4 Lose the Stress of Bladder Trouble and Regain Your Life Losing urine when you don t expect to can cause you to feel upset. It can disrupt your life. You may think that leaking urine is embarrassing or that it is a normal part of getting older. But doctors call it urinary incontinence a medical condition. Treatment can almost always help relieve it. How Urine Slips Away Normally your bladder muscles tighten and relax regularly to help you relieve yourself. First they tense up to drive liquid waste into the urethra. Then they loosen to let urine flow out. Small errors in this process cause urine to leak when you don t intend it. Causes of these problems include: Infections Certain medicines Nerve damage A medical problem that makes it difficult for you to reach the toilet in time A blockage to your urethra, caused by urinary stones, tumors, or an enlarged prostate in men No matter what the cause is, incontinence can prevent you from sleeping well. It can also cause rashes and urinary tract infections. It can bring down your mood and keep you from the activities you enjoy. Reclaim Bladder Control Think back over the past six months. If you ve had leakage but haven t talked with your doctor, make an appointment. He or she will ask questions, examine you, and might do some lab tests to find the cause of your troubles. Treatment for incontinence depends on the cause. Sometimes relief comes as easily as changing prescriptions or cutting back on caffeine. Other options include: Exercises to strengthen the muscles around your bladder Losing weight Bladder training, such as timed bathroom breaks Infection and Incontinence: Double the Trouble Devices that use electric or magnetic forces to stimulate nerves Medications Surgery, in severe cases By seeking medical help today, you ll take steps toward losing fear and embarrassment, and finding confidence, control, and happiness. Bladder control problems can be caused by an infection in your urinary tract. On the flip side, incontinence that isn t treated can spread bacteria that start an infection. Stop this cycle before it starts by seeing your doctor at the first sign of a urinary tract infection (UTI). Watch for these symptoms: A strong, frequent urge to urinate Pain and burning when you do go Urine that s cloudy, dark, bloody, or foul-smelling Pain in your back or sides Your doctor will likely test a sample of your urine for infection. If it comes back positive, antibiotics can kill the bacteria and ease the burn. VIP Healthy Views 4 Winter 2014 Member Services TTY

5 Beware of Common Drug Interactions Nearly half of Americans take at least one prescribed drug. Roughly one-third of Americans take two or more. Plus, many people also take overthe-counter (OTC) medicines and herbal products. The result? Possible harmful drug interactions. When you are taking more than one medicine or drug, they sometimes interact with each other. One medicine can change the effects of one or more of the other medicines you take. The next time you reach for a new medicine, ask yourself: Am I taking any medicines that don t mix well with this? To prevent harmful drug interactions, always check with your doctor before starting any new medicine. This includes OTC medicines. Some combinations that may equal trouble: Dangerous combinations Antacids or acid reducers + Asthma drugs Blood thinners Antibiotics Heart medicines Decongestants + Drugs for high blood pressure Antidepressants Blood thinners + Pain relievers Thyroid hormones Why? Antacids or acid reducers, whether prescription or OTC, may prevent many other medicines from working the way they should. Decongestants can boost blood pressure in women taking medicine for high blood pressure. They can also cause high blood pressure if taken with MAO inhibitor antidepressants. Drugs such as warfarin help prevent blood clots in people at risk for stroke and heart attack. Taking them along with certain pain relievers, such as aspirin, acetaminophen, or naproxen, could cause excessive bleeding. Combining blood thinners and thyroid hormones can increase bleeding, too. Tell your doctor which prescription drugs, OTC drugs, herbs, and supplements you take. Also read carefully any information supplied with a prescription or on package labels. Using the same pharmacy for all your prescriptions and OTC medicines can reduce your chances of combining the wrong drugs. Pharmacists keep records that can help them sort out drug interactions. Taking a Beta-Blocker After a Heart Attack If you ve had a heart attack, your doctor may have prescribed a beta-blocker afterward. This type of medication helps reduce your risk of having another heart attack. Beta-blockers may also be used to lower blood pressure. Plus, they may help relieve chest pain or treat abnormal heart rhythms. If your doctor has prescribed a beta-blocker after a heart attack, be sure to take it as directed. Beta-blockers can be lifesavers by helping prevent future heart attacks. But they can also have side effects, including: Trouble sleeping Cold hands and feet Tiredness Depression Asthma Erection problems in men Let your doctor know if any of these side effects occur. But don t stop taking your beta-blocker without discussing it with your doctor first. VIP Healthy Views 5 Winter 2014

6 The Healthiest Fruits and Vegetables Are What is the healthiest vegetable you can think of? Kale? Carrots? Broccoli? In a study in the journal Preventing Chronic Disease, researchers crunched nutrition data to rank the healthiest fruits and vegetables. The winner (spoiler alert): watercress. National nutrition guidelines say that people should eat plenty of powerhouse fruits and vegetables. These are foods that are most likely to reduce your risk for health problems. However, guidelines don t say exactly which ones are best for you. Choose Colorful Produce Don t worry, you don t have to eat a watercress and cabbage salad every day. Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables helps you get all the nutrients you need. Aim to fill half of your plate with colorful fruits and vegetables every meal. And pay special attention to powerhouse fruits and vegetables, which include: Green leafy vegetables Yellow and orange fruits and vegetables Citrus fruits Cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli and cauliflower The Top 10 Most Nutritious Fruits and Veggies To find out, researchers looked at 47 fruits and veggies. They used the percent daily values, amount, and variety of nutrients to calculate the final list. The top 10 foods were all vegetables. Can you unscramble them? 1. sertercsaw 2. nhceesi bgaeabc 3. adchr 4. ebte egrsen 5. hpiansc 6. yoicchr 7. flea telutce 8. sarpyle 9. oirmnea eetltcu 10. dlolrca nserge The top fruits included lemons, limes, strawberries, oranges, and grapefruit. For tips to help you eat more vegetables, visit food-groups/vegetables-tips.html. See page 7 for the puzzle solution. VIP Healthy Views 6 Winter 2014 Member Services TTY

7 Don t Fall Prey to Pneumonia Some catches are good: catch a ride, catch a break, catch a deal. Catching pneumonia isn t one of them. A type of lung infection, pneumonia is caused by germs, such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Get Vaccinated One of the best ways to prevent pneumonia? The pneumonia vaccine. This vaccine is recommended for most people with COPD. It doesn t protect against all types of pneumonia, but if you do catch the disease, the vaccine may make it less severe. One dose will protect you for up to five years. You should also receive a yearly flu vaccine. Many people catch pneumonia after having the flu. Practice Prevention Good hygiene and a healthy lifestyle can also help protect you from pneumonia. Follow these tips: Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after using the restroom. Carry an alcoholbased hand sanitizer for times when water is not available. Stay away from people who are sick. Don t smoke. Smoking makes it harder for your lungs to keep germs out. Talk with your doctor if you need help quitting. Know the Symptoms The symptoms of pneumonia include: Fever Cough Chills Chest pain Shortness of breath Feeling worse after having a cold or the flu If you notice any of these symptoms or just don t feel well, see your doctor right away. How to File a Grievance It is important to us that you are healthy and happy. We will work with you to try to find a way to fix your problem. If you are not happy with the way your problem was fixed, there are steps you can take. You are a member of our plan, and you have rights. We pledge to honor your rights and to take your problems and concerns seriously. We pledge to treat you with fairness and respect. A grievance is a complaint. We can help you file a grievance. Please call Member Services at for more information, or follow the directions in your Member Handbook. You can find the handbook at 1. Watercress 2. chinese cabbage 3. Chard 4. beet greens 5. Spinach 6. Chicory 7. leaf lettuce 8. Parsley 9. romaine lettuce 10. collard greens Puzzle solution: VIP Healthy Views 7 Winter 2014

8 200 Stevens Drive Philadelphia, PA FIRST-CLASS MAIL US POSTAGE PAID LONG PRAIRIE MN PERMIT NO MA Quick Beef Casserole Tired? Busy? You don t need hours to make healthy dishes. Try this one-skillet wonder. Ingredients ½ lb. lean ground beef 1 cup chopped onion 1 cup chopped celery 1 cup cubed green pepper 3 ½ cups diced tomatoes ¼ tsp. salt ½ tsp. black pepper ¼ tsp. paprika 1 cup frozen peas 2 small carrots, diced 1 cup uncooked rice 1 ½ cups water Friendly reminder! Directions 1. In skillet, brown ground beef and drain off fat. 2. Add rest of ingredients. Mix well. 3. Cover and cook over medium heat until boiling. Reduce to low heat and simmer for 35 minutes. 4. Serve hot. Yield: 8 servings; cups per serving. Per serving: Calories 201, Total fat 5 g, Saturated fat 2 g, Sodium 164 mg, Carbohydrates 31 g, Total fiber 3 g, Protein 9 g. In your Member Welcome Packet, you got a health risk assessment (Hra) and a return envelope. The Hra gives AmeriHealth VIP Care an idea of care needs you may have. Please take the time to complete and return your Hra. We want to make sure we help you get the care you need. If you have any questions about the Hra, please call Member Services at (TTY/TDD: ). Protect Yourself Against Fraud! Medicare fraud happens when someone tries to collect Medicare health care money by lying. For example, it is fraud when Medicare is billed for services or supplies you never got. Medicare fraud costs millions of dollars each year. It causes higher health care costs for everyone. You can protect yourself against these scams by taking simple steps. Check your mail! Read all papers you get from your plan. Make sure that services that are billed are for services you got. Protect your personal information! Do not give out personal information to anyone but your health care providers and your plan. Be sure you know who you are talking to before giving any personal information. Report fraud! If you think you or someone you know has been a victim of Medicare fraud, you can report your concerns in private to our hotline at We will look into your claim and report any fraud that we find.