CONNECTIONS CARE. Control Autumn Asthma Triggers. Communicating With Your Doctors for Better Coordination of Care MEDICARE 2016 ISSUE III

Transcription

1 MEDICARE 2016 ISSUE III CARE CONNECTIONS Communicating With Your Doctors for Better Coordination of Care Sooner or later, everyone sees more than one doctor. All of your doctors should have the information they need to coordinate your care, so that your doctors or hospitals can work together to give you the right care. It s important to plan ahead. Are you going to a new doctor? Your regular doctor should talk with the new doctor to explain why you need the added care. Are you going home from the hospital? A plan should be in place for your care at home. Here are some steps you can take to help coordinate your care: Carry with you important information about your condition, doctor and pharmacy. Bring a list of your medications to your appointment with your new doctor or hospital. Do you have a family member or friend who helps take care of you? Bring him or her with you to your appointment. Write a list of questions before your appointment or hospital stay. Ask about anything you do not understand. When you leave the hospital, make an appointment with your doctor within seven days. Bring your hospital discharge plan to your appointment. Control Autumn Asthma Triggers If you have asthma, be aware of these fall asthma triggers: Ragweed pollen. This allergen is especially thick between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Keep windows closed and limit outside activity during this time of day. Cooler days. When outside in cold weather, wear a scarf that covers your mouth and nose. Mold. Decaying leaves are a prime spot for mold to grow. Wear a mask while raking leaves, or have someone else do the raking. Viruses. Colds and the flu can trigger asthma, so get a flu shot and avoid people who are sick. Source: Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Asthma: What Causes or Triggers Asthma? org/page/asthma-triggerscauses.aspx Source: Center for Advancing Health. The Handoff: Your Roadmap to a New Doctor s Care. Y0070_NA034702_WCM_NEW_ENG CMS Accepted WellCare 2016 NA_06_16

2 Is It Memory Loss or Alzheimer s Disease? Lapses in memory, such as losing your keys or forgetting someone s name, can be disturbing. But does it signal a real problem? A primary distinction in memory loss with Alzheimer s disease is that it affects how you function on a dayto-day basis. Examples of memory loss in people with Alzheimer s include asking the same question over and over again or continually forgetting information soon after they ve learned it. There are other symptoms to watch for too. Some include: Difficulty following instructions or solving problems. Alzheimer s disease can make it difficult to solve problems or follow a plan. For example, people with Alzheimer s may have ongoing difficulty handling money, paying the bills or following a familiar recipe. Changes in personality. Everyone gets in a bad mood sometimes, but it is common for people with Alzheimer s disease to experience changes in overall personality. Some people with the disease become more aggressive, tense, fearful or confused. Problems completing familiar tasks. People with Alzheimer s may have trouble completing simple tasks that were once easy, such as grocery shopping or cooking. If you recognize any of these symptoms, talk to your doctor. Admitting that you or a loved one might have signs of dementia can be difficult and even a little scary. But getting help can help you better manage the disease and live your best life possible. Source: Alzheimer s Association. 10 Early Signs and Symptoms of Alzheimer s. disease_10_signs_of_alzheimers.asp CommUnity Assistance Line CAL NUMBER VIDEO RELAY We offer non-benefit resources such as help with food, rent and utilities. 2 Care Connections

3 Train Your Brain When it comes to brain fitness, let use it or lose it be your motto. Numerous studies show that intellectual stimulation helps keep your brain sharp. It s also associated with a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer s disease later in life. Many people associate mental exercise with solving crosswords or playing chess. But if those activities don t appeal to you, that s OK. There are other ways to flex your mental muscle. Playing cards, making music or discussing the evening news with friends can help, too. Even spending time searching the internet can help. One recent study looked at the brains of people age 55 and older while they searched the Web. Brain scans were done using a type of MRI that shows which parts of the brain are currently active. In people with prior Web experience, the brain scans showed that searching online used different brain circuits than simply reading did. Searching the Web may have changed brain circuits involved in decision making and complex reasoning. That makes sense when you consider how many decisions you make each time you search the Web. These people s brains had learned how to tackle Web search tasks more efficiently. Source: National Institutes of Health. NIH Stateof-the-Science Conference Statement: Preventing Alzheimer s Disease and Cognitive Decline. consensus.nih.gov/2010/docs/alz/alz_stmt.pdf Can You Solve This Sudoku Puzzle? Using the partially completed puzzle, fill the 6x6 grid so that each column, each row and each of the six 2x3 boxes contains the numbers 1 through 6, one time each. Solution is on page Care Connections 3

4 Get In On the Golden Age of Exercise Being active later in life is one of the most important things you can do for your health. Among its many bonuses, exercise helps reduce the risk for heart disease and stroke, type 2 diabetes, and breast and colon cancers. Exercise also strengthens your muscles and bones, so you re able to keep doing the things you love. Unless you have limiting health conditions, it s recommended that you get 150 minutes of moderatelyintense physical activity each week, such as brisk walking. You should also do muscle-strengthening activities at least twice a week that work all major muscle groups, including legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms. To experience exercise s antiaging advantages, take these action steps: 1. Start slowly. If you re new to exercise, get your doctor s OK and start by walking for five minutes each day, working up to 30 minutes on all or most days of the week. While you re at it, try a strength-training class or exercises at home modified for your fitness level. 2. Work around health issues. If you develop a condition that makes your fitness favorites challenging, such as osteoarthritis, do what you can. Try joint-friendly activities, such as bicycling or swimming. To strengthen your skeleton, do weight-bearing exercises, too, such as walking or jogging, if possible, for a well-rounded workout. 3. Push yourself. Gradually increase the intensity, duration and frequency of your exercise sessions. But ease up or rest if you experience any new discomfort. Make sure to check in with your doctor before starting a new program. Source: Centers for Disease Control. How Much Physical Activity Do Older Adults Need? www. cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/guidelines/ olderadults.html Always Talk With Your Doctor Always talk with your doctor(s) about the care that is right for you. This material does not replace your doctor s advice. It is based on third party sources. We are presenting it for your information only. Also, WellCare does not guarantee any health results. You should review your plan or call Member Services to find out if a service is covered. Call 911 or your doctor right away in a health emergency. 4 Care Connections

5 Take Steps to Avoid Falls For older people, especially, accidental falls can lead to serious injury, disability and even death. There are things you can do to reduce your risk of falling. Discuss the risk of falling with your doctor. He or she may want to perform tests to evaluate your risk and may recommend prevention measures. Here are some other things you can do to avoid a fall: Get your doctor s permission to begin a regular exercise program. Exercises that improve balance and coordination, such as tai chi, are very helpful. Have your vision checked by an eye doctor at least once a year. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to review all of your medicines, which may be causing dizziness or confusion. Make your home safer. For example, clear the floor of clutter, improve the lighting around stairs and other hazardous spots, and install grab bars in the bathroom. Always wear supportive, low-heeled shoes. Source: Centers for Disease Control. What You Can Do to Prevent Falls. Click or Call for the Latest Drug Coverage Updates Want to find the latest information about the drugs we cover? Visit our website to find your most up-to-date formulary. There, you can also: Learn about medications we ve recently added; and Find changes to drug requirements or coverage limits to drugs. Please notice that many of the brand name medications have recently been replaced on the formulary with their generic versions. To find your plan-specific formulary on the website, go to and click on Where are you looking for a plan? and select your state. On the next page, select your plan type (for example, Medicare ), enter your zip code and click search. After clicking Go to my plan details next to your plan name, select Drug List under the "Pharmacy dropdown menu. You can also call us at the number on the back of your member ID card. Refer a Friend If we ve helped you, then you may know other Medicare-eligible people who could benefit from our services. If so, ask them to give us a call at (TTY ) Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. to discuss what they need in a health plan. Care Connections 5

6 Managing Your Diabetes Do you have diabetes? If so, visit the doctor regularly to check: A1C at least twice a year; Blood pressure at every doctor visit; Cholesterol at least once a year; and Eye health with a full diabetic eye exam every year. WellCare provides a FREE Diabetes Management Program. Find out more or sign up by calling (TTY ). What Is Prediabetes? Prediabetes is high blood sugar. It s not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. But it s still a serious condition. Many diagnosed with diabetes probably had prediabetes first. Lessen your risk by: Getting active: Walking 30 minutes a day is a good start. Eating well: Ask your doctor for guidance on a healthy meal plan. Sources: 1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Managing Diabetes. managing/index.html 2. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Diabetes. nih.gov/health-information/health-topics/ diabetes/pages/default.aspx Sudoku Solution Care Connections

7 Some Key Facts About Prostate Cancer Prostate cancer is the most common cancer (other than skin cancer) among American men. About one out of every seven men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point. Here are some key facts every man should know. The risk of having prostate cancer rises rapidly after age 50. Age is the strongest risk factor for this cancer. Not every man needs to be tested for prostate cancer, however. The PSA blood test can often find prostate cancer early, before symptoms arise. But it s not infallible. Talk with your doctor and make an informed choice about whether PSA testing is right for you. Sometimes the doctor will do a rectal exam as well. If a PSA test or rectal exam suggests you might have prostate cancer, you may need further testing to find out for sure. Symptoms that may signal prostate problems shouldn t be ignored. Many men with prostate cancer don t experience any symptoms, which is why it s crucial to discuss screening with your doctor. However, others have symptoms such as: Pain when urinating Slow or weak urine stream More frequent urination, especially at night Blood in the urine or semen Trouble getting an erection If you develop any of these symptoms, see your doctor. Often, they re caused by conditions other than cancer, but it s important to get them checked out. Source: American Cancer Society. Prostate Cancer. webcontent/ pdf.pdf Visit Our Website to Stay Informed! Did you know you can find a wealth of information about our plans and benefits at You can download an updated copy of your Evidence of Coverage (EOC), which details what s covered in your plan, find guidelines for getting care, see the rights and responsibilities for members, and more. You can also find information on: Behavioral health guidelines Preventive health guidelines Medical record documentation Notice of Privacy Practices Utilization management guidelines Criteria and review availability Quality Improvement (QI) program evaluation Care Connections 7

8 P.O. Box Tampa, FL PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID WELLCARE HEALTH PLANS Health and wellness or prevention information. WellCare (HMO) is a Medicare Advantage organization with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in WellCare (HMO) depends on contract renewal. This information is not a complete description of benefits. Contact the plan for more information. Limitations, co-payments and restrictions may apply. Benefits, premiums and/or co-payments/coinsurance may change on January 1 of each year. The formulary, pharmacy network, and/or provider network may change at any time. You will receive notice when necessary. WellCare uses a formulary. TennCare Notice: TennCare is not responsible for payment for these benefits, except for appropriate cost sharing amounts. TennCare is not responsible for guaranteeing the availability or quality of these benefits This information is available for free in other languages. Please call our Customer Service number at , Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Between October 1 and February 14, representatives are available Monday-Sunday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. TTY users should call Esta información está disponible gratis en otros idiomas. Por favor llame a nuestro número de Servicio al Cliente al , de lunes a viernes, de 8 a.m. a 8 p.m. Entre el 1 de octubre y el 14 de febrero, los representantes están disponibles de lunes a domingo, de 8 a.m. a 8 p.m. Los usuarios de TTY deben llamar al In This Issue Welcome to the third issue of Care Connections in In this edition, you can explore the difference between simple memory loss and Alzheimer s, and get some tips on keeping your brain sharp. You ll also find advice on managing your diabetes, learn the symptoms of prostate cancer, and discover some steps for avoiding falls. Please explore what s inside. As always, we wish you good health MA