HIP. Health. 6 important tests for DIABETES. FREE Healthy Cooking Recipe Inside! See back cover for details! (HMO)

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1 Enjoy Life! 6 important tests for DIABETES HIP Health VIVA MEDICARE PLUS IS COMMITTED TO TRACKING QUALITY HEALTH CARE FOR OUR VETERAN MEMBERS. See back cover for details! The benefit information provided is a brief summary, not a complete description of benefits. For more information, contact the plan. Limitations, copayments, and restrictions may apply. Benefits, provider network, premium, and co-payments may change on January 1 of each year. FREE Healthy Cooking Recipe Inside! Summer 2013 H0154_mcdoc1258A CMS Accepted 07/17/2013

2 Letter from Dr. Tara Bryant, Medical Director Vulcan, a 50-ton cast iron statue in Birmingham, recently underwent his annual inspection. Workers performed an all-inclusive check on the 109-year old, 56-foot-tall iron man to check for rust, moisture, and loose bolts. If you haven t already received this year s physical exam, you should follow Vulcan s lead. Remember the old adage, An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure? Physical exams and screenings can spot potential disease before there s a serious problem. The quicker the problem is identified, the sooner you can begin treatment that could save your life. Below are some of the annual screenings recommended by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): WOMEN AND MEN Cholesterol Colorectal cancer Diabetes High Blood Pressure HIV/AIDS WOMEN Breast and cervical cancer* Your age, health and family history, lifestyle choices (like what you eat, how often you exercise, if you smoke or drink, etc.), and other essential factors determine which screenings you need. Talk to your Primary Care Physician to schedule your annual physical exam at no charge to you. *Breast and cervical cancer screenings are only performed annually on women who are high risk. Please see your plan s Evidence of Coverage for more information. Sincerely, Tara M. Bryant, M.D., B.S.N. MEN Depression Routine eye exam (glaucoma screening should be added if you have diabetes, a family history of glaucoma, are African-American and 50 or older, or are Hispanic and 65 or older). Prostate cancer The Difference between Urgent Care and Emergency Care Q It s 5:30 p.m. and you ve just cut your index finger trying to slice tomatoes for your dinner salad. Your cut doesn t look that bad, but you know you need more than a Band-Aid. How do you know if you should go to an Urgent Care Center or the nearest emergency room(er)? Ask yourself if your injury or medical condition is life- or limb-threatening. If it is, you should call as soon as possible. THE ER CAN BEST TREAT: Shortness of breath Severe wounds and amputations Vomiting or coughing up blood Chest pain and other signs of a heart attack Sudden numbness in the arms and/or legs and other signs of stroke Poisoning Other life or limb-threatening conditions when every minute counts If your after-hours injury or medical condition is minor, then you would probably be best served in an Urgent Care Center. Usually, your wait time is shorter, and the money you and Viva would spend is far less at an Urgent Care Center than at an ER, so please save the emergency room for emergencies. Some participating Urgent Care Centers include American Family Care (all locations), St. Vincent s Med Help, and PriMed (all locations). Please see your Provider Directory for a complete list of participating Urgent Care Centers in your area. You can also contact Member Services for more information and to find an Urgent Care Center near you. It s important to be screened for Glaucoma The glaucoma screening is painless. The doctor checks for changes in the optic nerve (the part of the eye that takes visual information from the eye to the brain), changes in fluid pressure, and changes in your vision. Please talk to your doctor about scheduling your glaucoma screening if you haven t had one this year. For people who are at high risk of glaucoma, such as people with a family history of glaucoma, people with diabetes, African-Americans who are age 50 or older, and Hispanic members age 65 or older, Viva Medicare Plus will cover one glaucoma screening per year at no cost to you. Sources: Glaucoma Research Foundation, U.S. Preventive Services Task Force No one knows why glaucoma develops. For most people, they are unaware they have glaucoma because it doesn t cause pain. Glaucoma can lead to serious vision problems, including blindness. It s importantto be screened for glaucoma.

3 Hip Health Debra is 72 years old and lives with her husband, Gene. One night as she was getting out of the tub, her leg slipped from under her and she landed on her right hip. Debra was in intense pain and not able to get up, so she called for Gene. He called an ambulance who took her to the emergency room (ER). The ER doctor ordered an X-ray of her right hip. Unfortunately, the X-ray revealed a fracture. How can you help avoid a hip fracture? 1. Exercise regularly to strengthen your legs and improve balance 2. Ask your doctor to look over your medication to point out those that may make you dizzy or drowsy 3. Make sure to have your eyes checked each year 4. Be screened for osteoporosis. One bone mass measurement every 24 months is covered in full for Viva Medicare Plus members who meet certain conditions. 5. Take a good look around your home to make sure there are no tripping hazards, such as a loose rug or chipped tiles 6. Consider installing grab bars in your shower 7. If you do have a fracture be sure to talk to your doctor about having a bone density test performed and/or getting on an osteoporosis medication DID YOU KNOW Most hip fractures happen to people who are older than 65. Older adults are more prone to hip fractures because bones become weaker with age. (This weakening is called osteoporosis.) Medication and eye and balance problems can make older adults more likely to trip and fall Falling is the most common reason for hip fractures Surgery and prolonged rehabilitation follow a hip fracture, in most cases One out of five hip fracture patients die within a year of the injury White women are more likely to have hip fractures than African- American or Asian women Viva Medicare Plus members get a 20% discount on the Phillips Lifeline Alert Service. 1 They provide a device you wear around your neck or your wrist. If you fall, push the help button and you ll be connected to a Phillips Lifeline Response Associate. There is also a device with an auto-alert option that will call for help when you are unable to push the button. Call Phillips Lifeline at (ext. 4535) and tell them you are a Viva Medicare Plus member. Phillips Lifeline is available Monday Friday from 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Time. 1 The products and services described are neither offered nor guaranteed under our contract with the Medicare program. In addition, they are not subject to the Medicare Appeals process. Any disputes regarding these products and services may be subject to the Viva Medicare Plus grievance process. Depression & Suicide Ask yourself if you are feeling: nervous empty worthless that you don t enjoy the things you used to do restless irritable unloved that life isn t worth living or if you are: sleeping more or less than usual eating more or less than usual Suicide now KILLS more Americans than car accidents. 1 In 2010, less than 34,000 people died in car accidents, while more than 38,000 people took their own lives that same year. Untreated depression is the number one cause of suicide, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Would you know if you were depressed? The National Institute of Mental Health has created a quick quiz that could help you determine if you should speak to a doctor who treats depression. Check the ones that apply to you. If any of the symptoms listed to the left apply to you, you may be experiencing depression. Depression is a treatable condition. Depression is not a normal part of aging. It s vital that you talk to your doctor if you are having any depression symptoms. Call your Primary Care Physician today to discuss these feelings. Feel free to show your PCP the results of this quiz. Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Journal of Geriatrics Society 1 Study published in the American Journal of Public Health Sources: National Institute of Mental Health

4 BLADDER TROUBLE Joyce, a 70-year-old mother of three, recently visited her doctor because of what she calls bladder trouble. A problem with bladder control is also referred to as incontinence. Joyce has cut down on doing things she likes to do because she has wet herself in public several times. She also leaks urine on her way to the bathroom and even when she coughs or laughs. Joyce started wearing pads, but she wants to find a fix for her problem. It took a while for Joyce to call the doctor because she felt ashamed. Dr. Smith, Joyce s Primary Care Physician, told her there was no need to be embarrassed. Lots of people, women and men, have bladder control problems. Dr. Smith told Joyce there are several reasons for bladder control problems, and they will work together to find out what s causing her condition. He also talked about what they can do to help take care of it. Some Reasons for Bladder Control Problems Weak pelvic muscles Nerve damage Back problems, such as a herniated disc Some medicines, alcohol, and caffeine (coffee, tea, etc.) Urinary tract infection Certain health conditions such as diabetes, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) Being overweight Are you having bladder control problems? Make some time with your PCP. With your help, your PCP will come up with a treatment plan that could take care of the problem. HEALTHY cooking Ingredients 1-1/4 pounds extra-lean ground turkey 1 package (16 ounces) frozen stir-fry vegetable blend, thawed 1/3 cup reduced-sodium teriyaki sauce 1/4 cup hoisin sauce 3 tablespoons reduced-fat creamy peanut butter 2 tablespoons minced fresh gingerroot 3 garlic cloves, minced 4 green onions, chopped 10 Boston lettuce leaves Additional hoisin sauce, optional ASIAN TURKEY LETTUCE WRAPS Directions 1. In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, cook turkey over medium heat until no longer pink. 2. Coarsely chop stir-fry vegetables; add to the pan. Stir in the teriyaki sauce, hoisin sauce, peanut butter, and ginger. Stir-fry over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. 3. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. 4. Remove from the heat; stir in green onions. Place a scant 1/2 cup turkey mixture on each lettuce leaf; fold lettuce over filling. 5. Serve with additional hoisin sauce and cooked white rice if desired. Yield: 5 servings. MEDICATION NON-ADHERENCE BY THE NUMBERS Doctors prescribe medication as part of a treatment plan because they believe the medicine can help alleviate or manage a particular condition. However, medication non-adherence (not filling or taking a prescription according to the doctor s orders) in the U.S. is above 50%. Not taking your medication as prescribed can lead to prolonged illness, additional doctor visits, unnecessary hospital admissions and untimely death. Some facts about medication non-adherence: 90 MILLION U.S. PATIENTS do not understand their condition or prescribed treatment 125,000 DEATHS PER YEAR ARE caused by medication non-adherence MEDICATION NON-ADHERENCE COSTS AN ADDITIONAL $2,000 per person to the US Healthcare System REASONS FOR NOT TAKING A PRESCRIPTION 39% 20% 16% 15% 10% missed dose(s)»» were late getting their prescription renewed were because of high costs had unanswered clinical questions were late getting their prescriptions refilled OTHER ALARMING NUMBERS 28% of first-time prescriptions are never filled 24% of total prescriptions are never filled 31% of prescriptions for chronic conditions (for example, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, etc.) are never filled 20% of hospital and long-term care facility admissions are due to medication non-adherence 25% of heart attack survivors do not refill preventive medications There is an 80% chance of heart attack survivors having another heart attack Sources: Journal of General Internal Medicine, CoCentrix Are you on a drug that requires a prior authorization? Do you know when that prior authorization approval expires? We often get calls from members who are at the pharmacy. They are unable to get their refill because the prior authorization has expired. Don t let this happen to you. Look at the letter you got when your prior authorization was approved. It will tell you when it expires. Or, you can call our Member Services department. They can tell you when your approval ends. Drugs that have a prior authorization require approval by Viva Medicare Plus before they will be covered by the plan. This process is in place to help ensure the drug is medically appropriate, the most cost-effective drug to treat your condition, the proper dosage, prescription administration, and duration of drugs that could put you in high risk.

5 6 IMPORTANT TESTS FOR DIABETICS If left unchecked, diabetes can cause havoc with your body. Diabetes can attack your circulatory system, including your heart kidneys eyes nervous system These six tests can help you and your doctor catch problems early: A1C TEST DILATED EYE EXAM FOOT EXAM KIDNEY FUNCTION TESTS BLOOD PRESSURE CHECK CHOLESTEROL SCREENING This test can tell you and your doctor how well your diabetes is being managed over a period of time. Also called HbA1c, this test measures your blood sugar from the previous three months to see if it has stayed within your target range. Doctors usually recommend you be tested every 3 to 6 months, but check with your Primary Care Physician to see how often he/she wants you to be tested. People with diabetes should have a dilated eye exam. The test is quite simple: the doctor just widens your eyes with drops to check for diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy can lead to vision problems, including blindness. Diabetes can cause decreased circulation, nerve damage, and numbness. It s hard to notice if you ve hurt your foot if you cannot feel pain. Remove your socks and shoes at each doctor s visit to remind your doctor to check for infection and/ or sores. Your doctor should do a more detailed foot exam once or twice a year. Talk to your doctor about the frequency of the detailed foot exam. You should also check your feet for any cracks, sores, blisters, etc. between doctor visits. You need to speak to your doctor right away about any problems you see. Urine and blood tests are used to make sure your kidneys are working properly. DIABETES is the inability of your body to change carbohydrates (sweet and starchy foods) into energy. This results in your body producing inadequate levels of insulin. Your blood pressure should be checked at each doctor s visit. Feel free to remind your doctor if your blood pressure is not checked. Your doctor should check your good (HDL) and not-so-good (LDL) cholesterol at least once a year. Sources: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention What is that Ringing in my ears? Most people experience occasional ringing or buzzing, but many people have constant noises in their ears. This is called tinnitus. Tinnitus is described as, hearing ringing, buzzing, or other sounds without an external cause. Tinnitus can be caused by the following conditions: Hearing Loss Depression Exposure to Loud Noise Jaw Problems Impacted Ear Wax and that s just to name a few! It can also be caused by certain prescription medications or interactions between medications. While some people are not bothered by tinnitus, others feel their quality of life suffers. They may have difficulty sleeping, concentrating, or become irritable or depressed. If you think you may suffer from tinnitus, have a hearing evaluation to see where you stand. The results will help guide your doctor in the right direction. They may then make a recommendation to change a current medication, use a white noise machine, wear a hearing aid, or treat a medical condition causing the tinnitus. Viva Medicare Plus has partnered with Hearing Care Solutions to offer our members additional hearing benefits. These benefits are included on all Viva Medicare Plus plans. An overview of what our members receive through Hearing Care Solutions is listed below. HCS PROGRAM FOR Complete hearing exam at no charge 30 day evaluation period Hearing aids at three technology levels: Premium, Advanced, & Value Hormonal Fluctuations Otosclerosis (abnormal growth of the middle ear bone) Head or Neck Injuries High Blood Pressure No-interest financing available for twelve months, qualified applicants Prices fixed from $825 to $1,675 In-office servicing at no charge for one year after purchase Two year supply of batteries (up to 128 cells) Doctor of Audiology on staff to respond to member questions Three year warranty, covering loss and damage 1 The products and services described are neither offered nor guaranteed under our contract with the Medicare program. In addition, they are not subject to the Medicare Appeals process. Any disputes regarding these products and services may be subject to the Viva Medicare Plus grievance process. Arterial Flow Problems Meniere s Disease Brain Tumors Stress MEMBERS Call to schedule an appointment:

6 Remember Most people who qualify for extra help with Medicare s Part D prescription drugs can get three months of many long-term (or maintenance) prescription drugs for the price of only one month. Your extra help allows you to pay the same copay for a one- or three-month supply. To pay just one copay for a three-month supply, follow these 3 simple steps: 1. Ask your doctor to write your prescription for 90 days. This is for each long-term drug you use 2. Tell your pharmacist you want a 90-day fill 3. Show your Viva Medicare Plus card at the pharmacy Feel free to take this article to your next doctor s appointment as a reminder. Most, but not all pharmacies, can provide a 90-day fill. Please check with your pharmacy. THE DIFFERENCE between short-term & long-term medications 1 2 Short-term or acute medications are meant to be taken for a short period of time. Antibiotics are examples of short-term medications. Long-term or maintenance prescription drugs are meant to help manage chronic conditions like diabetes, congestive heart failure (CHF), and high blood pressure. KEEPING MEDICAID If you have Medicaid, your Medicaid office will send you forms once a year to update your information. These are to make sure you still have Medicaid. You must return the completed forms to Medicaid by the time stated on the forms. If you don t, you could lose your Medicaid. Medicaid can help you if you have questions. Find your county in the chart below to see which district Medicaid office you should contact. MEDICAID DISTRICT OFFICES ADDRESS TELEPHONE NUMBER COUNTIES SERVED Birmingham District Office 468 Palisades Blvd. Birmingham, AL Decatur District Office 2119 Westmeade Dr. SW., Suite 1 Decatur, AL Gadsden District Office West Meighan Blvd., Suite D Gadsden, AL Montgomery District Office 501 Dexter Avenue Montgomery, AL (P.O. Box 5624, ) Selma District Office 106 Executive Park Lane Selma, AL Jefferson St. Clair Cullman Blount Calhoun Cherokee Dekalb Etowah Autauga Crenshaw Elmore Montgomery Pike Chilton Lowndes Auburn-Opelika District Office 2015 Gateway Drive Opelika, AL Tuscaloosa District Office nd Avenue Tuscaloosa, AL Mobile District Office 2800 Dauphin Street Suite 105 Mobile, AL Bullock Macon Shelby Walker Baldwin Mobile Extra Value (HMO SNP) H0154_mcdoc1258A CMS Accepted MM/DD/YYYY

7 NEWS You Have Free Transportation GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR Need a ride to and from your doctor s office or pharmacy? Your Medicare plan, Viva Medicare Plus Rx Extra Value (HMO SNP), is a Special Needs Plan (SNP). There are different types of Special Needs Plans but this one is made just for people who have both Medicare and Medicaid. Call Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to schedule a pick-up time. TTY users should call 711. All trips must be scheduled no later than 3 p.m. the day before you need the ride. Saturday, Sunday and Monday trips must be scheduled no later than 2 p.m. on the Friday prior to the trip. You are covered for 10 round trips or 20 one-way rides to a contracted provider to receive non-emergency medical or dental services. Other restrictions apply. Remember: Rides are limited to local health care providers within 75 miles of your home (mileage for one-way trips over 75 miles or rides you ask for after your 10 round-trip rides are used must be paid for by you. Call EMT for rates.) When you call to schedule your ride, make sure to let the EMT Customer Service Representative know: o if you need a special type of vehicle, such as a wheelchair van o if someone will be riding with you (you can only bring one adult with you) Always allow plenty of time for your trips. EMT will try to arrive at your home within 30 minutes of your scheduled pick-up time so that you can be on time for your appointment. Call EMT as soon as you are done with your medical care. You should be picked up within 60 minutes unless traffic or other problems cause a delay. Be sure to stay at your pick-up location so EMT can find you and you don t miss your ride. If your pharmacy is on the way to your home, EMT will allow a stop to drop off or pick up prescriptions. However, EMT can t wait for the prescriptions to be filled. If EMT leaves you at the pharmacy and goes back to pick you up, you will be charged for an additional one-way trip. Other stops along the way are not allowed. If you need to cancel your ride, you must call EMT at least two hours before your pickup time or the ride will be considered used. Extra Value (HMO SNP) TEAM As a member of this plan you get more benefits and services than you would from just Medicare and Medicaid alone. One of these extra services is access to our program called VCare. VCare is designed to help our members like you stay healthy. The VCare team includes Nurses and Social Workers. Their goal is to you help you understand your health issues and medications. They help your doctor make sure you know what is going on with your body. Certain VCare nurses, (nurse practitioners) can even refill some of your prescriptions, with approval from your doctor, and call in new doctor-approved medications for you. It is our goal to provide you with quality care. We will let your doctor know when we visit you. We will also let them know if we find any new health issues. WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT VCARE? Please call us toll-free at or MYV-CARE.

8 Member Meetings Near You New to Viva Medicare Plus? Do you have questions about your plan? Are you eager to learn more about your benefits and how you can get the most value from them? Well, you re in luck! We re introducing a great new way to become your own coverage expert, all in a group setting at your local Viva Medicare Café. Starting in August, we ll be hosting member orientation meetings every second Wednesday of the month. ANY current member is welcome to attend these meetings, regardless of whether you ve recently signed up on one of our plans or have been with us for years. You never know when you can learn something new! Every meeting is at 10AM for members of the Rx, Premier, and Select plans and at 2 PM for members of the Extra Value plan. Not sure what plan you re on? Call or stop by your local Viva Medicare Café. One of our representatives there will be happy to help you. Contact information is listed below. Ready to attend? Call your local Viva Medicare Café at the number listed below and let a representative there know the date and time you ll be attending. You don t have to RSVP in order to attend, but it does ensure that there will be a spot reserved for you. We hope to see you there! Birmingham Café 1550-K Montgomery Highway Hoover, Alabama (205) vivamedicarecafes.com/ birmingham COMING SOON THE DATES AND TIMES FOR THE FIRST TWO MEETINGS ARE: MEETING LOCATIONS August 14th September 11th Montgomery Café 2107-B Eastern Boulevard Montgomery, Alabama (334) vivamedicarecafes.com/ montgomery Mobile Café 907 Hillcrest Road, Suite G Mobile, Alabama (251) vivamedicarecafes.com/mobile In September you will receive a packet from us with your 2014 benefits. We understand this packet can be confusing. We will be holding meetings throughout the state in October to discuss the new benefits with you. Please keep an eye out for dates and times of meetings in your area in our next newsletter. SUDOKU How to play: Each row as well as each block must contain all of the numbers 1 through 9, and no two numbers in the same row can be the same. Level: easy Questions? n Level Medium Call Viva Medicare Plus Member Services at ; TTY users call the Alabama Relay Service at AM-8 PM Monday-Friday. Visit our website at Level: hard n Level Easy Help us better serve you, VETERANS Are you a United States Veteran who receives care from a VA medical facility? If so, please fill out the card below or call Member Services and ask to speak to the Quality Improvement Department. It is our mission to continually improve the quality of care our Veteran members receive. We will work with the VA to be sure you get the care you need. Veterans, return this postage-paid card to help us track the quality of care you receive. I am a United States Veteran who receives care from a VA medical facility. (Please print, and fill out before mailing) Name (please print) Address City, State, Zip Phone H0154_mcdoc1258A CMS Accepted 07/17/2013

9 417 20th Street North Suite 1100 Birmingham, Alabama PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID BIRMINGHAM, AL PERMIT NO Viva Health is an HMO plan with a Medicare contract and a contract with the Alabama Medicaid program. H0154_mcdoc1258A CMS Accepted 07/17/2013 VIVA MEDICARE TH STREET NORTH STE 1100 BIRMINGHAM AL POSTAGE WILL BE PAID BY ADDRESSEE BUSINESS REPLY MAIL FIRST-CLASS MAIL PERMIT NO. 309 BIRMINGHAM AL NO POSTAGE NECESSARY IF MAILED IN THE UNITED STATES Are you a United States Veteran who receives care from a VA medical facility? If so, please see the reverse page for information on how we can help improve the quality of health care you receive. SHOP Toll-Free: TTY users: Alabama Relay Service at 711 Hours: Mon - Fri, 8am - 8pm From Oct 1 - Feb 14, Mon - Sun, 8am - 8pm Visit us online at Go to a Viva Medicare Café: Birmingham Café: Mobile Café: Montgomery Café: