Tips for Managing Holiday Stress

Transcription

1 south carolina 2015 ISSUE IV Tips for Managing Holiday Stress The holidays can be a wonderful time. But sometimes the season can be overwhelming, too. That s when stress appears. Stress can take a toll on your health. It is common during the holidays. However, you can take control. Below are some tips. They can help you handle stress during the holidays and all year long. Keep a regular sleep, meal and exercise schedule. This will help you deal with stressful situations. Don t take on too many responsibilities. It s OK to say no. This will free up time for things you want to do. Set aside family differences. Try to accept family members and friends as they are, even if they don t live up to all of your expectations. Create a holiday spending budget and stick to it. Lack of money is one of the biggest causes of stress. Show your love by giving personal gifts that don t have to cost a lot of money. Make time to relax. Spend 15 minutes alone, without distractions. Try taking a walk, listening to soothing music or reading a book. Be on the Lookout! Our pharmacy processing information is changing for Look for your new ID card. Remember to present it at the pharmacy when you pick up your medications starting on Jan. 1, Sources: WebMD, Quick Tips: Reducing Holiday Stress Guide, retrieved from balance/stress-management/tc/quick-tips-reducing-holiday-stress-get-started?page=2 Mayo Clinic, Stress, depression and the holidays: Tips for coping, retrieved from

2 Tips to Help You Stay at a Healthy Weight Did you know that South Carolina s adult obesity rate is 31.7%, making it the 10th highest adult obesity rate in the nation? You can take steps to fight obesity. Start small. Little steps can lead to big success! Follow these tips to eat smart and move more. At home: Rethink your drink. Avoid soda. Try water, or low-fat (1%) or fat-free milk. Right-size your portions. Bigger is not always better. Turn off the TV. This can lower your family s risk of becoming overweight. Move more every day. Even small amounts of activity can help you stay healthy. Eat more healthy meals at home. Don t eat out so much. This will reduce your intake of fat and calories. It can also save you time and money. Eat more fruits and vegetables. They can be fresh, frozen, canned or dried. Provide the best start. Breast-feeding benefits both mom and baby. In your community: Help build bike and walking paths. Help start a farmers market. Help your school start a Safe Routes to School program. Visit sc.us/getting/saferoutes.aspx for more information. Support a take the stairs campaign at work. Lobby for healthy food and drink options at work. Sources: South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, Obesity Tips to Help You Stay at a Healthy Weight, retrieved from The State of Obesity, The State of Obesity in South Carolina, retrieved from 2 Member Newsletter

3 FREE Over-the-Counter Items! At WellCare of South Carolina, we want you and your family to be healthy. One way you can be your healthiest is by using your over-the-counter (OTC) benefit. With this benefit, you get up to $120 in FREE OTC items each year. You can choose from more than 150 health and wellness items. These include things like: Medicines to help with allergies, fever and heartburn; Cough and cold medicine; Toothbrushes, toothpaste and floss; First aid items; Sunblock; and Vitamins. We offer two ways for you to place your order: 1. Call Customer Service: The number and hours are listed on the back page. Have your item number(s) ready. Choose between automated phone service and talking with a team member. Follow the instructions. 2. Do you have a computer or smartphone? Then log on to southcarolina.wellcare.com. Log in with your username and password. If you don t have these, sign up. It s easy. Just follow the instructions. Then click Over-the-Counter (OTC) Items to get started. You can order items until they add up to your monthly $10 allowance. We ll ship it right to your home. Get the most out of your OTC benefit: Order items each month. Your $10 doesn t carry over to the next month. Use your monthly order to stock up on different items. Important reminders: Your OTC allowance is for each family, not each family member who s on our plan. Items, quantities, sizes and values may change depending on availability. The brand names of the OTC items listed are trademarks of their respective owners. Important Plan Changes You will no longer have a co-payment for the services listed below. Find a complete list of services and co-payments on our website at southcarolina.wellcare.com. ASC (Ambulatory Surgery Center); Chiropractor; DME (Durable Medical Equipment); FQHCs (Federally Qualified Health Centers) and RHCs (Rural Health Centers); Home health; Physician office visits (physician and nurse practitioner); Optometrist; and Podiatrist. Member Newsletter 3

4 Take Control of Asthma and Breathe Easier We all have favorite seasons of the year! But season changes or extreme weather conditions could act as a trigger for people with asthma. Asthma is a chronic lung disease. The disease makes the airways in the lungs swell and get narrow. This makes it hard to breathe. Here are some tips to help manage your asthma in any season: Be aware of things that can trigger your asthma. Avoid them, if possible. These can be things like pollen, tobacco smoke, pets and mold. Take your medicines as your doctor tells you to. Call your doctor if you are having problems breathing or if your medicine is not making you better. DID YOU KNOW? Asthma is the most common chronic disease for kids. It s also the leading cause of disability in children. That s according to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. Our team of registered nurses and health professionals can help. They provide education and health coaching. The program is optional. It is no cost to you. Call Customer Service. The number is on the back page. Ask for the Care Management Department. Sources: South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, Asthma in South Carolina, retrieved from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, You Can Control Your Asthma, retrieved from How to Keep Your Health Insurance As a member of a Medicaid Managed Care health plan, you need to go through recertification every year to keep your coverage. You will get a recertification application about one month before you need to renew your coverage. Fill it out and return it before your due date to keep your health insurance. Any questions? Call Customer Service. The number is on the back page. 4 Member Newsletter

5 Living Well With Sickle Cell Disease People with sickle cell disease have long, curved blood cells. These sometimes get stuck in blood vessels. That keeps blood and oxygen from reaching parts of the body. This is called a sickle cell crisis. It can cause your legs, stomach, knees, back, chest or arms to hurt. To help prevent a sickle cell crisis: Exercise regularly. Drink at least eight glasses of water every day. Dress warmly. Don t swim in cold water. If you smoke, quit. Don t drink a lot of alcohol. If a sickle cell crisis happens, try these tips: Get a massage or take a warm bath. Don t think about the pain. Ask your doctor which drugs will ease your pain. If you have certain symptoms, you may need to go to the emergency room. Ask your doctor about these. Source: StayWell, Living Well with Sickle Cell Disease Tips From the Pharmacist Take your medications as prescribed by your primary care provider (PCP). Talk with your pharmacist about your medications. Ask questions. Learn what each medication is for, how it should be taken and when. Do you need refills of medications? Call your PCP or your pharmacist to request them before you run out. Member Newsletter 5

6 Help Is Here in the Fight Against Depression Are you or a loved one feeling sad? Worthless? Hopeless? It could be a sign of depression. Many people don t seek help for depression. Yet help is available. How Do I Know if It s Depression? Have you had any of the below signs every day for two weeks or more? If so, seek treatment. Feeling like there is no hope; Feeling guilty and/or helpless; Feeling irritable and/or restless; Losing interest in activities or hobbies you used to like; Feeling tired or low on energy; Having a hard time concentrating, remembering details and making decisions; Having trouble sleeping, waking up early or sleeping too much; Overeating or having no appetite; or Feeling aches or pains, headaches, cramps or digestive problems. How Do I Find Help? Talk about depression with your primary care provider. Or talk with a behavioral health specialist. You may also call Customer Service. The number is on the back page. We can help you find a provider and schedule an appointment. If you or someone you care about is in crisis, seek help right away. Call 911. Go to an emergency department or health care provider s office. Call the toll-free, 24-hour hotline of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at TALK ( ); TTY TTY (4889). Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Depression is Not a Normal Part of Growing Older, retrieved from 6 Member Newsletter

7 We Protect Your Privacy The law says we must protect your health information. Our Notice of Privacy Practices states how we may use this data. It also tells you how you may use your rights to: Access your health information Control your health information You can see our Notice of Privacy Practices at southcarolina.wellcare. com. You may also ask us for a copy. To do this, call Customer Service at Hours are Monday Friday, 8 a.m. 6 p.m. TTY users, call If we change our privacy policies, we will post a new notice on our website. We will also mail a notice of the changes to you when the law says we must. Plan Info That s Good to Know Women s Visits You can use in-network women s health specialists for routine and preventive health care service. Also, you can see an OB-GYN for one women s health visit each year without approval. Second Opinions If you want another take on your health, call your doctor. He or she will ask you to choose a WellCare provider in your service area. If there s not one, you will be asked to pick one who is out of the plan s network. Out-of-Network Services If we cannot provide a necessary and covered service to you in-network, we will cover that service out-of-network. We ll do this for as long as we are unable to provide the service in-network. We will also work out payment with the out-of-network provider. The cost to you will be no more than if the service was done in-network. Fair Treatment Our doctors must offer you the same office hours as they do to those with other insurance. Always talk with your doctor(s) about the care that is right for you. This material does not replace your doctor s advice. WellCare does not guarantee any health results. You should review your plan or call Customer Service to find out if a service is covered. Call 911 or your doctor right away in a health emergency. Member Newsletter 7

8 200 Center Point Circle, Suite 180 Columbia, SC PRSRT STD U.S. Postage Paid Wellcare Health Plans Para solicitar este documento en Español, llame al Servicio al Cliente al (TTY ). SC029971_CAD_NEW_ENG State Approved WellCare 2015 SC_05_ In This Issue We re pleased to bring you another issue of Member Focus. It s full of helpful ideas about ways to live healthier. You ll also find friendly reminders to keep you up to date with your care. There s much more inside, so take a moment to explore. As always, we wish you good health. Click or Call for the Latest Drug Coverage Updates Want to find the latest about the drugs we cover? Go to southcarolina.wellcare.com. You ll find our Preferred Drug List (PDL). You can learn about drugs we ve added or removed. You ll also find changes to any drug requirements or coverage limits. You can also call us. Numbers to Know We re just a phone call (or click) away! Call Customer Service: TTY Monday Friday, 8 a.m. 6 p.m. Or visit southcarolina.wellcare.com Nurse Advice Line: MD