Tips for Managing Holiday Stress

Transcription

1 ILLINOIS 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 Eating Healthy During the Holidays: Good Fats vs. Bad Fats During the holidays, tasty treats are everywhere. It would be easy to let healthy eating habits slide, but holidays can still be healthy. Fats are part of a healthy diet. You should know that some fats are better for your body than others. The guide below can help you sort the good fats from the bad ones. Good! Unsaturated fats are heart-healthy. Most of the fat you eat should be unsaturated. Foods with unsaturated fats include: Fish; Corn, soybean, canola and sunflower oils; Nuts; Peanuts, peanut butter and peanut oil; Seeds; and Avocados. Bad! Saturated fats and trans fats increase your risk for heart disease. Foods with saturated fats include: Meat (especially beef, pork, bacon, sausage, and canned and deli meats); Dairy products like whole milk, cheese, butter, cream and ice cream; Lard; and Many packaged holiday goodies like fudge, peanut brittle, cookies and other baked goods. Worst! Trans fat is the worst kind of fat. It is found in highly processed foods that are low in nutrients. Foods with trans fats include: Any product with partially hydrogenated vegetable oil; Margarines; Microwave popcorn; Many frozen foods like pizza rolls, pies and breakfast sandwiches; and Cake, biscuit and cookie mixes. Sources: Adapted from Health Bulletin #76, Good Fats/Bad Fats How to Know the Difference, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, MOVE! Weight Management Program, retrieved from 2 Member Newsletter

3 Give Yourself the Gift of an Annual Checkup Every year, you should get a physical exam. This is so your primary care provider can check your health. He or she will: Give you screenings you need; Talk with you about living a healthy lifestyle; and Make sure your vaccinations are up-to-date. Your annual checkup is covered. Screenings can find conditions that some people do not know they have. This could include: High blood pressure; High blood sugar; and High cholesterol. The earlier a health issue is found, the easier it is to treat. So if you ve put off having a checkup, make an appointment soon. Do you have health concerns or questions? Our Nurse Advice Line is here to help. It s no charge. You can speak with one of our nurses 24 hours a day, any day of the year. Call (TTY ). Come Join Us! Harmony hosts Member Appreciation Days. We also hold Enrollee Advisory Committee Meetings. To find events near you, call Your Feedback Is Needed In February, The Myers Group may contact you. Harmony has approved this company. The group may ask you to take the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare and Providers Survey. For questions, call Member Services at Tips for Getting Prescriptions Filled When your doctor gives you a prescription, go to a network pharmacy to get it filled. Show your Harmony member ID card. Want to find the latest about the drugs we cover? Visit our website, You can also call us for updates. The number is on the back page of this newsletter. Member Newsletter 3

4 Where Do I Go to Get Care? Emergency Care vs. Urgent Care Your primary care provider (PCP) is trained to coordinate all your health care. See your PCP for all nonemergency, nonurgent health care needs. What if you need care immediately but your health is not in serious danger? In that case, go to an urgent care center. Some symptoms that can be treated at an urgent care center include: Fever without a rash; Minor trauma/injury such as a common sprain; Painful urination; and Persistent diarrhea. To find an urgent care facility nearest you, visit our website, Or call Member Services. The number is on the back page. If you feel you may have a serious condition that requires emergency care, you should go to the emergency room. Some instances requiring emergent care include: Persistent chest pain; Severe pain; Severe heart palpitations; Intestinal bleeding (symptoms include vomiting blood and/or dark stool); and Broken bones or dislocated joints. It can be tough to know which issues are urgent and which are not. For advice, contact your PCP. Or call our 24-hour Nurse Advice Line. The number is on the back page. Source: Scripps, Should You Go to the Emergency Room or Urgent Care? retrieved from news_items/4231-should-you-go-to-theemergency-room-orurgent-care Lower Your Risk for STDs Are you sexually active? If so, do these things to lower your chances of getting sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including HIV: Use condoms. Reduce your number of sex partners. Don t use drugs or alcohol before or during sex. Talk with your health care provider. Ask whether you should be tested for STDs and HIV. Screening for STDs can help assess your risk of getting HIV. Find out about testing in your area. Visit Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, STDs and HIV CDC Fact Sheet, retrieved from 4 Member Newsletter

5 FREE Over-the-Counter Items! At Harmony Health Plan, 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 $180 in FREE OTC items each year. That s $15 each month. 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 Member Services: 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 go to www. harmonyhpi.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 $15 allowance. We ll ship items right to your home. Get the most out of your OTC benefit: Order items each month. Your $15 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. Member Newsletter 5

6 Notice of Privacy Practices 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 You may also ask us for a copy. To do this, call Member Services at Hours are Monday Friday, 8 a.m. 5 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 Harmony 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-ofnetwork 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. 6 Member Newsletter

7 Behavioral Health Affects Kids, Too What is childhood mental disorder? It s a term that describes all mental disorders that can be diagnosed and begin in childhood. They include: ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder); Autism spectrum disorders; PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder); and Mood and anxiety disorders. Some children can have temporary behavioral problems. This can be due to a stressful situation like a divorce or the birth of a sibling. If problems last longer than six months, the child may have a behavioral health disorder. Warning signs for children can include: Harming or threatening to harm themselves, other people or pets; Damaging or destroying property; Lying or stealing; Not doing well in school or skipping school; and Frequent tantrums, arguments and hostility toward authority figures. Symptoms of a behavioral health disorder may change over time. These are usually diagnosed during the school years. A proper diagnosis by a behavioral health professional is important. Children with behavioral health disorders can have problems at home and at school. What Can You Do? Talk with your child s primary care provider or a behavioral health professional. Our Care Management Program can help you with any questions. A care manager can also send you educational materials. You may be eligible for this service at no cost. Call Member Services. The number is on the back page. Ask for the Care Management Department. Sources: U.S. National Library of Medicine, Child Behavior Disorders, retrieved from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Children s Mental Health, retrieved from Always talk with your doctor(s) about the care that is right for you. This material does not replace your doctor s advice. Also, Harmony 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. Member Newsletter 7

8 Harmony Health Plan, Inc. 29 North Wacker Drive, Suite 300 Chicago, IL PRSRT STD U.S. Postage Paid Wellcare Health Plans Para solicitar este documento en Español, llame al Servicios para Miembros al (TTY ). IL029973_CAD_NEW_ENG Internal Approved WellCare 2015 IL_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. Visit Our Website for the Latest Drug Coverage Updates Want to find the latest about the drugs we cover? Go to harmonyhpi.com/member/preferreddruglist. 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. Numbers to Know We re just a phone call (or click) away! Call Member Services: TTY Monday Friday, 8 a.m. 5 p.m. Or visit Nurse Advice Line: hours a day/7 days a week 10867MI