Health spotlight. Feeling Good About How We Serve You. Volume 3 Winter Your guide to a better, healthy you.

Transcription

1 Volume 3 Winter 2013 Health spotlight Your guide to a better, healthy you. Feeling Good About How We Serve You You can count on IEHP to provide you with the healthcare services you need to feel healthy. That s why we offer you many services, from Member Services to a 24-hour Nurse Advice Line. From getting your medicine to getting a referral to a specialist, we re here to help. How to be Prepared When Leaving the Hospital Page 3 Protecting Yourself from Pneumonia Page 5 Want to Quit Smoking? IEHP Can help Page 7 For example, when you call IEHP with a question, you never talk to a machine. You reach friendly people ready to help you. In fact, our IEHP Member Services team answers most calls in less than 60 seconds, so you won t have to wait very long. Maybe you wonder how long it should take to get in to see your Doctor. We understand. So we ll tell you. (For datails, see page 4) Continued on Page 2... Available in Alternate Formats Upon Request H5640_001_MDC_01891_1012_1 File & Use Para obtener un boletín en español, llame a Servicios para Miembros de IEHP IEHP (4347) Voz IEHP (4347) Si usa TTY de 8 a.m. 8 p.m. (Hora del Pacífico), los 7 días de la semana, incluidos los días festivos

2 BookBook kbook Feeling Good... Continued from Page 1 Of course, we still believe what most of you like is how we try to keep you healthy. With our health education programs on topics like high blood pressure and diabetes, we show you how to stay well. Soon, you may get a customer satisfaction survey by mail. If you do, we hope you ll rate IEHP highly. After all, for friendly people and plenty of healthcare services, you can count on us. If you have accessed one of our services lately, we trust that these services helped you. And we hope you feel good about it. Keep that in mind, because soon you could be asked to fill out a survey to rate our service. If you do, we hope you ll rate IEHP highly. Fresh New Look Easier to Use Many New FeaturesB Find a nearby Doctor from our large network. Learn about our health and wellness programs. Find community resources and upcoming events. And much more! Book 2

3 Leaving the Hospital Well Prepared Nobody enjoys a stay in the hospital. You re away from the comforts of home. You worry and think about your health. But when you (or your caretaker) know what to do when you re in the hospital, it can give you peace of mind and help protect your health. It can also help prevent you from landing back in the hospital. As soon as you re admitted to the hospital you should: 1 Talk to your Doctor and nurse. Decide what care or help you will need like getting your medicine, when it s time to go back home. 2 3 Before you talk to your Doctor and nurse, ask those who will help care for you at home to be there. Write down a list of questions or concerns for your Doctor and nurse. When it s time to go home (be discharged) you should: 1 Write the name and phone number of the person to call if you have questions Find out a delivery date and time for any special equipment you use. Plus, find out how to use it. Get a copy of your discharge orders. Call your Doctor for a follow-up visit as soon as you get home. See your Doctor right away if your health condition gets worse. 3

4 How Long Should it Take to See Your Doctor? At IEHP, we understand how you feel. When you need to see your Doctor, for any reason, you want to get in right away. We all do. But in most cases, there s a wait. That s normal. Let s say you want a yearly checkup. If you call your Doctor s office today, you ll likely get a visit within 30 days. Since you re not sick or hurt, that s okay. After all, Doctors should keep part of their schedule open for urgent visits. Here s a chart that tells you how long it should take to get in for a visit. Type of visit Medical Condition Amount of time Annual checkup Child Checkup & shots Within 2 weeks Adult First visit with Doctor Within 30 days (for new patients) or yearly visit (for current patients) Urgent Sprain, cough (no fever) Within 2 days Sick Flu, earache, sore throat Within 3 days Follow-up Post treatment to check healing Within 2 weeks (Or as directed by your Doctor) 4

5 Complex Care Management Program If you have a serious or chronic health condition like diabetes, the IEHP Complex Care Management Program will help you arrange your healthcare needs. When you (or your caregiver) join the program, you get a Care Manager and a Care Team. They help you with services like referrals to see a specialist, getting medical supplies and medicine. Your Care Manager will also work with your Doctor (and medical group) to help you learn more about your medical condition and how to manage it. Based on your health history (record) we may enroll you in the program, but you can choose to leave the program at anytime. To learn more about this program, call IEHP Member Services. Should you Get the Pneumonia Shot? Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs caused by bacteria or viruses. Symptoms can include coughing, fever, chills, and trouble breathing. Anyone can get pneumonia, but it tends to be more severe for children ages five or younger, and adults ages 65 or older. People who smoke, have HIV, cancer, asthma, diabetes, or other chronic diseases are also at a higher risk for catching pneumonia. If you belong to one of these high risk groups, ask your Doctor if the pneumonia shot is right for you. 5

6 Local Resources Nutrition: Meals on Wheels Inland Empire delivers healthy meals while offering companionship to seniors and people with disabilities who are on a fixed income. San Bernardino residents: (909) or service@mealsonwheelsie.org Riverside residents: (951) or director@riversidemealsonwheels.org Vision Services: Braille Institute provides checkups for people that have low vision and offers other services to help people with vision loss. (760) Transportation Services: Transportation Reimbursement Program (TRIP) San Bernardino County Valley Transportation Services offers reimbursement for eligible trips (like Doctor visits and Travel Training) for any senior or person with a disability seeking to learn how to use public transit. (909) Riverside Transit Agency s (RTA) Travel Training Program A free program for people who want to learn how to read bus schedules and how to use RTA s bus route system. After completing training, participants receive one free monthly bus pass. (951)

7 You can report without giving your name. Privacy Breach Fraud Waste Abuse SUSPECT IT? if you spot it, report it! Contact the Compliance Team Toll Free: Fax: (909) Mail: IEHP Chief Compliance Officer, P.O. Box 19026, San Bernardino, CA You re Right To Report A Wrong. Has Your Doctor Told You To Quit Smoking? We all know that quitting smoking can add years to your life but it s not easy! If you are ready to quit, IEHP is here to support you. Join the hundreds of IEHP Members who have quit through the IEHP Stop Smoking Program. You ll get one-on-one support by phone and helpful tips through the mail. And if your Doctor prescribes a medicine to help you quit, IEHP will cover it through your pharmacy benefit. So follow your Doctor s advice. Call IEHP Member Services to enroll in the IEHP Stop Smoking Program and start living a healthier smoke-free life. 7

8 Important Plan Information 2013 Inland Empire Health Plan. All Rights Reserved. H5640_001_MDC_01891_1012_1 File & Use IEHP Member Services Call us if you need help or have any questions. Call IEHP (4347) 8 a.m. 8 p.m. (PST), 7 days a week, including holidays. TTY/TDD users should call IEHP Medicare DualChoice (HMO SNP) is a Coordinated Care plan with a Medicare contract and a contract with the California Medicaid program Inland Empire Health Plan. All Rights Reserved.