Looking For Some Summer Fun?

Transcription

1 Are You Eligible for Extra Medical Benefits as a Medi-Medi? What is a Medi-Medi? A Medi-Medi is a term that describes someone who qualifies for Medicare and also qualifies for Medi-Cal. Who is Covered? Medicare coverage is based on your age or disability, but Medi- Cal coverage is based on your income and asset levels. The Medi-Cal income level depends on your situation, whether you re married or single, disabled or able-bodied. What is Covered? Medi-Cal has three programs that provide additional healthcare coverage for seniors with Medicare. They provide varying levels of coverage for medically necessary health care such as physician visits, x-ray and lab tests, hospital and nursing-home care, home health care, certain prescription drugs excluded as a Medicare Part D benefit, medical equipment and devices, ambulance care and hospice care. In each instance your Medicare Advantage plan pays first and Medi-Cal is the second payer. What to Do Learn more about eligibility and the three Medi-Cal plans for seniors by logging onto You may also call Member Services Toll Free and ask for Loretta Morrow. Inside This Issue Issue #49 June 2013 Looking For Some Summer Fun? One of the best places to try is your area Senior Center. In Torrance, there are three: The Herma Tillim Senior Center, The Walteria Park Senior Citizen s Center and The Bartlett Senior Citizen s Center. The Bartlett Center offers more than a dozen recreational activities and events. These include movies, fitness classes, shuffleboard, pool, bridge and table games as well as workshops in ceramics and jewelrymaking. There s even a naturalism workshop that s held in conjunction with the Madrona Marsh Nature Center. One of our most popular programs is the Bartlett Center Lunch Program where seniors can enjoy a delicious lunch Monday through Friday for $2.50 a meal, says Cindy Snodgrass, Recreation Supervisor for the City of Torrance. Other popular programs include Torrance Travelers, designed to take seniors on excursions throughout the area. This month it s the Gondolas, Gelato, and Guided Tour of Little Italy in San Diego. There are also special events such as the annual Senior Prom featuring a live swing band at Torrance s Ken Miller Recreation Center, or the Rock Around the Block Party with a classic car show, hoola-hoop contest and In-N-Out burgers. The Herma Tillim Center is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and offers card games, crafts, bingo and movies. While Walteria Park is open on Mondays and Thursdays for table games, coffee and cookies. The Bartlett Senior Citizen s Center is open seven days a week. The Bartlett Center for Senior Citizens 1318 Cravens Avenue, The Herma Tillim Senior Citizens Center 3614 W. Artesia Blvd., Walteria Park Senior Citizen s Center 3855 W. 242nd Street, Important Facts About Physical Therapy p. 2 Does Your Health Plan Provide Transportation? p. 2 What s Normal for Aging Skin and What s Not p. 5 How to Survive Cancer p. 5

2 Need Help Getting to Physical Therapy? Check this list to see if your health plan offers transportation to your physical therapy appointment. Medicare Complete Plan 1 Medicare Select Plan Blue Cross Senior Secure Plan 2 blue of california Gold Select Gold Plus 65 Plus If your Health Plan does not provide transportation, please check with your city for services offered to seniors or try these services: Access Services, Inc Page 2 Issue# 49 June Torrance Memorial Medical Center Van Services When You Need Physical Therapy Physical therapists have helped countless THIPA seniors regain their mobility following joint degeneration, spinal stenosis, and injury or total knee or hip replacement surgery. We can make life much more enjoyable by calming down the symptoms and improving physical function, says Tom Cipolla, D.P.T. (Doctor of Physical Therapy) and President and Director of Independent Physical Therapy in the South Bay. We use hands on therapy to increase range of motion. We teach our seniors techniques they can do at home to increase strength and mobility. Tom and his physical therapists also help seniors who suffer neurological damage from stroke, Parkinson s, multiple sclerosis or other conditions. We want seniors to live a good quality life, says Tom. Therapy helps them regain or maintain their ability to do the things they need to do as well as the things they enjoy. Important Facts About Physical Therapy You ll need a referral from your primary care physician or specialist to obtain physical therapy. Your wait time for your first visit depends on your condition and your choice of therapy locations. Post operative patients should be seen within 24 to 48 hours. Other patients should be seen within one to two weeks. You may visit a physical therapist once or twice a week depending on the severity of your problem. Your average physical therapy session lasts 45 minutes to an hour. You ll pay a co-pay for each visit based on your insurance coverage. Four Physical Therapy Locations As a THIPA member you ll receive physical therapy through Independent Physical Therapy, which has four locations to serve you Sepulveda Blvd. Torrance, CA E. Carson Street, #203 Carson, CA Manhattan Beach Blvd., #207 Manhattan Beach, CA Deep Valley Drive, #200 Rolling Hills Est., CA Centralized phone and fax for all locations: Phone: Fax:

3 How THIPA Works For You Torrance Hospital IPA gives you easy access to the South Bay s leading doctors, specialists and healthcare practitioners, plus so much more Offers Leading Doctors THIPA offers over 150 primary care doctors and 260 specialists to serve you. It s the only physician network directly affiliated with Torrance Memorial Medical Center, one of the highest ranked hospitals in the South Bay. Self-Referral for Direct Access to Specialists Enjoy direct access to over 70 self-referral specialists in eight specialties without seeing a primary care physician for a referral. You ll save time and money on co-pays. It s the only self-referral program of its kind in the South Bay! Erases the Confusion of Medical Bills We take care of your bills from doctors and hospitals, except for co-payments and coinsurance. If there s a problem with a bill you receive, our Member Services Team will investigate for you. Special Hospital Care, 24 Hours a day If you re admitted to Torrance Memorial Medical Center, you get a dedicated hospitalist. This is a highly trained physician specializing in hospital care to ensure effective communication between you, your hospital doctors and your primary care physician. Two Urgent Care Centers, Care When You Need It Enjoy immediate medical attention for colds, flu, stomach problems, minor injuries, bladder infections and more. Save time and money by visiting our two convenient locations in Manhattan Beach and Torrance. (See addresses on back) Comprehensive Care Center If you re ever hospitalized, your doctor can refer you for a no-cost post discharge visit at the Comprehensive Care Center. You and your family will have ample time to go over your discharge instructions, your medical condition, test results, medication list and follow-up plans with Dr. Ujjwala Dheeriya. Dr. Dheeriya is a Board Certified Internal Medicine doctor with 12 years experience in primary care and hospital medicine. Personalized Care Management When chronic or complex health conditions strike, our care management team can help. They act as a liaison between you, your doctors and your specialists to make sure you re getting the care and medical resources you deserve. What does THIPA mean? THIPA stands for Torrance Hospital Independent Practice Association. What is THIPA? THIPA is a physicians network that provides the medical services that your Medicare Advantage plan covers (excluding prescriptions). We are contracted with your health insurance company. How did you become a THIPA member? When you selected your Medicare Advantage Health Insurance you selected a primary care physician within THIPA s physicians network. 45,000 people, including over 5,000 seniors in the South Bay have selected THIPA because of our reputation for cost-effective, high-quality health care. Why Choose THIPA? THIPA has 30 years experience serving the South Bay. We are affiliated with Torrance Memorial Medical Center, one of the highest ranked hospitals greater Los Angeles. How do you know if you re a member of THIPA? On the front or back of your health insurance card there is a line that should read THIPA or Torrance Hospital IPA. Page 3 Issue# June Dec

4 The Expo on Successful Aging Was a Success! Meet Your Member Services Team! If you call THIPA s Member Services Department, the person who answers the phone might be Loretta Morrow. Thanks to all the THIPA seniors who attended the 5th Annual Daily Breeze expo on Successful Aging at the Torrance Marriott on Saturday May 11th. THIPA staff, doctors, nurses and medical professionals joined other healthcare providers from around the South Bay to educate seniors on health issues that matter most to them. Issue# 49 June 2013 If you have Health Net or United HealthCare ask for Ana, dial ext 5325 or ana.vasquez@tmmc.com If you have Citizens Choice, Cigna or Care 1st ask for Angel, dial ext 5326 or angeline.thomas@tmmc.com Call Senior Member Services Toll-Free: Mon -Fri: 8:30am -5:00pm. Prefer to ask your question in Spanish? Ask for Ana or Nancy, they re bilingual. Manhattan Beach Hawthorne 4 Gardena Hermosa Beach 405 Torrance Redondo Beach Palos Verdes Estates Rancho Palos Verdes 2 Lomita Rolling Hills Estates Harbor City Page 4 If you have Aetna or Humana ask for Karen, dial ext 5324 or karen.tanori@tmmc.com 105 El Segundo le Thanks to all who helped us make this year s Successful Aging a success. We look forward to seeing you again next year. If you have Anthem Blue Cross or Blue Shield Commercial ask for Nancy, dial ext 5322, or nancy.parrilla@tmmc.com Inglewood LAX da Besides learning about everything that s available in senior healthcare in the South Bay, expo attendees also enjoyed food, music, bingo and presentations on senior fitness and coupon cutting. If your health insurance is Blue Shield of CA, ask for Loretta or dial ext You can also loretta.morrow@tmmc.com THIPA Service Map wn THIPA Member Services representatives Loretta Morrow and Angeline Thomas were on hand to take questions, while THIPA Case Managers explained how THIPA provides special help to seniors with complex medical conditions. There was even a seminar educating seniors on their Medicare options given by Health Insurance Agent Susan Arbour. Who To Call with Questions Member Services Team: from left to right: Karen Tanori, Ana Vasquez, Nancy Parrilla, Loretta Morrow and Angel Thomas La Internal Medicine doctors Darren Neal D.O. and Anahid Kwiatkouski D.O. staffed THIPAs Ask the Doctor table where seniors could ask medical questions. Torrance Memorial Medical Center offered free health screenings for glucose and blood pressure as well as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and glaucoma. Loretta leads a team of four people to help you. We re the first contact many of our members have, says Loretta. Most importantly we want to give our members the personal attention they deserve so they can get the care they need. Carson Wilmington Rolling Hills San Pedro Torrance Hospital IPA Offices Torrance Memorial Medical Center Torrance Memorial Urgent Care Torrance Memorial Urgent Care Thank You THIPA Seniors! Our Food Drive on behalf of South Bay Senior Services was a big hit. Over the months of April and May we collected two car loads of canned goods, nonperishable items and personal care supplies to help seniors in our community. Thanks to all who donated.

5 National Cancer Survivors Day is Sunday June 2nd. Nearly 14 million Americans are cancer survivors and are living with and beyond a diagnosis of cancer. Learning about this disease is crucial, because many forms of cancer can be prevented and most cured if detected early. Men have a slightly less than a 1 in 2 lifetime risk of developing cancer; for women, the risk is a little more than 1 in 3. How To Survive Cancer Know the Difference Between Normal Skin Aging and Cancer Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States. Most skin cancers appear after age 50. Signs of skin cancer include changes like a new mole, a change in an existing mole, or a sore that does not heal Skin Cancer To give yourself the greatest chance of survival contact your primary care physician about any of the following warning signs of cancer... Weight gain or loss with no reason Feeling weak or very tired Unusual bleeding or discharge Loss of appetite Hoarseness or a cough that doesn t go away Pain or fullness in your breast Changes in bladder habits Blood in your stool Any new symptoms that do not resolve in a short period of time. Everyone over 55 gets flat, tan age spots called lentigos or warty brown growths called benign keratosis. These are normal. They don t require examination or removal. Basal cell cancer may be a spot or mole that frequently bleeds or doesn t heal. Basal cell is the most common skin cancer making up 90% of all skin cancers in the U.S. Squamous cell cancer may be a cancerous spot or mole that grows up quickly. It may be very hard, rough or red. Melanoma is the most serious skin cancer. If not treated early it can spread and be fatal. Fortunately melanoma is curable if detected early. In men, it s often found on the trunk, head and neck. In women, melanoma often develops on the lower legs. An early melanoma can appear like a dark black mole and may be the size of a pin head, so pay attention to any new black moles. Use the ABCD rule to remember melanoma symptoms: A = Asymmetry (one half of the mole, birthmark or pigmented area looks different than the other half) B = Borders that are irregular C = Color changes or more than one color D = Diameter greater than the size of a pencil eraser. Change of Address? To receive Senior Living at a new mailing address, get it by , or to unsubscribe call Janet Gomez at ext or thipa@tmmc.com Next Edition How to save money on your prescriptions! Upcoming Events at THIPA and Torrance Memorial Medical Center June 19 - Torrance Memorial Miracle of Living: Bladder Health Join us for a free lecture to learn about regaining control of your bladder and bladder health. Wed., June 19 7:00-9:00 p.m., Torrance Memorial Medical Center Health Conference Center, 3330 Lomita Blvd. No reservations required but are advised. Call June 22 - THIPA New Member Orientation - Join us to receive your Senior Member Packet along with important information about the new benefits and services that you re receiving as a THIPA member. Free. Sat., June 22, 10:00-11:00 am. Torrance Memorial Medical Center Health Conference Center 2, 3330 Lomita Blvd. Light refreshments will be served. RSVP required, call June 26 - THIPA s Medicare 101 Learn how to avoid making costly mistakes with your medical care. This is not a sales meeting. Wed., June 26, 6:30-8:30, Torrance Memorial Medical Center, Health Conference Center Rooms 1 & 2, Medical Center Drive. Seating is limited. Doors open at 6 pm for registration. Dinner will be served. Make a reservation today at or call June 27 - THIPA New Member Orientation - Join us to receive your Senior Member Packet along with important information about the new benefits and services that you re receiving as a THIPA member. Free. Thurs, June 22, 5:30-6:30 p.m., THIPA, Room 3, Hawthorne Blvd. Suite 200, Torrance, CA Light refreshments will be served. RSVP required, call Page 5 Issue# 49 June 2013

6 Looking for Some Summer Fun? (See page 1...) Non-profit Org. U.S. Postage Paid Los Angeles,CA Permit No.3344 Thank you for voting a South Bay Best! Torrance Memorial Urgent Care Two Convenient Locations Staffed By Emergency NEW Extended Hours Medicine Physicians Manhattan Beach 855 Manhattan Beach Blvd. #101 Manhattan Beach, CA Mon. - Fri. Sat. - Sun. 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm 8:00 am - 5:00 pm Torrance Hawthorne Blvd. Torrance, CA Mon. - Fri. 9:00 am - 8:00 pm Sat. - Sun. 8:00 am - 6:00 pm Inside this Issue: Important Facts About Physical Therapy p. 2 Does Your Health Plan Provide Transportation? p. 2 What s Normal for Aging Skin and What s Not p. 5 How to Survive Cancer p. 5 Questions? Call the Member Services Team (Toll-Free) Hearing Impaired: TTY/TDD: Monday-Friday 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM Blue Shield of CA Call Loretta at ext 7233 Health Net, United HealthCare, or Secure Horizons, Call Anna at ext 5325 Anthem Blue Cross Call Nancy at ext 5322 Aetna or Humana Call Karen at ext 5324 Citizens Choice, Cigna, Care 1st Call Angel at ext